Energy & Utilities

Whether you are supplying wholesale energy to the grid or fuel for electricity generation, SOCOTEC can help. With over 50 million tonnes of solid fuel produced per annum, we are active across the UK, with dedicated inspection and sampling teams available to support on the following services:

• Sampling and analysis of solid fuel for producers and offtakers
• Sampling and analysis of imported cargoes thanks to the presence of our experienced team at all major UK ports
• Specialist coal sampling and analysis including bores, cores and stock evaluation/exploration (both in the UK and internationally).

With power generation currently dominated by a growing renewables sector, a mixture of fossil fuels (predominantly coal and gas) and nuclear, SOCOTEC has the capability to support your business in all of these areas. Our team of experts also have unparalleled expertise and technical know-how encompassing all solid fuels and generation technologies, with on-site facilities present at many generator sites. Services include:

• Solid fuel inspection, sampling and analysis
• Stack emission monitoring.

In a world where carbon comes at a high price, SOCOTEC provides a range of market-leading, bespoke services to biomass generators, including Drax and RWE Tilbury. With a technical team that is driving the way in which the industry analyses biomass, SOCOTEC is your perfect partner for biomass expertise – click here to find out more.

Furthermore, as generators strive to reduce emissions and waste processors look to reduce landfill, an increasing number of energy from waste plants will emerge as a viable sustainable and alternative energy form. SOCOTEC has a broad service offering within the waste sector, including:

• Energy from waste
• Stack emissions
• Environmental chemistry
• Incinerator Bottom Ash
• Waste management
• Syngas.

Ground investigation is also available to all generators currently planning large scale wind farm projects.

SOCOTEC has the capability to support large scale transmission and distribution projects either at project inception via infrastructure and construction services, or during operation through compliance testing services. Examples of services we offer in this area include:

• Oils and grease analysis
• Foundations testing
• Transformer oil testing.

For those operating within the renewables market, SOCOTEC can assist when your business is required to complete your Fuel Measurement and Sampling (FMS) questionnaire prior to any Renewables Obligation Certificate (ROC) claim. We can also ensure compliance with sampling and analytical standards by helping you to produce bespoke sampling plans that will meet Ofgem’s criteria in the following areas:

• Biomass
• Energy from waste.

As the UK continues to shift its focus towards renewable energy, SOCOTEC is committed to helping organisations with their energy management requirements, assessing current energy consumption levels and identifying ways in which to reduce a business’ carbon footprint and associated costs. Ways in which we can provide support include:  

• Energy monitoring and targeting
• Energy and Carbon Reduction
• CRC
• Carbon Reduction Audits
• Bill validation
• ESOS Phase 2.

When working on or near to buried services, SOCOTEC’s Ground Investigation team can locate and provide a clear understanding of the depth and location of all underground utilities assets, including high voltage electricity wires, metallic and plastic pipes, drainage runs, as well as electric, communication and fibre optic cables. All utility surveys are carried out in line with PAS128 specifications and can be provided in a number of formats to meet your organisation’s project requirements. Click here to find out how we can help your organisation safely manage its utilities.

SOCOTEC’s Health & Safety Consultancy also offers a number of services to ensure that buildings can become more energy efficient. Our team of qualified professionals can carry out TM44 Air Conditioning Inspections to assess the efficiency of a building’s air conditioning system, determining how and where this energy is used and highlighting any areas for improvement. We can also identify the feasibility of renewable energy solutions for your organisation’s premises and processes, helping to implement these where practicable.