Page 32 - Gi_Dec2021Jan2022

igem news

ANNUAL CONFERENCE

THE TRANSITION IN ACTION

critical for public safety – and safety
in all applications has to be the key
priority for everyone.
Session two, Maintaining Security
of Supply, kicked off shortly after
and was chaired by Andy Musgrave,
Head of Network Strategy at SGN.
Speaking first was Nicholas Waple,
Senior Pipeline Engineer, and Luke
Swan, Procurement Specialist, Wood
Group Plc, whose presentation
covered hydrogen pipeline challenges,
feasibility and supply chain readiness
for replacement and repurposing of
the national transmission system.
Robert Beresford, Chief Process
Engineer at Costain, concluded the
IGEM Marketing Assistant Jodie Shepherd reports on the session with his presentation on storing
events of IGEM’s 2021 Annual Conference, which looked at hydrogen in UK salt caverns to support
a clean energy future.
how the industry intends to put into motion the ambitious Session three of day one, titled
Hydrogen Network Plan Policy into Practice, was chaired by
Chris Train OBE, Executive and Senior
IN OCTOBER, hundreds of like-minded presentation noting that she agrees Adviser of CT Energy, and began with a
gas professionals came together online with Ben that collaboration is key, presentation on the roles for hydrogen
for IGEM’s 2021 Annual Conference, adding that, when you think about how in achieving net zero from Dr David
Road to 2050: Leading the Energy much work needs to be done to achieve Joffe, Head of Carbon Budgets at the
Transition. This year’s event focused net zero, you realise that 2050 isn’t Climate Change Committee (CCC).
on the Hydrogen Network Plan and the actually that far away. For the CCC, hydrogen is seen as an
steps we need to take to ensure a just In her presentation, which focused “essential part of the energy transition,
energy transition. on the science to enable hydrogen albeit in a very focused way”. David
Day one of the conference kicked off safety, Kate likened hydrogen to noted that, by 2050, the hydrogen
with an address from IGEM President Ben the Swiss army knife of the energy economy will be comparable in scale to
Clarke, who welcomed attendees to the transition. She said: “In systems where existing electricity use.
two-day virtual conference by reflecting electrification might not be feasible or Following that was Rita Wadey, of
on the 13 months since the last event, sensible, hydrogen does a brilliant job the Department for Business, Energy
noting that, in his opinion, a key theme due to its versatility in use cases and and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). She
for the 2021 gathering was collaboration the way it can be used both for storage provided some background for
- something that would feature heavily and for power, heating and transport.” the UK’s first Hydrogen Strategy,
throughout various presentations. The second presentation of the explaining that the country is taking
In introducing the first session and session, looking at H₂ Leak Sensors a twin track approach, supporting
the overall theme of the conference, and Detectors Pipelines, was delivered a variety of production methods to
Ben said: “There’s an inevitable focus by Inficon’s Cliff Harris, Marketing rapidly scale up low carbon hydrogen.
on hydrogen as, although hydrogen Development Manager, and Fredrik The final speaker of the session,
is not the whole answer to the energy Enquist, Development Manager, Michael Wagner, Deputy Director of
transition and wider climate change New Technologies. Cliff began the Gas Networks Price Controls at Ofgem,
question, I think even the most ardent presentation by providing some provided a detailed presentation on
critics have just about come around to background into leak detection, the regulator’s role in hydrogen and
the fact that it will form a key part of the explaining how it works and discussing explained where Ofgem stood on
overall answer.” the market needs. Fredrik, who is the the topic, plus what the regulator is
Session one, Ensuring People’s inventor of the latest hydrogen sensor currently doing in the hydrogen space.
Safety, then got underway with Kate technology, then covered the challenges Day two of the conference began with
Jeffrey, Business Development Manager of hydrogen detection on blended an address from IGEM’s CEO Oliver
for Energy, Major Hazards and Data networks. In the duo’s summary, they Lancaster, who said it was “a shame that
Analytics at the HSE Science & Research noted that, in what they call “the new we’re unable to meet face to face, but
Centre, speaking first. Kate began her hydrogen society,” leak detection is I’m delighted that the conference is still

32

18/11/2021 11:18
IGEMNews_AnnualConference.indd 1 18/11/2021 11:18
IGEMNews_AnnualConference.indd 1