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For full details and to register your place, please visit the event website.
Please briefly explain your role, involvement, and experience with fired power boilers and EfW
Peter Smithson (PS): My role with RSA is to support clients in understanding the inherent risks of operating plant and identifying improvements to prevent losses from occurring. My experience ranges from 500MW coal units, HRSG’s and biomass fired water tube and shell boilers, with extensive PSSR experience.
What is the top challenge facing your industry at present?
PS: The main challenge is recruiting, retaining and providing sufficient learning opportunities for the next generation and to ensure existing skills are transferred. This ranges from engagement at primary/secondary schools through to making apprenticeship and graduate programmes more attractive.
How would you say your industry has evolved over the past five years?
PS: There has been a fundamental shift towards decentralised generation and an increase in renewable generation to support net zero by 2050. This has resulting in the closure of large plants and the introduction of numerous smaller plants, with a resulting reduction in the breadth and depth of skills within the industry.
What developments are going on in your industry that may have an impact on the development of future approaches to boiler technology and power generation?
PS: The biggest impact on power generation continues to be driven by net zero commitments, both in terms of delivering electrification of the transport system, whilst simultaneously managing the potential for Hydrogen and CCS introduction.
What will you be presenting at the 2023 ‘Boiler User Group’ and how will this benefit participants?
PS: I’ll be presenting the aspects that are covered during an insurance engineering survey and how to obtain maximum benefit. The common aim of any survey is to understand the type and magnitude business risks, with collaboration to ensure effective management to prevent losses from occurring.
Why is it important for engineers and industry to come together at this event and share best practice?
PS: Not only is it excellent CPD, face to face networking remains (especially since covid) the most important way to gain access to a breath of industries/skills and experiences, with a shared common goal.
The IMechE Boiler User Group 2023 will take place on 15-16 November 2023 in Nottingham.
The user group will address issues relating to all aspects of the design, operation, maintenance and integrity of boilers (fired boiler plant associated with power generation or industrial process steam). This will cover a wide scope of plant areas and fuels, including waste, biomass, fossil and other fuels.
For full details and to register your place, please visit the event website.