Want to be more energy efficient, there’s an app for that with our 10 amazing energy apps for the iPhone and iPad

There’s an app for being more energy efficient, and we have put together our ten energy apps. These iPhone and iPad apps range from offering general sustainability hints and tips to measuring your monthly energy costs. A lot of apps now focus on offering general tips and everyday actions that you can take to help save energy or measure what you use more efficiently.

1. If you need to see just how green your local area really is try AllertMe Energy Map iTunes (Free) The app will allow you to find out the average spend per household a year on energy in your area, how much electricity and gas is used and how much carbon this creates. Energy Map shows how your borough ranks against others in the UK for energy use and CO2 emissions. Compare your area with the best and worst offenders in our League Table. Even use Energy Map when you’re out and about to see how much local residents in any area spend on energy. A great tool for any energy broker is the ability to view a map of the UK showing annual energy spend per area or simply browse through all UK areas from A-Z.

2. The British Gas App iTunes (Free) allows you to easily submit your gas and electricity meter readings at any time allowing them to generate a more accurate bill. You can view your account summary with your last bill amount, payment details, see what tariff you are on and when you last submitted a meter read. You can now also view your energy consumption as a graph and compare your usage over previous months and year. The application provides a convenient guide on how to read your energy meters and emergency numbers for gas and electricity. And if you have any questions the App makes it easy to email us and we aim to respond within 24 hours.

3. With Meter Readings iTunes ($1.99) if you closely monitor your household energy/water usage and the chances are you will SAVE MONEY! This easy to use application allows you to track your household utility meters. Once you start entering meter readings, your usage, costs and savings are calculated and your usage and costs are displayed in easy to visualise graphs.

4. The Kill-O-Watts iTunes ($0.99) is an electricity costs calculator. It lets you specify the electrical properties and usage habits for each appliance to find how many kilowatts-hours it consumes and how much you pay for it on a monthly and yearly basis. Choose from more than 120 typical appliances or create new appliances based on the real ones that you own. Identify the top electricity consumers of your home. Compare the electricity consumption cost of two different brands of appliances before buying one of them. Try different usage scenarios and find possible savings. You’ll be surprise to find out how much money you can save with this little application.

5. With the MeterRead™ iTunes ($2.99) its strength is in the calculations it provides. With each reading you record, you get up-to-date stats of your energy use, including an estimate of how many kilowatt hours you’ll burn for the next 30 days. You’ll know at a glance whether your energy-saving activities are on track, or if you need to turn off a few more lights”

6. Carbon Footprint iTunes ($2.99) is an application for the iPhone and iPod touch that allows you to track fuel usage for multiple cars. By entering a few pieces of data every time you put fuel in your tank, Carbon Footprint is able to collect and calculate a number of useful statistics.

7. With the Energy Saving #1 iTunes (Free) wouldn’t it be great if you could load your iPhone’s or iPad’s battery anytime, anywhere? Energy Saving #1 presents a solar panel on your screen and gives the impression you found the ultimate way to provide energy for your iPhone! Impress your friends with this great solution for energy production. But please pay attention to this: Don’t leave your iPhone behind unattended, Don’t let your iPhone get to hot, Don’t expect your battery to be loaded this way, but you will get new energy saving tips everyday!

8. The GreenMeter iTunes ($5.99) is an app for the iPhone and iPod Touch that computes your vehicle’s power and fuel usage characteristics and evaluates you’re driving to increase efficiency, reduce fuel consumption and cost, and lower your environmental impact. Results are displayed in real time, while driving, to give instantaneous feedback. Though it’s most effective on the road, you can learn from greenMeter even before you get in the car. By tipping the device forward and backward to simulate acceleration, you can see the effects of acceleration, aerodynamic drag, and rolling resistance across the speed range. Then implement this knowledge on the road, by choosing an efficient cruising speed and using the built-in eco-driving displays to moderate acceleration while you drive. Thanks to a novel algorithm that computes parameters over the entire speed range, the app does not need GPS, opening usage up to all generations of the iPhone and iPod Touch.

9. The ShopGreen app iTunes ($0.99) rewards the user by calculating, logging and saving green actions taken to reduce the carbon footprint. Daily tips and great green suggestions help making the correct decisions easier. Carbon savings are tracked within the built-in Eco-Bank. Location aware specials and discounts are offered through participating green friendly companies. Increase the Eco-Bank balance to receive rewards in the form of coupons and specials.

10. The Carbon Calc iTunes (Free) is a Green House Gas (GHG) emissions calculator. If you have wondered what your contribution to global warming is, Carbon Calc is a simple calculator that lets you input your Driving, Flying, and Home energy use. Once you know your footprint, you can compare your net emissions to the US average and the world average. You can optionally offset your footprint by purchasing Carbon Credits.

If you would like more information on our range of energy broker services or would like to find out how we could benefit your business, simply call our energy team today on 0870 710 7560 or request a call back at time to suit.

Follow us on Twitter | Become a Fan on Facebook

Or you might want to subscribe for further updates direct from our site.

.

.

The Biggest UK Business Energy Suppliers and their Tariffs

Choosing the right energy tariff for your business is not an easy job and it is best to leave it for the professionals, like an energy broker or a business energy consultant. With so many options available and the complexity of the UK energy market it is easy to choose the wrong business energy supplier and waste thousands of pounds each year on energy bills.

In the same way that domestic customers are free to compare prices and switch to a cheaper supplier, business customers can also choose the best deal for their needs. Below you will find a list with the major business electricity suppliers and their tariffs. This list is more like a guide and it is aimed to help you have a better understanding of how each business electricity suppliers charge business based on the amount of energy they consumer yearly.

The UK’s biggest energy suppliers, British Gas, EDF, E.ON, npower, Scottish Power, and Scottish & Southern Energy, all have tariffs designed specifically for business customers.

British Gas business electricity

British Gas (www.britishgas.co.uk), the UK’s largest energy supplier, offers two business electricity tariffs:

• Business electricity for small and medium businesses – For businesses that spend up to or less than £50,000 a year on their electricity bills. Rates are fixed for a set period, so you’ll always know what you’ll be paying each month.
• Business electricity for large businesses – For businesses that spend more than £50,000 a year on their electricity bills and/or have more than 20 sites. Choose from either fixed or flexible contracts.

British Gas supplies gas and electricity to over 950,000 businesses around the UK, and every customer has their own account manager. The account manager is responsible for arranging connections and metering services, as well as the registration and switchover process, and any billing or payment queries.

You can also opt for Green Electricity which uses energy from renewable resources, and could help reduce the amount of Climate Change Levy (CCL) your business has to pay.

EDF business electricity

French-owned energy supplier EDF (www.edfenergy.com) offers two business electricity tariffs:

• Business electricity for small and medium businesses – For businesses that spend up to or less than £30,000 a year on their electricity bills and have less than 20 sites. Prices are fixed for either one, two or three years, so you’ll always know what you’ll be paying each month. Bills are paid quarterly.
• Business electricity for large businesses – For businesses that spend more than £30,000 a year on their electricity bills and have more than 20 sites in the UK. Choose from either fixed or flexible contracts, and bills can be monthly or quarterly.

EDF has over 450,000 business customers, all benefiting from a choice of contract length, dedicated business advisers, and 2% off bills for choosing to pay by direct debit, as well as free energy efficiency advice to help cut your company’s fuel bills.

E.ON business electricity

Energy giant E.ON (www.eonenergy.com) has over 500,000 business customers and is one of the UK’s largest business energy suppliers. It has one business electricity tariff, designed for small and medium companies with less than 50 sites in the UK that use less than £100,000 worth of electricity a year. The deal offers:

• Fixed electricity prices guaranteed for the duration of your contract
• Either a one or three year contract
• A discount for paying bills by direct debit
• Free energy efficiency advice

Choosing a three year contract means you will be able to budget your energy costs for longer, protecting your business against electricity price increases for three years.

Npower business electricity

With over 300,000 business energy customers, Npower (www.npower.com) offers one business electricity tariff specifically for small and medium businesses that use less than £100,000 worth of electricity a year.

• Fixed electricity prices until 2010
• Energy efficiency advice to help lower your energy bills
• 2% discount for paying by direct debit.

Npower business customers are given a free e3 pack, which contains a free Electrisave monitor worth £79.95 (a smart meter), and all the energy efficiency tools and advice you need to reduce your energy bills by up to 25%.

Find out more about Npower’s business electricity tariff.

Scottish Power business electricity

Scottish Power (www.scottishpower.co.uk) has over 200,000 business customers and offers two business electricity tariffs:

• Business electricity for small and medium businesses – For businesses that use up to or less than 75,000kW of energy a year.
• Business electricity for large businesses – For businesses that use more than 75,000kW of energy a year.

Large businesses (with more than 25 sites) can benefit from internet invoicing, which gives customers access to up-to-date billing information whenever they want, and they can view up to 13 months’ historic data, including invoices and statements.

Scottish Power allows customers to pay in six different ways, including monthly/quarterly direct debit, using credit/debit cards and by cheque, cash or giro cheque. Businesses will receive a discount for opting to pay by direct debit.

Scottish & Southern Energy business gas

Scottish & Southern Energy has over 9 million customers in the UK. Its business customers can benefit from:

• Fixed prices for the entire contract period
• Contract packages with a variety of contract periods and payment methods to suit your business
• Experienced business energy advisers
• Local customer service centres in Scotland, England and Wales. Or the option of a visit from an experienced Business Energy Adviser to talk to you about your business energy needs.

Switching business energy suppliers can be a fast and easy process, not to mention that you could save up to 50% on your gas and energy bills. If you would like more information on our range of energy broker services or would like to find out how this could benefit your business, simply call our energy team today on 0870 710 7560 or request a call back at time to suit.

Follow us on Twitter | Become a Fan on Facebook

Or you might want to subscribe for further updates direct from our site.

.

.

Energy Efficiency Q&A Round Two

As promised here we are with the second round of question and answers about energy efficiency. Today we will answer questions about rebound effect and negawatt, so if you want to find out the meaning of these terms keep on reading.

What does energy efficiency mean for businesses?

For a business, energy efficiency mostly applies to electrical appliances, heating equipment and everything else powered by electricity. Governments have pushed manufacturers to produce increasingly low-energy devices, such as desktop computers, televisions, refrigerators, freezers and a wide variety of electrical appliances used in each industry.

Simple energy efficiency measures at work include installing loft and wall insulation, draught-sealing windows and doors and replacing incandescent bulbs with efficient, modern CFLs and LED lights.

Cars are covered by a different energy efficiency scheme, which looks similar to the red-to-green EU Energy Label and ranks vehicles on their carbon emissions per kilometre (CO2 g/km). The most efficient modern cars emit less than CO2 100g/km, and all new cars in the EU will be required to – on average across European fleets – emit less than 130g/km by 2015. But this is content for another article, lets get back to energy efficiency.

What’s the rebound effect, and what does it mean for energy efficiency?

In 1865, William Stanley Jevons suggested that improvements in energy efficiency could result in unintended “rebound effects” – such as behavioural changes – that offset the energy savings. For example, greater fuel efficiency in cars may actually lead to motorists driving more frequently and for greater distances, cancelling out the environmental benefits of efficiency.

A report from Cambridge University earlier this year suggested that such rebound effects could cancel out 52% of anticipated energy efficiency savings by 2030.

What’s a negawatt?

The IEA suggests that energy efficiency should effectively be viewed as just another energy source, much like coal or wind power. Following the spirit of the IEA, the US scientist Amory Lovins suggested using the compound “negawatt” (negative-watt) as a unit for expressing the energy waste avoided through energy efficiency.

We have reached the end of the second of our Energy Efficiency Q&A. We would love to have a third round but for this we’ll need your help. Head to our Twitter account or Facebook Page and leave your questions there or if you prefer you can use our comments section below.

If you would like more information on our range of energy broker services or would like to find out how this could benefit your business, simply call our energy team today on 0870 710 7560 or request a call back at time to suit.

Follow us on Twitter | Become a Fan on Facebook

Or you might want to subscribe for further updates direct from our site.

.

.

Energy Efficiency Q&A Round One

Every time we discuss the current and future state of Britain’s energy industry a certain subjects can not be avoided, such as energy efficiency, climate change, carbon footprint, green energy and few others that we will discuss in a series of two articles starting today.

So what is energy efficiency? Is energy saving the same as energy efficiency? What role does energy efficiency play in slowing climate change? Below you will find answers to all these questions.

What is energy efficiency?

Energy efficiency generally refers to achieving the same result – lighting up a house, for example – by using less energy. It can be used to describe everything from small-scale changes such as more energy-efficient refrigerators and PCs in homes right up to more efficient power stations or energy savings across a company’s supply chain.

Perhaps the most obvious example of energy efficiency is the energy-saving lightbulb. A compact fluorescent (CFL) bulb typically uses around fives times less energy than a conventional incandescent bulb, but produces the same level of illumination.

What’s the difference between energy efficiency and energy-saving?

Though the two are often used interchangeably, efficiency is just one aspect of energy-saving (sometimes called energy conservation). Energy-saving can also include, for instance, behavioural changes such as encouraging individuals to turn appliances off standby, or technologies such as automated lighting systems that only turn on when they detect movement.

How big a role does efficiency play in slowing climate change?

Alongside increased energy generation from renewable sources, it’s one of the two key strategies that governments are deploying to cut greenhouse gas emissions. The UN sees efficiency improvements as quicker and cheaper to implement than green energy, and such speed will be crucial to avoid tipping points – where dangerous runaway climate change occurs – that scientists believe may be less than a decade away.

Efficiency has a major role to play in cutting CO2 and other greenhouse gases. The International Energy Agency (IEA) believes that improvements in efficiency alone could be responsible for 65% of the reduction in emissions from developing countries over the next 20 years. The UK’s Committee on Climate Change places energy efficiency at the heart of its recommendations for meeting the UK target of an 80% reduction in emissions by 2050.

This is it for round one of our Energy Efficiency Q&A, hope you enjoyed it and make sure you don’t miss the second round on Friday.

Got a question you want to ask about energy efficiency? Use our comments section to do so or feel free to drop us line on Twitter or on our Facebook Page with your queries. You never know your question might be featured on the second round of our Energy Efficiency Q&A.

If you would like more information on our range of energy services or would like to find out how this could benefit your business, simply call our energy team today on 0870 710 7560 or request a call back at time to suit.

Follow us on Twitter | Become a Fan on Facebook

Or you might want to subscribe for further updates direct from our site.

.

.

Best Practices for Business Electricity Price Comparison

Think it’s time to reevaluate your business electricity provider and reduce your company’s energy costs? Here are some helpful pointers to get you started:

Ask for competitive pricing bids

To ensure your company continuously enjoys good energy rates from your chosen supplier, you should have multiple bids to rely on. Based on these bids, find out what the providers’ terms are like as well as risk factors. Bear in mind that those who offer the lowest prices are not always the best, because at the end of the day, you may find their services lacking in quality. Watch out for unwelcome surprises in the form of hidden costs in the price quotes.

Understand your electricity bill

Companies should prioritise energy suppliers based on who can provide electricity bills that are easy to read. There should be no hidden costs; rather, every cost including late fees should be outlined clearly on the bill. It goes without saying that the power bills should be delivered in a timely manner each month or on a quarterly basis, and disputes settled within 10 business days – quickly and amicably.

Rope in an energy broker to do the job

Energy brokers are considered bulk buyers for companies to increase savings on their energy consumption, but that’s not all they do! An energy broker also helps you compare prices and educate you on what the current market prices are for energy sources like oil and natural gas. Reputable brokers usually own comprehensive websites with guides to energy savings and lots of content to educate you. They will be more than happy to guide you through the process of comparing electricity prices for your business — in fact, at Catalyst we provide you with all these services at absolutely no cost.

Perform a background financial check on providers

Even if you do not enlist help from an energy broker, you should find out an energy provider’s financial status. Just as they have the right to perform credit checks on consumers, so do the consumers to do background checks on potential providers. They should ideally boast of good Better Business Bureau ratings and a solid financial statement for each year they have been in operation. Never hesitate to ask for their annual financial records to better understand their business operations and reliability.

If you would like more information on our range of energy services or would like to find out how this could benefit your business, simply call our energy team today on 0870 710 7560 or request a call back at time to suit.

Follow us on Twitter | Become a Fan on Facebook

Or you might want to subscribe for further updates direct from our site.

.

.

Compare Gas Electricity Prices – 3 FAQ’s to Help You Switch Providers Easily

With the fluctuating prices of energy, most business owners agree that saving money on their power bills can help lessen operational costs and lighten their financial burden. Besides saving more money that you can put to better use for your business, you will also be doing your bit for the enviroment and you could also benefit from renewable energy sources.  Something that your current provider may not be able to offer.

Here are the 3 frequently asked questions together with their answers to help you get started on the right step towards comparing gas and electricity prices.

1. How do I know if it’s time to switch and compare energy prices?

Listen to the industry news, and you’ll know when the suppliers have lowered their prices! Once they do, you’ll know it’s an opportune time to switch providers.

There are other benefits that should cause you to switch and compare prices. You may have been “hooked” into your current provider because of the initial deal you signed on. However, you quickly realised that the offer is not so great after a while, due to the fact that other competitors are now offering better packages. The best thing to do is to keep abreast with energy-related news, and constantly educate yourself by comparing prices.

2. Which provider should I choose?

When comparing energy prices online, you are required to key in your postcode. This is because the cost you will pay depends on where your business is situated in the UK. That said, it does not mean that you should choose the provider that boasts the cheapest prices. Quality matters too, and is usually evident in the course of dealing with the provider.

In fact, this being the most important step that will possibly affect you for a number of months in the near future, it’s best to use the help of a good energy broker, especially when it is available completely free of charge — at least at Catalyst it is.

3. What should I do after I have decided the provider I want to switch to?

Virtually nothing! You do not have to notify your old provider but you may need to verify details when the new provider or broker steps in. You also need to pay off any outstanding bills to avoid hiccups and possibly a hefty penalty.

If you would like more information on our services or would like to find out how this could benefit your business, simply call our energy team today on 0870 710 7560 or request a call back at time to suit.

Follow us on Twitter | Become a Fan on Facebook

Or you might want to subscribe for further updates direct from our site.

.

.

Ofgem Overhauling the UK’s Energy Regulation

Last week Ofgem, the UK’s energy industry regulator, unveiled its plans to introduce incentives for companies that develop creative solutions to reduce their business energy usage, improve energy efficiency and help them meet low carbon commitments.  Ofgem is conducting a major overhaul in the UK’s energy regulation, as part of its plans it will facilitate £32 billion of investment in low carbon networks and expand the low carbon innovation fund to encourage greater innovation across gas and electricity networks.

To give investors more security Ofgem is also studying the possibility of extending price controls for energy networks from five to eight years.

It is estimated that Britain needs £200 billion in investments over the next ten years in order to maintain renewable energy supplies at affordable prices for businesses and households alike. The £32 billion that Ofgem is putting forward to stimulate businesses to develop their own solutions to improve their energy efficiency is nothing compared to £200 billion needed, but it sure is a good start to help Britain achieve its low carbon society dream.

Alistair Buchanan, Ofgem’s chief executive, said: “If Britain’s energy networks are going to meet the challenge of delivering a low carbon economy then we need them to have innovation in their DNA.”

Meanwhile the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and Ofgem are trying to accelerate the roll-out of smart domestic energy meters.

The bodies released a prospectus outlining the government’s plans to roll out smart meters to every household in the UK.

This rollout aims to provide efficiency and interoperability by simplifying and improving industry processes, including changing suppliers, as well as enabling smart grid development.

For businesses looking to gain more control over their energy expenditures the installation of a smart meter is also highly recommended, simply request it from your energy supplier or from your independent energy broker.

Smart energy meters will empower you to make choices on how much energy your business is using in real time, precise data collection solutions all aimed at putting you back in control of your costs.

If you would like more information on our smart meter services or would like to find out how this could benefit your business, simply call our energy team today on 0870 710 7560 or request a call back at time to suit.

Follow us on Twitter | Become a Fan on Facebook

Or you might want to subscribe for further updates direct from our site.

.

.

Our monthly analysis of the UK gas and power markets is now available on line for the month of August.  The service is intended to keep you up to date with all the major news in Europe’s gas and power markets. It is also designed to keep power executives focused on market activity in an easy to digest format.

Your find our August 2010 report here and all historical energy reports can be located here.

If you would like more information on our services or would like to find out how this could benefit your business, simply call our energy team today on 0870 710 7560 or request a call back at time to suit.

Follow us on Twitter | Become a Fan on Facebook

Or you might want to subscribe for further updates direct from our site.

.

.

British Gas registered a 98% increase in profits in the first half of 2010

According to its parent company Centrica, British Gas profits rose by 98% in the first half of 2010 with operating profits surpassing the £580m mark. British gas who supplies gas to more than half of the country’s household and businesses alike, saw its profit margin go sky high thanks to a bitter winter and an 8% rise in residential and commercial gas usage.

In February the company made a smart move of cutting down gas bill prices which generated nothing less than 223,000 new costumers. With almost a quarter of a million new customers, British Gas has now a total of 15.79 million customers throughout Britain.

Despite such improvements in profitability the energy supplier and its parent company Centrica stated that higher energy prices are on the way due to slowly rising gas prices that are expected to increase still further this autumn.

Nick Luff, Centrica’s finance director, gave a warning of the pain to come by claiming “wholesale gas and power prices are looking quite a lot higher for this coming winter.”

What amazes me is the fact that when wholesale gas prices dropped last year energy suppliers took their time to lower energy bills and now based on market predictions the same suppliers are already warning that energy and gas prices will rise this winter.

Sam Laidlaw, the chief executive, defended the group against such accusations by saying – “All the evidence is that price cuts are passed on as quickly as price rises,”

He then concluded:

“I can’t say when we will need to raise them and we’re deliberately not signalling when to the competition. We will try to delay it as long as we can.”

Before criticising British Gas there are several factors that should be taken for granted.

The company was the first to lower its prices this year and it has maintained the best standard tariff of all major suppliers. Then we have the fixed-rate deals proposed by the company which might not be seen as a good option today but many energy brokers are evangelising it will be a good deal in the coming months.

Why don’t you share your thoughts with us now? What do you think will happen to household and business energy prices this winter? Will suppliers be able to hold down the rates? Share your thoughts below.

Or call our energy team today on 0870 710 7560 or request a business gas quote for your business.

Follow us on Twitter | Become a Fan on Facebook

Or you might want to subscribe for further updates direct from our site.

.

.

Choosing the right Business Gas Supplier

Ever since the energy sector was thrown open to competition and private entrepreneurs in the UK, we have seen a massive increase in the number of providers that supply gas and electricity.  This has obviously created a very vibrant market where users have tens of options to choose from and it has also put an onus on the providers to provide the best possible services to their customers for fear of losing them to the competition.

Energy switching services are a kind of company that has come to exist since the EU began deregulating the gas and electricity markets, to open them to international competition, in 1996.

While this form of growth has been great for the average consumer, it has also created a sort of problem for most business owners – a good one though. What we’re referring to is the problem of too many choices. To steal a quote from our friendly neighborhood, Spiderman, and tweak it a bit, the freedom of choice comes with a great responsibility of choose the right option for your business.

Here are a few tips to help you with this process:

Price: Isn’t this something we’re all concerned about the most? We want to cut down on our costs, and what better way to do it than to choose someone who’s services come cheaper than an alternative provider. However, that is not all.

Supply Plan: Although the cost of supply is the main consideration, it is also the trickiest. The mystery behind what is sold to you at that seemingly low cost can only be uncovered when you understand the exact plan and any other costs associated with it. Therefore, before choosing any supplier, ensure that you’ve looked into the details of the plans for all prospective suppliers.

Service Record: The price may be good, the plan may be great, but what if you don’t have a supply of gas when you need it most due to some technical trouble at your supplier’s office or just sheer negligence? That would pretty much beat the whole purpose of this exercise as it would cost you a much bigger loss than the money you may saves up on the low price of gas.

Extra perks: Say you’ve done this entire exercise and you realise that there are actually four or five suppliers that match the criteria. In that case, you might want to take a look into any extra offers or promotions that they have for you.

Lastly, if you do not wish to spend all this time doing research and trying to make the right decision, just enlist the help of an energy broker such as Catalyst and relax. We will do all the hard work for you and bring you a list of the best gas suppliers your money can buy. And we will manage the whole process for you.

Call our energy team today on 0870 710 7560 or request a business gas quote call back from us.

Follow us on Twitter | Become a Fan on Facebook

Or you might want to subscribe for further updates direct from our site.

.

.

Yes to Renewable and No to Nuclear – Says the Energy Secretary

Energy Secretary wants to Shield Britain’s Energy with Renewables.  Ahead of today’s Commons statement on energy policy, speaking to the Sunday Telegraph and Sky News the Energy Secretary Chris Huhne made quite clear what will be the Government’s plan to prevent Britain from suffering a power crisis.  Mr Huhne was very clear when he spoke out in favour of harnessing onshore and offshore wind power and that there won’t be any Government money to subside new nuclear power plants.

With flows of North Sea oil and gas diminishing in future years, the Energy Secretary’s intention is to strengthen Britain’s energy production by making it more independent, allowing it to withstand “shocks from the outside world” which could send prices soaring for both households and businesses.

We have to agree with Mr Huhne to a certain extent because right now, the UK imports nearly a third of its energy from unstable regions such as Russia and the Middle East.   Which we already know makes energy prices move up and down through out the year.  A 100% nationalised energy production would be virtually impossible these days but if the Government had more control over it, energy prices could become more stable.

“There is going to be a strong emphasis on the economic benefit of becoming more independent of energy imports.  The lights will not go out on my watch,” – declared Mr Huhne

It would be ideal for Britain and any other country in the world, if it could be totally self energy sufficient relying only renewable energy generation.  Even though this is a futuristic dream to say the least, Britain has got great potential to increase its renewable energy generation not only with wind power but also with wave and tidal power.

As stressed by Mr Huhne, all three technologies are in their infancy and there is room for a lot of improvement.

To date there are approximately 262 wind farms operating in the UK counting on & offshore farms. These wind farms have the capacity to power more than 2.5 million homes on ideal wind conditions.  Right now there are 27 onshore and 5 offshore wind farms under construction not to mention the 468 winds farms planned to populate Britain over the next decade or so.

Last December, figures showed proposals were under way to increase Scotland’s total from 1131 turbines to at least 3855 with nearly 1000 already given consent or under construction.

Despite the fact that the Energy Secretary stated that there won’t be any subsidy to build new nuclear plants he expects that such power station will still be built to help secure the safety of the UK’s energy generation.

We want to hear from you now. What is the best way to secure Britain’s energy generation? Nuclear or Renewables?  Share your thoughts on our comments section below.

Follow us on Twitter | Become a Fan on Facebook

Or you might want to subscribe for further updates direct from our site.

.

.

Business energy bills to rise due to higher gas prices.

Business energy prices as well as household energy prices are set to rise as a consequence of a 32% increase in wholesale gas prices over the past 7 months.  The forecast comes from Nera an economic consulting firm.  The company has been monitoring the UK´s wholesale gas market since January and reveals that the 32% increase in wholesale prices, will translate into higher energy bills for businesses and households across the land.

The surge is being attributed to a combination of lower Qatari liquefied natural gas imports and the fragile pipeline supply from the Norwegian North Sea.

“In the long run, it’s true, gas prices do feed into retail prices. That’s been observed over a long period. What happens is the pressure builds up and there’s a mismatch between wholesale and retail prices, then one of the companies move and the others follow.”  Explains Nera director Graham Shuttleworth.

This is despite the decline in energy prices in March, when watchdog Ofgem published a report suggesting Britain’s ‘big six’ suppliers should pass wholesale price cuts on to consumers.  Economists and energy brokers alike are now concluding that the reductions weren’t as good as they thought it would be.

Such market variations only stress even further the need for businesses to have a reliable and competent energy consultancy firm.  One that understands with perfection how the complex UK energy market works and is able to find the right business gas contracts based on the clients requirements.

Hiring an energy consultancy company simply provides an independent and fresh approaches that help businesses achieve tangible results and save money on gas and electricity bills.

To learn more about how and independent energy consultancy service can save your business thousands of pounds each year on energy bills contact Catalyst or give us a call at 0870 710 7560 and speak with a friendly UK based energy broker.

Follow us on Twitter | Become a Fan on Facebook

Or you might want to subscribe for further updates direct from our site.

.

.

Contract with a commercial gas broker

The reason that many businesses choose to enter a contract with a commercial gas broker is because a broker is usually better equipped to deal with this aspect than most business owners are.   The contracts that gas providers make you sign are often highly detailed and contain a lot of important fine print that may be easily overlooked by someone who doesn’t have much experience dealing with them.   Hiring the services of a gas broker can help you avoid a lot of headaches with such contracts in the future.

Good energy brokers are capable of reviewing all your requirements and picking out the best possible deals that can work with your specific set up. They are aware of all the fine details that you may want to know about, and they can also help you figure out how to deal with a certain issue if you ever faced one with your gas provider – things such as the kind of rebates or compensations you should receive, or penalties or charges you might incur in certain circumstances.

For example, one of the most common components of the contract is the renewal date.   This can be clearly specified or hidden within the context of numerous points.  If it is the latter with your contract, you may overlook it and either not renew on time or follow the right procedure.

In that case, you might incur penalties, which would be a completely unnecessary hassle.

Apart from this, another advantage with hiring a broker is that many brokers have established relationships with a number of suppliers, which puts them in a great position to negotiate on your behalf and help you get the best deal possible.

In fact, here at Catalyst, we’re so well-connected that we derive all our revenues solely on the commission we earn from these suppliers.  As a result, we’re able to provide all our services completely free of cost to our customers. Yes, that’s right. Our services are completely transparent and free of cost for all our customers.

We provide updates on the latest gas market prices or contact us to discuss our commercial gas broker services further.

Follow us on Twitter | Become a Fan on Facebook

Or you might want to subscribe for further updates direct from our site.

.
.

UK Gas prices eases as Langeled supply return to normal

On Tuesday, July 6th, UK gas prices rose after an unexpected sharp drop in the supply from Norway through the Langeled pipeline.  But thankfully early on Wednesday Langeled supply rose to its average flow and gas prices eased across the board.

Out of the blue gas imports from Norway dropped to around 20 mcm/day (million cubic meters) on Tuesday morning and the continuing lack of LNG (liquefied natural gas) to compensate made gas prices rise to 50.70 pence per therm by 10:40 GMT, off earlier highs of 51.50 and compared with 49.40 pence paid for gas to be delivered on Tuesday in the previous session.

“The market hasn’t gone nuts because people don’t believe the gas is going to be turned down for too long,” one gas broker said.

The gas broker’s predictions were correct as Langeled flows rose to 38 mcm/day at 22:00 GMT on Tuesday.  Gas prices for delivery on Thursday fell to 48.50 pence per therm at 09:00 GMT on Wednesday, well below the day-ahead contract high reached in the previous session.

“The market doesn’t like big amounts of movement,” stated an energy broker, referring to the downward corrections seen on the UK’s gas curve on Wednesday.

The front-month August contract, who determines whether to send LNG cargoes to Britain, fell 0.40 pence and was traded at 48.60 pence per therm ($7.39 per mmbtu).  Such fluctuations in natural gas prices are a clear signal that we need LNG and three more LNG ships are expected to arrive in the UK between now and July 23rd.

UK natural gas has rallied 38% in the first half of 2010, but may ease off as European gas stocks refill and supplies recover.

In the over-the-counter power market, prices were stable despite rising fuel prices for so many of Britain’s power plants and strong imports from France early on Wednesday helped counter balance the impact from increased gas prices.

The day-ahead power price was last dealt at £44.50 per megawatt hour (MWh), slightly above Tuesday’s trading level of £44.00 to £44.25 per MWh.

“Domestic demand is not a factor at the moment, the production and supply side is more important, such as problems with peaking plants,” said an energy broker.

Follow us on Twitter | Become a Fan on Facebook

Or you might want to subscribe for further updates direct from our site.

.
.

How does a business gas broker get you a better price?

The idea of employing a business gas broker for your energy supply has already become a very important necessity for any business due to the numerous changes in the industry and the sheer number of different prices and services available on the market.

There are so many variables involved and so many different suppliers offering different plans that it’s just not worth spending all the time required to filter through and figure out the best option for your business.   Instead, it makes more sense to hire a professional business gas broker who does this every day for a number of businesses like yours.

A business gas broker can utilise a number of solutions and strategies to assist your business with energy management.  They can assist you in mapping your needs to whatever is available on the market, and also help you to locate as many rebates and concessions as possible.

In addition to assessing your current needs a business gas broker will also look into possible future requirements in order to provide you with a good energy management strategy for long term results.

This also includes identifying areas where there’s a possible wastage of energy and helping you use that energy more efficiently.  By using a gas smart meter could help you control your commercial gas costs further.

This usually helps in maintaining all your processes while at the same time minimizing the energy you use for them, which results in much lower bills over the long term.  This also often includes staff training as a means to curtail excess or frivolous use.

Apart from helping you land a good deal and use your energy supply more efficiently, a good gas broker will also stay in touch with you and inform you about the latest changes in the markets so that you can switch to an even better deal whenever one comes along.

Now, if you’re wondering how much all this professional help could cost you, just stop.   All this is available to you completely free of cost – at least when it comes to our services, it’s true.  That’s because our revenue primarily consists of the commissions we obtain directly from energy suppliers instead.

We are very well-connected with a large number of commercial gas suppliers, and we’re able to offer you a number of impartial and comprehensive choices in a very transparent manner.

Follow us on Twitter | Become a Fan on Facebook

Or you might want to subscribe for further updates direct from our site.

.
.