Issue - meetings

The Chair welcomed to the meeting from Electricity North West, Cara Blockley, Central Services Manager, Steve Cox, Engineering and Technical Director and Helen Norris, Stakeholder Engagement and Responsibility Framework Manager. From Cadent Gas the Chair welcomed Helen Boyle, Regional Development Manager.

The committee was provided with a presentation on the decarbonisation pathway for Lancashire. Lancashire was currently set to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The pathway provided a view on how its energy system could be decarbonised through a balanced use of renewable electricity and low carbon gas. The presentation aimed to show which technologies would emerge as commercially viable first and were therefore likely to be adopted by customers.

The following points were highlighted:

• By 2050 Lancashire would rely on electricity imports from the National Grid and would be a net-importer of hydrogen. The majority of energy consumed in 2050 would be from electricity and hydrogen. Due to Lancashire's onshore and offshore wind potential, more than half of the electricity demand could be met with local distribution level generation. Abundant wind resources could also be used to generate significant amounts of green hydrogen by 2050.

·  On the installation of charging points for electric vehicles and the difficulties for people who lived in terraced houses or apartment blocks it was noted that from national trials people charged their vehicles in different places not just at home. Electricity North West had provided charging points (13 amp plugs) at its offices for staff to charge their vehicles at no additional cost to help incentivise the take up of electric vehicles. Whilst it would cost approx. 4 pence per mile to charge each vehicle, it was highlighted that it would cost more to meter such provision. Vehicles could be charged at around ten miles per hour on a 13 Amp plug. Electricity North West was encouraging employers in Lancashire to provide slow low trickle charging facilities for employees in their car parks. All major supermarkets were installing fast charging facilities. Large fuel stations were also providing ultra-fast chargers which would fully charge an average vehicle in around 15 minutes. It was explained that people were anxious about electric vehicle charging and running out of power however it was highlighted that most people used their vehicles for short distances and the way to solve this problem would be to install as many chargers at places of work, supermarkets, fuel stations and surface/multi-storey car parks as possible. Home charging was not an essential part of owning an electric vehicle.

·  Further detail was sought on the storage of hydrogen in salt caverns. It was explained that there were lots of trials happening around the country regarding this to answer a number of questions on hydrogen and the safety of storage. One such trial was being undertaken at Keele University[1] where they were now looking to implement 100% hydrogen supply for commercial and residential settings. Cadent Gas and other companies were looking at networked hydrogen and the supply chain. It was highlighted that Cadent  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5