National Grid 2009 Annual Report Download - page 16

14 National Grid plc Annual Review 2008/09
Business overview
Our vision and
objectives in action
continued
Securing a reliable future energy supply
Securing and improving the diversity of supply for future
energy needs is a growing global concern. In the UK, the
demand for gas is increasing while the North Sea gas supply,
a major current source of UK gas, is dwindling.
It is estimated that by 2010 the UK will import approximately
50% of its gas. This is one of the reasons why we are increasing
our liquefied natural gas (LNG) importation capacity at the
Isle of Grain – the largest facility in the UK and the US. We are
continuing to invest in Grain and by 2010 it should have the
capacity to import 14.8 million tonnes per year – around 20%
of the UK’s forecast gas demand.
In the US, LNG is an essential part of our future supply outlook.
We have 16 storage facilities across New England and New
York with a total storage capacity of more than 9 billion standard
cubic feet. LNG allows us to maintain our supply and demand
balance and meet hourly peaks. It is also used to support the
distribution system by bringing on LNG when needed to support
system pressures.
Energy efficiency
We remain committed to being an innovative leader in energy
management. Doing this allows us to save energy, protect
the environment and help our customers save money.
Warm Wales was set up by National Grid in 2004 to help
develop energy efficiency measures in fuel poor homes. To
date, more than 30,000 households have benefitted from
energy efficiency measures. This has generated £50 million
($77 million) in lifetime energy savings, and achieved an annual
carbon saving of more than 8,100 tonnes per year; the
equivalent of removing 1,928 cars each doing 12,000 miles
a year from UK roads.
For the past 20 years, we have been running highly successful
energy efficiency programmes in the US. Programmes such
as home energy audits, high efficiency heating and appliance
rebates, and commercial lighting retrofits have helped customers
reduce their electricity consumption by more than 32 billion
kilowatt hours and gas consumption by more than
70 million therms.
A skilled workforce is critical to any company’s
success and we are committed to developing the
talent and leadership skills of all our employees.
For instance, our two new leading edge skills
development centres in Hollinwood and Hitchin
in the UK provide scenario based training
courses. The £5.5 million ($8.5 million) centres,
along with an existing one at Eakring, aim to
set industry leading safety and competence
standards for apprentices, new recruits and
existing employees in all lines of business.
Developing our talent, leadership
skills and capabilities
£5.5m