Should the Gas Grid be Digitalised?
May 2, 2022
High Quality Home Heating Oil, Order Online Affordable, Fast & Convenient Delivery
It’s almost three years since the UK government committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050. The many aspects of this proposal have been debated in depth, particularly the role that the gas grid will play. The eco friendly goals will see increased use of renewable energy sources such as solar power. The problem with wind and solar energy sources is they are not totally reliable and depend on weather conditions. This means that until another practical solution can be found, fossil fuels are still needed.
Things are however moving in the right direction. According to the Energy Networks Association, the UK’s gas grid will be ready to blend up to 20% hydrogen into gas networks by 2023. The gas network is already being fed by biomethane plants, which produce eco-friendly energy. An amount of network upgrading will also be required to enable a smooth transition to lower-carbon gases.
Most agree this will be a challenging prospect, as the current gas network was specifically designed for one type of gas, going in one direction. The limited amount of entry points will have to be adjusted to thousands, along with the capacity to deal with several types of gas. Even if these changes are successful, managing detection and prevention of issues on the network with prove a complex task. Humans have in the past been responsible for managing and maintaining these systems, but automation is now considered the way to go.
Polyethylene is the material of choice for the network in the UK, but metallic pipes are still being used, and they are prone to leakage. To limit the risk of leaks in a cost effective way, pressure must be reduced. This is not straight forward as thousands of manually controlled governors are involved. Smart pressure control would address this issue, and automatically adjust pressures. Remotely monitoring and reporting on gas pressure Is another advantage of installing digital devices, along with time and cost savings.
Heating Oil & Solid Fuels, Fuel Additives, Retail Fuel Services, High Performance Heating Products