Wednesday 30 November 2011

Investment in infrastructure is a smart idea

Yesterday's decision by the Chancellor to invest in UK infrastructure has been backed by engineers and representatives of the wires and pipes transmission networks. They say that creating a smart network will bode well for the future.

David Smith, Energy Networks Association Chief Executive said: "The smarter network will empower the public and help them save money. We are ready to address the technical challenges that the Chancellor has set out to connect and balance supply and demand in more efficient ways".

During his Autumn statement to the house yesterday George Osborne praised the UK's networks for their 99.99% system reliability. The updates aim to increase productivity and an integrated smarter network could potentially save the UK £16 billion, according to a report by Imperial College.

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) welcomed the news and believes the plan represents a step forward for the UK. They remained cautious, however, that The National Infrastructure Plan was the finished product.

John Scott of the IET Energy Policy Panel said: "Our future energy infrastructure has to be designed as a system of systems, requiring joined-up thinking across different sectors. Crucially, it needs a new engineering approach to address the uncertainties of the future, which will include a more statistical design and new skills across disciplines."