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TIMES THEY
ARE A-CHANGIN’
SGN is one of the UKs four gas distribution
companies, serving some 5.9 million homes and
businesses across the south of England, the whole
of Scotland and is now well into building a third
network in Northern Ireland. Its long-standing CEO
John Morea shares his thoughts on the role gas networks
will have in keeping Britons safe and warm into the future
Bio Gas1 was positive to see a few months back
28
FutureOfGasSNG.indd 1 15/11/2018
ritain has one of the most
advanced and ecient gas
infrastructure networks in
the world with 23.2
B million customers
connected to 284,000km of pipeline,
including almost 85 per cent of
homes. It’s also pretty well known
that both the UK and Scottish
governments are committed to
reducing greenhouse gas emissions by
80 per cent of 1990 levels by 2050.
Against that backdrop, we’ve reached
a point today where almost half (46
per cent) of the nal energy
consumed in this country is for heat.
That throws up the challenge to our
industry to innovate and develop an
advanced, decarbonised energy
system, which is not only a‡ordable
for customers, but brings with it the
least possible disruption. You won’t be
surprised to learn I rmly believe the
UK’s gas networks are perfectly
placed to deliver this low carbon and
integrated energy system.
Last November, BEIS said in its Clean
Growth Strategy that decarbonising
heat to meet carbon targets was its
most dicult policy and technology
challenge. Well, with the collaborative
approach being taken across the gas
networks, and with support from
Ofgem’s innovation incentives, we as an
industry are collaborating like never
before and making great strides to help
BEIS achieve its strategic clean growth
vision.
What’s making the di‡erence now is
that the gas we know and love now
comes with a range of decarbonisation
solutions. Some of these are in
operation now, others are on the road
to development, but many are
game-changing.
SUCCESSES SO FAR
I’ll start with biomethane plants where
within SGN alone we’re on track for
250,000 green gas customers by 2021.
There will soon be 100 plants
connected to the country’s gas
networks and many more planned. It
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