Tyndall Manchester would like to invite you to attend the next talk in our seminar series ‘Past and Prospective Developments in Gas Networks in Britain’ by Professor Peter Pearson, from the Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial College London on Wednesday 22^nd April (room C1, George Begg Building, Sackville Street) at 4.00pm.

Past and Prospective Developments in Gas Networks in Britain

Professor Peter Pearson, Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial College, London (biography attached)

Projections of low carbon pathways to the UK’s 2050 climate change target suggest a need to go from dependence on natural gas as a heating fuel, to electric heat pumps, biomass boilers, etc. and to undertake gas decarbonisation (via CCS and/or injection of biogas, and conversion of low pressure networks to supply hydrogen). Consequently, the low-pressure gas mains networks might need decommissioning by 2050. At the same time, the international exploitation of shale gas has led to pressures to enhance the short to medium term presence of gas in the energy system. Against this context of a contested transition away from natural gas, the presentation examines developments in British gas networks, from their origin in the early 19th century to their prospects in the 21st. It explores innovation and transformation in the industry, from its original plant-based distributed operation to a system based on local, national and ultimately international networks. It examines what insights or lessons for the future might be gleaned from these past experiences.

Please RSVP, or contact Amrita with any queries- tyndall@manchester.ac.uk