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2019 HIGHLIGHTS

MAKING AN IMPACT

THE GAS INDUSTRY AWARDS TAKES PLACE IN MAY
2019 was a year of important developments for the gas industry Connecting with industry
and the global energy industry as a whole. We live in turbulent Transformative technology was the
times and the best way to face the tides of change is through focus of the latest conference in IGEM’s
collaboration and coordinated thinking. IGEM has been bringing Road to 2050 series, Digitalising the
energy professionals together throughout the year to tackle this Energy Networks.
Having previously looked at
important work and we’ll continue to do so throughout 2020. Join the impact of decarbonisation
us as we take a look at the previous 12 months and some of the and decentralisation on the UK’s
things we have in store for the months ahead energy networks, we sought to
complete the energy trilemma
Preparing the gas industry Safety Executive, focused on the by considering the opportunities
for a net zero future engineering challenges of replacing presented by the digitalisation
In June, IGEM welcomed a government natural gas in the gas distribution of the sector.
announcement committing the UK to network with hydrogen In July, delegates gathered at
cutting greenhouse gas emissions to net This complements the work of our London’s No.11 Cavendish Square to
zero by 2050. IGEM’s CEO Neil Atkinson Gas Quality Working Group, which hear a range of perspectives on how
said at the time: “This is a significant has been considering the evidence for digitalisation could impact (and has
commitment for the coming years. It widening the allowable range of the already impacted) the gas industry
is now crucial that policies are put in Wobbe Index. and how it can support the country’s
place that inspire confidence across Some low carbon gases are already transition to a low carbon economy.
industry and consumers.” being added into the network Our Summer Conference will
In response to the emissions challenge, alongside natural gas. However, in examine how the gas industry can
the gas industry has embarked on a order to maximise the full potential of integrate solutions to the energy
number of innovative projects designed alternative gases a change is required to trilemma into workable plans for the
to decarbonise the gas network and the specification of gas that is permitted future. Keep watching this space for
reduce the carbon footprint associated to be injected into the network. more details.
with gas usage. As well as hydrogen, A new gas quality standard is now Helping to formulate those plans,
many of these projects explore the being drafted and it is hoped the IGEM’s Industrial Affiliate Section
potential of other alternative, low carbon working group’s important work will welcomed over 100 delegates from
gases such as biomethane and bioSNG. someday enable an increase in the use fellow IAs for an event dedicated
Ian McCluskey, IGEM’s Head of of low carbon gases in our networks. exclusively to hydrogen.
Technical Services & Policy, introduced In addition, IGEM introduced a In June, representatives from
a Joint PEI Hydrogen Working Group number of new courses to its technical three of the UK’s gas distribution
report. Transitioning to Hydrogen, training programme, including our networks, Cadent, SGN and Northern
created by four engineering institutions increasingly popular Hydrogen and the Gas Networks (NGN), came to IGEM
in collaboration with the Health and Natural Gas Network. House to give members and invited

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