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- 1 September 2010
Thorium The Future of World Energy Generation The world is on the verge of an energy crisis. In a recent statement the International Energy Agency said that the world must invest $26 trillion (£16.7 trillion) over the next 20 years to avert an energy shock.
For decades scientists and researchers across the globe have been looking for a sustainable solution to solve the growing global energy demand and stop the rise in energy prices. We need a proven solution to be brought into the world on a large scale, without delay! Such solutions already exists and it has been under our noses for quite some time. Its name is Thorium, a naturally occurring, slightly radioactive metal, capable of producing immense amount of energy, in a very safe, environmentally friendly and very economic manner. According to Nobel laureate Carlo Rubbia at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) the use of Thorium could very well be the missing link we have all been looking for towards a sustainable low carbon energy efficient society. Dr Rubbia says a tonne of the silvery metal produces as much energy as 200 tonnes of uranium, or 3,500,000 tonnes of coal. For a better understanding a handful of Thorium could light London for a whole week. Thorium is abundant and clean enough to supply global energy demand for centuries. According to experts there is more energy available from thorium than all coal, gas, oil and uranium combined. What baffles me is that fact that it was demonstrated to be reliable by its pioneers more than 40 years ago and it was simply left aside by nations like the US, Russia and China. If it had been given the attention it deserved the fears of a global energy crisis could be avoided. Why such an efficient, abundant and affordable fuel has been hiding in the shadows of nuclear research centres around the globe is what puzzles me. But I’m not here to discuss that, I’m here to raise the awareness and campaign for the development and production of Thorium energy plants around the world from now on. Despite being left aside for more than 40 years. Experts believe if a vast scientific and strategic resources project similar to the old Manhattan Project conducted during World War II to develop the first atomic bombs, could reinvent the global energy landscape bringing to an end our dependence on fossil fuels within three to five years. For those of you interested in learning more about Thorium visit the International Thorium Energy Organisation (IThEO) at www.itheo.org/. Or 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.
Or you might want to subscribe for further updates direct from our site. . .  - 30 August 2010
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.
Or you might want to subscribe for further updates direct from our site. . . - 25 August 2010
Carbon Reduction Commitment Registration Only a third of organisations have registered for the CRC Scheme The deadline for public and private organisations to register for the CRC (Carbon Reduction Commitment) scheme is next month and according to reports from the Environment Agency only one third of organisations have registered.
On September 30th 2010, every public or private organisation in Britain that use more than 6,000 Megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity a year is required to registered for the Carbon Commitment Reduction. Every organisation that misses the deadline will have to pay a £5,000 fine with an additional £500 for every day they are overdue. Speaking to PublicTechnology.net, head of climate change and sustainable development at the Environment Agency, Tony Grayling said: “Around a third of organisations that we expected to register for the CRC scheme have registered well in advance of the deadline. We would urge the remaining businesses to sign up now, and not leave registration to the last minute.” The CRC is Britain’s first mandatory energy efficiency scheme aimed to help the nation meet its Climate Change Bill commitment of reducing 80% of the CO2 emissions by 2050. As afore mentioned in the first phase only “big” private and public corporation have to register which is expected to affect approximately 5,000 organisations in the UK. But why wait till your company meets the requirements needed to enter the scheme. Why not start improving your business energy efficiency today? Energy industry and sustainability experts have stated that homeowners and business leaders all share a joint responsibility for improving the UK’s energy efficiency and help Britain meet its legally binding commitment to reducing CO2 emissions by 80% by 2050. Domestic and business electricity suppliers should work together with their clients to contribute towards the carbon reduction emissions target by obliging home and business owners to improve their energy efficiency, therefore reducing the CO2 emitted by their home and businesses alike. In short, we all have our share of responsibility to help Britain achieve the dream of a low carbon society. From the big corporations that consume thousands of Megawatts per hour every year, to our own homes, if everyone does their bit the UK can become one of the most energy efficient nations in the world. For business owners looking for innovative business management solutions, contact Catalyst now and one of our experienced energy consultants will be happy to discuss our energy management solutions in detail with you. 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.
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:
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:
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:
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.
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:
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:
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.
Or you might want to subscribe for further updates direct from our site. . . - 18 August 2010
CBI calls for immediate actions on delayed energy projects The CBI has launched a warning to the Government on Monday (Aug 16th) about the risks of replacing the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) with a Major Infrastructure Unit could lead to further delay to energy projects as investors are still not confident about large-scale building projects.
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) wants the Government to “get a grip” on planning for large-scale power generation projects so investors can feel confident in investing in such projects. To make matters even worse the CBI revealed a “log-jam” in the IPC after identifying 37 power plant projects, equivalent to 17.5 GW, which are still awaiting Government approval. Some of the projects, which include gas and coal fired power stations, on- and off-shore wind farms, biomass, wave and tidal projects, have been waiting three years for a decision. Dr Neil Bentley, director of business environment at CBI, said: “The government must get a grip on planning. We need to build new low-carbon energy sources, including wind, biomass, gas, nuclear and clean coal plants. These are essential for securing our energy supplies and meeting emissions targets.” “We already have a log-jam of delayed planning applications for major projects inherited from the previous government, and there is still uncertainty about how the new Major Infrastructure Unit will work in practice.” To sum things up, Dr Bentley highlighted the fact that streamlined planning projects could be a smart move to encourage investment. “In the next six months, the government must clear the backlog of delayed planning applications. This will send a strong signal to investors that it is serious about fixing the planning system,” Dr Bentley added. 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.
Or you might want to subscribe for further updates direct from our site. . . - 17 August 2010
Renewable Energy News - OTEC – Ocean Thermal Energy Conservation Renewable energy is considered by many as the corner stone of Britain’s energy security. With North Sea oil and gas reserves declining and the recent nuclear fumble it is becoming ever true that we will have to rely heavily on renewable energy generation to keep the light on in Britain.
Green energy generation also plays a centre role when the subject is climate change. Across the globe scientists, researchers and engineers alike are developing innovative energy generating ideas using renewable resources. Recently I was checking on the latest news about renewable energy generation and one thing has caught my attention; energy generation using deep sea water or Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC). Ocean thermal energy conversion uses the temperature difference that exists between deep and shallow waters to run a heat engine. As with any heat engine, the greatest efficiency and power is produced with the largest temperature difference. This temperature difference generally increases with decreasing latitude, i.e. near the equator, in the tropics. Historically, the main technical challenge of OTEC was to generate significant amounts of power efficiently from this very small temperature ratio. Changes in efficiency of heat exchange in modern designs allow performance approaching the theoretical maximum efficiency. – Wikipedia The video below explains in more detail how OTEC can generate energy. Despite not being a technology that we could use here in the UK, what really caught my attention was the fact that a single 100 Mw floating plant can generate 800 million Kw of electrical energy, without the need of oil, gas or any other fossil fuel. OTEC only needs the temperature difference between the ocean hot surface water and cold deep water. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x59MptHscxY 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.
Or you might want to subscribe for further updates direct from our site. . . - 13 August 2010
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.
Or you might want to subscribe for further updates direct from our site. . . - 11 August 2010
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.
Or you might want to subscribe for further updates direct from our site. . . - 4 August 2010
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.
Or you might want to subscribe for further updates direct from our site. . . - 3 August 2010
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.
Or you might want to subscribe for further updates direct from our site. . . - 27 July 2010
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.
Or you might want to subscribe for further updates direct from our site. . . - 26 July 2010
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.
Or you might want to subscribe for further updates direct from our site. . . - 22 July 2010
Nuclear Sector Still Apprehensive over Government’s Statements Thursday’s meeting between the CEOs from major energy companies and the Coalition’s Government Energy Secretary, Chris Huhne, didn’t go as well as the UK’s nuclear industry expected. During last week’s meeting the Government announced that it is working to strengthen national policy statements for energy, to help ensure that large energy projects like new nuclear plants go ahead.
In a written statement addressed to the parliament from the energy minister Charles Hendry, he said the Government will be launching a re-consultation on revised draft national Energy Policy Statements, to ensure large infrastructure projects like nuclear power plants can go ahead with the minimum of delay. Despite all that the UK’s nuclear industry still apprehensive and uncertain to whether the Government will provide the security needed for large investments in the sector. The fact that the Government is planning a re-consultation has plunged the nuclear industry into further uncertainty. Even though the energy minister confirmed that by 2018 at least one new nuclear power plant will be generating electricity in Britain. “Plans for the first new nuclear power station to begin generating electricity by 2018 remain on course” – Charles Hendry, UK energy minister. Vincent de Rivaz, chief executive of EDF Energy, the French state-owned utility giant’s British unit, said: “With the delay on the national policy statements it is doubly important we forge ahead with the other vital elements of the framework to create the confidence for progress.” “Any further delay could undermine the confidence of potential investors and companies in the nuclear supply chain,” said Keith Parker, chief executive of the Nuclear Industry Association. “Any further delay could undermine the confidence of potential investors and companies in the nuclear supply chain. We would urge government to continue progress on the other workstreams around nuclear such as regulatory justification, reform of the regulator and market modernisation”. Many Energy Brokers and energy industry experts expressed a lack of faith when asked about Britain’s ability to attract the investment needed to safeguard the nuclear programme before the country starts to run short of electricity in the second half of this decade. To sum things up the EEF stated that the UK’s energy policy is “no longer fit for purpose unless reformed and calls on the Government to take the difficult decisions necessary to get the country’s energy policy back on track.” This raised even more uncertainties within the energy industry and the nuclear sector in particular.
Or you might want to subscribe for further updates direct from our site. . . - 16 July 2010
The new generation of Smart Water Meters is upon us To measure and control your business water consumption in real time you will need to install a smart water meter. Also known as Automatic Meter Reading, these devices can bring numerous benefits to your business. The only down side to current water smart meters is that they are not as precise as an electricity smart meter, but this is about to change.
Sentec, the specialist smart metering company based in Cambridge, UK and Takahata, the precision engineering and water meter manufacturing company in Japan, are pleased to announce that the branding of their new joint venture, Aquiba (pronounced ‘Akeeba’), has been completed. The Aquiba meter uses Sentec’s Sterling smart meter technology, applying electromagnetic sensing to create a meter with no moving parts, hence no wear or jamming. It provides unprecedented accuracy, even at low flow rates, enabling recording of all water usage and supports novel applications including precise leak detection. The smart technology features remote readout at frequent intervals, providing vital data to help utilities measure and manage their water networks efficiently. Tom Fryers, Commercial Director at Sentec and leading the Aquiba team, comments, “This is an excellent partnership of two companies providing complementary skills – our Sterling water metering technology has already been proven in the market place and working with Takahata gives us the opportunity to manufacture some unique Aquiba branded products. We plan to trial with utility companies in Australia to ensure we incorporate all the smart features they need. We aim to provide utilities with a platform to build the intelligent networks that will be required in the future.” Mr Yamamoto, CEO of Takahata Group says, “We are delighted with the progress our partnership with Sentec is making. This smart water meter and the future upgrades the technology allows opens up new, exciting markets. Aquiba smart water meters will be a valuable resource, especially in countries predicting water scarcity, where managing supplies is vital.” Benefits of Smart Water Meters
Detailed analysis of water usage can be broken down by building, department, tenant, equipment or shift. Automatic Meter Reading determines usage over time, identifies peaks, compares sites and correlates use with the offending equipment or personnel. It provides leak monitoring and helps leak detection and prevention.
Or you might want to subscribe for further updates direct from our site. . . - 14 July 2010
Nuclear Sector CEOs to question Mr Huhne about incentives and subsidies This week will be an important week to decide the future of Britain’s energy industry, especially for the nuclear sector. On Thursday CEOs from the main energy companies will meet Chris Huhne, the Coalition’s Government Energy Secretary to urge him and consequently the Coalition Government to come up with clear incentives programme to build a new generation of nuclear power stations across the country.
The meeting will take place at the Department for Energy and Climate Change’s Nuclear Development Forum in London. As stated by Keith Parker, Chief Executive of the Nuclear Industry Association the forum will be a crucial opportunity to engage the new Government and press ahead with the new build programme and not let the Government lose momentum. On the other hand Mr Huhne sees the forum as his “first opportunity to assure the nuclear industry that the Coalition Government is committed to enabling proposals for new nuclear build to come forward”. It is estimated that the investment needed in infrastructure alone will be of £200bn and that is one of the main things EEF wants to assure it will be delivered by the Government. Vicent Riaz, EDF’s Chief Executive, will be the man in charge of requesting the Government for its plans and timetable a date for the Parliament to vote on them ASAP. Mr Riaz will also be in charge of telling Mr Hune the sector wants to see an “increasing commitment from the Government” as spending by EDF and its partner Centrica increases in anticipation of the formal go ahead. Meanwhile other CEOs will quiz, the Conservative energy minister Charles Hendry and his department’s Office for Nuclear Development about the progress on the new build programme and the assessment of the two main nuclear reactor models manufactured by Areva and Westinghouse. With a slightly different opinion but on the same boat is Volker Becker, Chief Executive of the German Owned company RWE Npower. He thinks the UK will not get the funding needed to renew its ageing nuclear power station by simply putting a floor on the price of carbon. Mr Beckers said that without changes to the market mechanisms to incentivise investment in renewable energy in onshore and offshore wind and biomass to be extended to all low-carbon energy, including nuclear, Britain will put its carbon reduction targets at risk. “I want to ensure that nuclear investments take place but because of the current situation, investments either go into only gas-fired power stations or the renewable sector.” he said. And concluded: “The broader you can make an incentive mechanism, the more you ensure as a government that investment goes into technology that meets all the targets, whilst at the same time being the most economic decisions.” The state of Britain’s Nuclear Power Stations
What do you expect from Thursday’s forum? Will the energy companies get the incentives they want from the Mr Huhne and the Coalition Government? Have your say in our comments section.
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