Xoserve reflects on a year of change for Britain’s gas industry

What a year 2024 has been for Britain’s gas industry and Xoserve.

Xoserve made significant strides this year in optimising processes and services to better serve the gas industry as CDSP. We’ve supported 13 UNC service releases and sped up the pace of change, reducing our backlog of change proposals year-on-year by 44% and continued to engage our customers in our monthly ChMC, CoMC and DCS constituency meetings.

We launched Project Trident, a crucial initiative to modernise UK Link, future-proofing critical operating systems for the gas network for years to come. We also launched our Code Manager White Paper – an industry perspective on what code management should do and what success looks like for the gas market.

Worked with industry stakeholders, including Correla and RECCo, we transitioned the Gas Enquiry Service to a new advanced platform, bringing significant improvement in efficiency and resilience.

Last month, Xoserve and Fuel Bank Foundation won Silver at the B2B Marketing Awards for our co-hosted event, which sparked important conversations about the impact of the energy transition on those vulnerable to fuel crisis.

Industry updates

Considering all the significant industry milestones this year has brought, I found it challenging to narrow them down. For me, these were the key energy announcements that look set to shape the gas sector in 2025.

• Great British Energy: The Government announced a new publicly owned energy company, GB Energy, which is currently making its way through Parliament.
  
  
• Clean Power 2030 Action Plan: The Government committed to a clean energy future, which included a Hydrogen-to-Power business model, setting the stage for long-term decarbonisation efforts.
  
  
• Autumn Budget: The Chancellor's Autumn Budget outlined further measures to support the energy transition and develop hydrogen production.
  
  
• Launch of NESO: The establishment of the National Energy System Operator (NESO) marked a significant step in developing a whole system approach to Britain's future energy system.

Looking ahead to 2025

The energy sector will likely see further transformation in 2025. Key developments to watch out for include:

• Code Reform: We’re eagerly anticipating the outcome of Ofgem’s consultation on Code Manager selection in January 2025 and how we can contribute as CDSP to delivering the benefits of code reform within the gas sector.
  
  
• Hydrogen blending: The health and safety case for hydrogen blending is expected from the Health and Safety Executive, potentially paving the way for wider adoption in the gas network.
  
  
• Decarbonisation projects: The commencement of H100 in Fife will continue to advance decarbonisation efforts, offering valuable insights into alternative energy solutions.
  
  
• Project Trident and our progression towards our plan & chosen solution for the future of UK Link.
  
  

At Xoserve, we remain committed to supporting the evolving needs of the gas industry as the Central Service Data Provider. We look forward to further opportunities to engage with our stakeholders and collaborate with our wider industry sector to deliver a reliable, affordable and clean energy system for all.

Finally, I'd like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.