Winter 2014/15 isn’t even upon us and already National Grid is making plans for 2015/16. Some will say this pre-preparedness is a welcome move as criticism reigned over the regimented publication of National Grid’s winter outlook report for 14/15 in October despite the known capacity constraint that was looming. The truth is though that such […]
Laidlaw vs. Miliband Round 2
Another day, another bashing for Red Ed. Like fox hunting some sports are too cruel and too easy to succeed at. Following Ed Miliband’s disengage brain outburst on freezing energy prices and his apparent total ignorance of fundamental economic principles there was an initial outcry from all and sundry, not least those who pointed out […]
Investigation into the Big 5 Price Comparison Sites Announced
A commons select committee investigation into the behaviour and transparency of price comparison websites has been announced. Following the controversy of ‘hiding deals’ that hit the headlines in October and the weak response from the price comparison websites for what many saw as opaque business models, the Energy and Climate Change Committee will be holding […]
Cable’s Funding for SMEs Snaps Under Pressure
Vince Cable’s flagship schemes to reinvigorate flagging SME finance are forecast to fall well short of their targets. The schemes, the British Business Bank, the Green Investment Bank and the Export Finance Scheme were forecast to provide £2bn to UK businesses in 2014-15. However just over a quarter of that sum will now be achieved […]
1st Capacity Auction Ends in Chaos
The UK’s first capacity auction has ended. The opening bid price for the 48.6GW had been set at £75/kW/year and with four auction ‘rounds’ scheduled, the forecast out-turn price was £42/kW/year area according to DECC. The reality is however that the final clearing price of £19.40/kW/year, a level that was significantly lower than expectations, sits […]
CMA to Uncover the Cost of not Switching Energy Supplier
For all too long the energy industry has known a secret that they didn’t want anyone else to know, least of all their captive customers. The secret was so effective that it actually became the perfect (invisible) marketing tool: By allowing the public and media to believe that “all energy suppliers are the same” you create a […]
Drax’s Annus Horribilis Continues
In many ways it’s been a horrible year for Drax who could be forgiven for looking forward to the end of 2014 more than most. Following DECC’s reneging on a ‘deal’ to back the conversion of their coal units to biomass generation and their recent, and record breaking, fine of £28m for not doing a good […]
Ofgem Act Again on CESP
In quick order following the fining of Intergen, Drax and British Gas for their failures under the Community Energy Savings Programme (CESP) scheme, Ofgem have again acted. This time it is GDF Suez, SSE and Scottish Power who are in the firing line. Under CESP, electricity generators as well as the energy suppliers were required […]
Lima Climate Change Summit Highlights Challenge of Paris 2015
“The text went from weak to weaker to weakest and it’s very weak indeed.” Not the script from the Paddington movie but another export from Peru. This time it was Sam Smith, Chief of Climate Policy for World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) reacting to the conclusion of the UN’s Lima talks in preparation for […]
Avoiding Blackouts, the UK’s First Capacity Auction Gets Underway
This week, existing and prospective energy generators in the UK have been participating in the first capacity market auction for the right to supply electricity to the market from 2018. 48.6GW The scheme, designed to secure the UK’s electricity supplies beyond 2030, is aimed at procuring 48.6 GW of capacity from 64.4GW of qualifying plant. […]