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Catalyst is one of the leading providers of utility purchasing and contract negotiation services to the commercial sector. With over 15 years’ experience in this dynamic market, our team of energy market professionals provide a full options appraisal for your utility contract needs. Having a balance between technical expertise and the commercial reality of our clients’ requirements, we provide a blend of management and energy consultancy services that is rare in our industry. With the largest supplier panel in the UK, and a full range of business energy procurement solutions that match your exact purchasing requirements from fixed priced products, pass through and flexible energy purchasing solutions. Our monthly market reports then help you to understand the key drivers influencing your utility costs.

Energy Market Price Reports

Mar24 business energy report
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Weekly energy report - 06.09.23
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Sep23 Business Energy Market Report
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Daily Energy Report - 10th January 2023
Daily Energy Report – 10th January 2023
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Jan23 Business Energy Market Report
January 2023 Energy Market Brief
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Daily Energy Report - 05.01.23
Daily Energy Report – 5th January 2023
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Dec22 Business Energy Market Report
December 2022 Energy Market Brief
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Nov22 Energy Market Brief
November 2022 Energy Market Brief
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October 2022 Energy Market Brief
October 2022 Energy Market Brief
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Sep22 Business Energy Market Report
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Aug22 Business Energy Report
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Jul22 - Business Energy Report
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June22 energy report
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May22 Business energy report
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Apr22 Business Energy Report
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Mar22 Business Energy Market Report
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February 2022 energy marker report
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Jan22 Energy Prices
January 2022 Energy Market Brief
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Energy Prices Remain Significantly Elevated
December 2021 Energy Market Brief
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March 15
Daily Energy Report – 24th November 2021
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Nov21 energy prices
November 2021 Energy Market Brief
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Oct21
October 2021 Energy Market Brief
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business energy prices sep21
September 2021 Energy Market Brief
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business energy prices 2021
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july21 energy price report
July 2021 Energy Market Brief
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Jun21 Energy Price Report
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Business Report - May21
May 2021 Energy Market Brief
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energy market prices
April 2021 Energy Market Brief
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March 15
Daily Energy Report – 15th March 2021
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Business Energy Market Reports
March 2021 Energy Market Brief
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Feb21 - Business Energy Prices
Energy Market Brief – February 2021
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Jan21 - Energy Report
Energy Market Brief – January 2021
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Dec20
Energy Market Brief – December 2020
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Tuesday energy report
Daily Energy Report – 17th November 2020
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Video Report - Energy Market
Video Energy Market Brief – Week 45, 2020
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Nov20 business energy prices
Energy Market Brief – November 2020
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14.10.20
Daily Energy Report – 30th October 2020
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14.10.20
Daily Energy Report – 28th October 2020
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daily energy report
Daily Energy Report – 22nd October 2020
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Video Energy Market Brief
Daily Energy Report – 21st October 2020
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daily video report
Daily Energy Report – 20th October 2020
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15.10.20
Daily Energy Report – 16th October 2020
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15.10.20
Daily Energy Report – 15th October 2020
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14.10.20
Daily Energy Report – 14th October 2020
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daily video report
Daily Energy Report – 13th October 2020
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daily energy report
Daily Energy Report – 8th October 2020
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Video Energy Market Brief
Daily Energy Report – 7th October 2020
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energy report
Energy Market Brief – October 2020
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Video Report - Energy Market
Video Energy Market Brief – Week 40, 2020
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Video Energy Market Brief
Video Energy Market Brief – Week 37, 2020
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Energy Market Brief - September 2020
Energy Market Brief – September 2020
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140407_Budget confirms carbon tax cap
Energy Market Brief – April 2020
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high energy user
Energy Market Brief – March 2020
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innovation
Energy Market Brief – February 2020
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Commercial Battery Storage
Energy Market Brief – January 2020
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Commercial_Gas_Use (10)
Energy Market Brief – December 2019
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Make an Appointment
Energy Market Brief – November 2019
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gas stove
Energy Market Brief – October 2019
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service
Weekly Price Update Report – Week 39 2019
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Commercial_Gas_Use Cooking
Weekly Price Update Report – Week 38 2019
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Commercial_Gas_Use (7)
Weekly Price Update Report – Week 37 2019
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Commercial_Gas_Use Rig
Energy Market Brief – September 2019
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Simplified CRC avoids the axe, but costs set to rise
Weekly Price Update Report – Week 36 2019
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business gas
Weekly Price Update Report – Week 35 2019
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energy prices
Energy Market Brief – August 2019
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Business Energy Savings
Weekly Price Update Report – Week 31 2019
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high energy user
Weekly Price Update Report – Week 30 2019
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electricity power
Weekly Price Update Report – Week 28 2019
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energy markets
Energy Market Brief – July 2019
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Lights
Energy Market Brief – June 2019
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pylon
Energy Market Brief – May 2019
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140386583_web
Weekly Price Update Report – Week 19 2019
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bulb
Energy Market Brief – April 2019
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Environmental Investigation
Daily Energy Report – Energy Prices Steady
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Customer Case Studies

Water Services

Fact Sheets

Blog Posts

  • Identifying a Half Hour Meter

    So how do you know if you have a half hour electricity meter? It’s actually quite straight forward, and all you will need to find this out is a recent copy of your electricity bill. It doesn’t have to be the latest half hourly electricity invoice, any recent bill will do.

  • electric vehicle charging report

    The report states that current progress to move to EVs is too slow, noting that EVs are more expensive than their petrol and diesel counterparts and there is not a sufficient amount of affordable EVs on the market.

  • Green Skills Outlook

    According to the Green Skills Outlook report published by ScottishPower on 18 January, a large proportion of the UK workforce are missing the skills needed to create a greener economy.

  • Business Energy Supplier Obligations

    Business Energy Supplier Obligations were reviewed during Decemebr as Ofgem published a statutory consultation following its non-domestic market review, setting out a number of proposals around the Standards of Conduct (SoC), Third Party Intermediaries (TPIs), customer support, and complaints handling standards.

  • Chancellor Delivers Autumn Statement

    In the statement, the government reiterated its intentions to remove barriers to investment in critical infrastructure by reforming the UK’s planning system and speeding up electricity grid connection times.

  • scope 3 emissions reporting

    DESNZ recently opened a call for evidence regarding the costs, benefits and practicalities of Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reporting in the UK. Under the GHG protocol, a company’s emissions are currently classified into three scopes.

  • Demand Flexibility Service Returns

    Businesses to be paid for not using electricity as Ofgem approves Demand Flexibility Service for this winter. You can earn upwards of £2.10 per kWh of electricity reduction.

  • Net Zero Carbon Changes

    In a net zero carbon changes speech delivered in September, the Prime Minister announced that the government will revise a number of current measures intended to help reach net zero carbon emissions as a country by 2050.

  • Emission Reduction Plan Delayed

    The report also found that of the 1,504 organisations surveyed, 49% are delaying planned investment into sustainability and net zero plans, and 34% of organisations now say they have more immediate business challenges to meet, such as economic pressures, supply chain delays and skill shortages.

  • How to Achieve Net Zero

    The British Chambers of Commerce and Lloyds Bank published a report setting out three key recommendations to help businesses reach net zero and how to achieve net zero.

  • Energy Contract Security Deposit

    Ofgem has published its best practice guide for the use of an energy contract security deposit. Suppliers often use an energy contract security deposit to manage their risk exposure when contracting business consumers carrying a credit risk.

  • Business Energy Market Review Findings and Consultation

    This July, Ofgem published its findings and policy consultation for its non-domestic market review which sought views on business energy market supplier pricing and contract prices, market competition and customer service, and opportunities for targeted support to specific customer groups.

  • Decarbonising the power sector

    The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) announced that it has published a report on Decarbonising the power sector, highlighting that the government’s ambitions for power sector decarbonisation by 2035 are jeopardised by the lack of an overarching delivery plan.

  • Business energy market review

    The business energy market review from Ofgem recently published a call for input regarding its concerns for the current state of the non-domestic gas and electricity markets. The volatile market conditions of the last 18 months have left many consumers across both domestic and non-domestic markets with a lot of uncertainty.

  • climate change adaptation

    The Climate Change Committee (CCC) recently published a new report titled Investment for a well-adapted UK, through which it argues that ‘a lack of leadership is preventing essential investment to prepare the UK for climate change.’

  • Renewable Energy Sources

    What exactly is meant by “renewable energy”? Essentially, renewable energy is any energy that’s derived from the earth’s natural resources such as sunlight and the wind. Naturally replenished, and much less harmful to the environment, renewable energy is an alternative to the traditional energy that is created from fossil fuels, eg coal and oil – resources which are finite and which are gradually being exhausted.

  • Ultra Rapid Chargers

    Electric vehicle (EV) adoption along with ultra rapid chargers in the UK is expected to expand, which will probably result in a considerable rise in the energy consumption requirments for EV charging. It is predicted that 12 times as much energy as is currently utilised for transportation would be needed to charge all the electric vehicles in the UK.

  • Carbon Voluntary Market

    When it comes to the Carbon Voluntary Market, according to the most recent analysis by Boston Consulting Group and Shell, the demand for carbon credits is significantly increasing in the voluntary carbon markets, even if the economy is struggling and there are still continuous financial constraints.

  • The Energy Bill Discount Scheme

    The Energy Bills Discount Scheme (EBDS) was announced this week. The programme will offer up to £5.5 billion in funding for business users. The EBDS will run from 31st March 2023 until 31st March 2024 and will have two elements to it.

  • Onshore Wind Energy

    The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities announced on 6 December its plans to consult on proposed changes to national planning policy on onshore wind development to examine how local communities can get involved.

  • PPN 06/21 – Carbon Reduction Plan

    The UK government recently published an important Public Procurement Notice (PPN), stating that every entity bidding on UK public contracts worth £5 million or more will be required to measure their carbon footprint and have a Net Zero target for 2050 in place.

  • Renewables Obligation Mutualisation

    With this official announcement yesterday comes more misery for suppliers and their customers as this additional total shortfall amount across all RO schemes is £218,300,151.73 (excluding interest). As a relevant shortfall has been reached, mutualisation has been triggered and suppliers will be contacted to make quarterly payments to make up the shortfall, in proportion to their obligation.

  • Gas CHP – Fully Funded Approach

    With our fully funded Gas CHP systems, customers can benefit from on-site electricity, heating and cooling generation and at the same time benefit from a reduced operating cost and improve the carbon footprint.

  • Biomass Boilers

    The growing demand for commercial biomass boilers isn’t surprising when you look at the energy savings that can be achieved by using one, compared to traditional commercial boilers. The actual savings that can be achieved from installing a commercial biomass boiler will vary and is dependent on the existing type of fuel used.

  • half hourly consumption reports

    Half-hourly data is a record of the energy used in every half-hour period of every day and this is reported in graph format for all of our half hourly electricity customers.

  • How to reduce a carbon footprint

    When it comes to compliance, the introduction of the Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) framework by the UK Government was designed to help businesses by reducing some of the complexity around carbon emissions reporting.

  • COP27 Results – Carbon Reduction Plans

    COP26 President Alok Sharma’s speech at the COP27 closing plenary. He said: “We have had to battle to build on one of the key achievements of Glasgow. The call on all Parties to revisit and strengthen their ationally etermined Contributions.

  • Demand Flexibility Service

    National Grid are paying up to £5 per kWh or £5,000 per MWh as a demand reduction incentive, with no cap on the earnings if the demand is not met by the supply available.

  • Risks From Climate Change

    Recently the Climate Change Committee (CCC) published a briefing note titled Resilient Supply Chains, setting out evidence on climate-related risks to supply chains and actions for government and businesses to increase supply chain resilience.

  • Net Zero Carbon Review

    The government stated the review will consider how its approach to net zero can deliver economic growth and investment, and provide energy security and affordability to consumers, while minimising costs faced by businesses and consumers.

  • Carbon Reduction Plans

    This Carbon Reduction Plan conforms to the requirements of Procurement Policy Note PPN06/21; Taking Account of Carbon Reduction Plans in the procurement of major government contracts.

  • Cyber Essentials Certified

    We’re excited to announce Catalyst has just been assessed against cyber threats and certified by Cyber Essentials, a UK Government-backed, industry-supported scheme overseen by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).

  • Crown Commercial Service Framework

    Catalyst Commercial Services, prime supplier of energy technology solutions today announced that it has been named as a supplier on the Crown Commercial Service’s (CCS) Spark Dynamic Purchasing System (RM6094).

  • TNUoS Tariffs Published 2023-24

    Transmission Network Use of System (TNUoS) charges are designed to recover the cost of installing and maintaining the transmission system in England, Wales, Scotland and offshore.

  • Business Energy Bills Support

    Details so far are very limited, but the Government has announced a new 6-month scheme to support businesses, charities and public sector organisations like schools. After this initial 6-month scheme, the government will provide ongoing focused support for “vulnerable industries”.

  • EII Exemption Scheme

    Under the current EII exemption scheme, high electricity using businesses, such as steel and paper mills, see a proportion of their costs relating to the Contracts for Difference (CfD), Renewables Obligation (RO), and Feed-in Tariff (FiT) made exempt.

  • Energy Storage Systems

    The consultation outcome adds that it also provides low carbon flexibility, replacing some unabated gas generation. In addition, it will diversify the technology mix and support meeting the 2035 decarbonation power sector targets.

  • Business Gas Use

    Even though the fiscal only starts in April with the start of the new year many companies begin to revise their expenditures which includes their business gas and business electricity requirements. In today’s article we bring to you 5 ways to reduce business gas usage, therefore, its costs.

  • Net Zero Roadmap

    Roadmap to net zero: a manifesto for a fully decarbonised power system by 2035. This sets out a framework to guide the transformation needed to fully decarbonise the power sector by 2035, urging the government to accelerate the pace and scale of decarbonisation.

  • Energy Market UK NAO Report

    The National Audit Office (NAO) recently published a report on the energy supplier market, which aims to set out the facts regarding the recent energy supplier exits and to evaluate the role of Ofgem and BEIS in the events leading to the exits and how well they handled them.

  • TCFD Reporting Requirments

    TCFD has developed a framework to help public companies and other organizations disclose climate-related risks and opportunities.

  • Electric Vehicle Charging Network Report

    Transport Scotland has published its Draft Vision for Scotland’s Public Electric Vehicle Charging Network report which explores the key areas relevant to the development of a Scottish public electric vehicle (EV) charging network.

  • Ofgem Approves BSUoS Price Cap

    Ofgem approved WACM4 for CMP381 Defer Exceptionally High Winter 2021/22 BSUoS Costs to 2022/2023.

  • New Gas Levy Confirmed

    The government confirmed its intention to bring in a new levy on gas use this autumn to support a scheme to increase the amount of green gas on the system.

  • The Nuclear Energy Financing Bill

    BEIS recently announced that it will introduce The Nuclear Energy Financing Bill to approve the Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model as an option to fund future nuclear projects.

  • zero emission vehicles

    The Zero Emission Vehicles Transition Council (ZEVTC) recently published its 2022 action plan, detailing how it will collaborate to accelerate the transition to zero emission vehicles (ZEVs).

  • TNUoS Review and Call for evidence

    Ofgem published a call for evidence on the Transmission Network Use of System (TNUoS) charges regime. The document covers issues previously highlighted by stakeholders and outlines the regulator’s current thinking on potential areas for reform.

  • UK Gov Net Zero Strategy

    BEIS published the UK’s Net Zero Strategy – detailing policies and proposals for decarbonising all sectors of the UK economy to meet its net zero target by 2050 including provisions for power, fuel supply & hydrogen, industry, heat and buildings, transport, natural resources, and greenhouse gas removals.

  • What are Green Claims

    The CMA has published its Green Claims Code to help businesses comply with consumer law and has warned that companies must ensure their environmental claims comply by New Year.

  • Greeen Gas Levy

    BEIS’s impact assessment of the Greeen Gas Levy suggests that the initial levy will be around £1.40 per gas meter point.

  • Greenwashing

    The government launched a consultation on 16 August to explore the extent of ‘greenwashing’ in the retail energy sector. This comes amid concerns that energy suppliers could be overstating the environmental benefits of their green electricity tariffs.

  • Survey finds only one in 10 businesses measuring carbon footprint

    Joint research by the British Chambers of Commerce and telecommunications company O2 found that, of over 1,000 businesses surveyed in the UK, only 11% are measuring their carbon footprint.

  • Government looking into TPI operation in retail market

    The call for evidence focuses on the following types of TPIs: Price Comparison Website; auto-switching and auto-recommendation services; bill-splitters; brokers and consultants; and load controllers who can control or impact customer energy usage using communication networks.

  • Future System Operator – Government Proposes Independent

    BEIS and Ofgem are consulting on proposals for a Future System Operator (FSO) fully independent from National Grid.

  • Decarbonisation Plan from UK Transport

    The Department for Transport (DfT) published the long-awaited Transport Decarbonisation Plan on 14 July, setting out new targets.

  • UK needs plans for net zero

    The Climate Change Committee (CCC) published a pair of reports, Progress in adapting to climate change and Progress in reducing emissions, to Parliament on 24 June.

  • zero carbon electricity in 2025

    A report released by National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) has found that GB’s electricity network is on track to becoming fossil fuel free by 2025.

  • IoT EDGE Platforms for Smart Cities

    Smart cities and smart buildings need smart solutions and that’s where EDGE technology comes to the fore.

  • EDGE Platforms for Demand Side Response

    EDGE Platforms have the ability to reduce energy requirments on a second by second basis and when combined with demand side response services it can be an effective tool in energy management.

  • Emissions Reduction Target Government sets out for 2035

    The government confirmed that it will be enshrining a new target into law to cut emissions by 78% (based on 1990 levels) by 2035.

  • NetZero Report: SMEs lack support or advice on how to transition to net zero

    Small businesses want to play a key role in the UK’s journey to netzero, but do not know where to turn when it comes to cutting carbon emissions, according to a new report from a coalition of business groups, energy networks and expert bodies.

  • TNUoS Changes Delayed – Targeted Charging Review Update

    The government confirmed its intention to bring in a new levy on gas use this autumn to support a scheme to increase the amount of green gas on the system.

  • Energy IoT Management Solutions

    The advances in the world of Energy IoT Management Solutions, the advent of 5G and faster networking technologies plus the emergence of lower data and hardware costs has pushed forward the next generation of dynamic building energy management – enter the era of EDGE.

  • commercial electric car charging stations

    The first steps in analysing your metering data and identifying opportunities for energy savings and route to NetZero activities is to do more granular metering and use the data to paint a picture of what energy you are consuming, where and when.

  • Green Energy Consultant

    With our range of building energy management services and solution we can your your organisation measure and control energy use down to the most granular level.

  • Net Zero Target Monitoring and Measuring

    The first steps in analysing your metering data and identifying opportunities for energy savings and route to NetZero activities is to do more granular metering and use the data to paint a picture of what energy you are consuming, where and when.

  • Carbon Management Plan – FM’s Are The Real NetZero Hero’s

    Carbon management and the role of the FM and the built environment professional is bigger and more pressing than ever. FMs today are much more than managers they are future thinkers, COVID-secure administrators and champions of the NetZero journey.

  • Net Zero Carbon – How Can SME’s Reap The Financial Benefits

    Our team of dedicated consultants and technology experts work closely with SMEs to identify energy and cost saving opportunities from tiny changes and tweaks to in-building systems such as HVAC and lighting, to educating and delivering informative advice to building occupiers.

  • Energy Trust is Hard to Earn

    The relationship we have as a team, with our clients, with our suppliers and with the wider energy marketplace are pivotal to any success we garner.

  • Digital Utilities Lets Go

    It’s not really a surprise that we are all switching to digital tech as we move ahead into 2021, what 2020 has shown us is that digital technology has been firmly cemented into our lives more than ever. As digital energy spend specialists, we are embracing and implementing digital technologies that deliver customer value and ultimately return power back to the users.

  • Best in Customer Service – Business Energy

    We want to understand a customer’s business and energy use to help them manage spend and ultimately reduce costs. To streamline processes, provide solutions that automate and remove any area for human error on data inputting.

  • Digital Disrupter – Digital Energy Disruptors Examples

    With such a high portion of a business’s overheads being spent on utilities or solutions to reduce energy consumption costs, we question why companies are still using 3rd party systems and processes that are manual, time intensive, often riddled with mistakes from manual data entry.

  • Procurement of Energy and Carbon Reporting Innovation

    Businesses, by law, have to report on their carbon emissions each year. A variety of sources of data is required in order for them to comply. Reporting on bad data is bad for businesses and could result in a hefty fine or worse still, a black mark against the business ruining brand and reputation.

  • Energy Data Key for Carbon Reporting

    Businesses, by law, have to report on their carbon emissions each year. A variety of sources of data is required in order for them to comply. Reporting on bad data is bad for businesses and could result in a hefty fine or worse still, a black mark against the business ruining brand and reputation.

  • The Incredible Energy Saving Egg

    It’s the frustration every father has felt, right up to the point of parody – you walk into a room to find the lamp on, the TV blaring and the Playstation on pause – but the kids have all got bored and gone to different rooms.  Well, one Kildrum dad decided that enough is enough,

  • 10 point plan sets out raft of green policies

    Prime Minister Boris Johnson launched the government’s much-trailed 10 point plan late on 17 November, with the full plan published on 18 November, setting out a series of new funding and ambition announcements covering transport, hydrogen, energy efficiency, carbon capture, offshore wind, nuclear and green finance.

  • What is a fixed and what is a flex contract

    There are two things you must know about the contract energy market…fixed and flex contracts. We know that we are on the edge of the contract landscape shift and we’ve talked a lot about the debate between fixed versus flexible contracts, but we need to always understand the difference between the two.

  • The World of Energy Procurement is Changing. Price increases are on the horizon

    There are many benefits that a flexible contract can provide in the current market conditions and flex should certainly be a consideration if your energy consumption has been impacted by Covid-19 this year.

  • Catalyst Shortlisted for 5 Awards at this Year’s TELCA Awards

    Catalyst is nominated for 5 awards at this years TELCA events run and hosted by Energy Live News.

  • Final energy consumption in Q220 down 30% year on year

    BEIS released its Energy Trends and Energy Prices publications covering data on energy production and consumption and prices for domestic and industrial consumers for the April to June period of 2020.

  • New Gas Levy for Gas Decarbonisation

    The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) detailed the design of the Green Gas Levy to support the Green Gas Support Scheme (GGSS) in a new consultation published on 22 September.

  • High Balancing Costs – Ofgem announces review

    This period saw the onset of COVID-19, as well as record high renewable output and saw the ESO incur balancing costs of £718mn between March and July, 39% higher than the normal expected costs for this period.

  • Electricity cheaper, cleaner and harder to control over lockdown

    Under lockdown, electricity was “cheaper, cleaner, but harder to control”, power company Drax found in its most recent Electric Insights report. Published on 31 August, it found that the share of renewables’ was up 32% year-on-year as biomass, wind and solar set new generation records in Q220. Wholesale power prices declined by 42% from the same quarter last year as demand plummeted during lockdown.

  • Digital Energy Rebrand

    The rebrand reflects what has always been the companies long term goal: to become a multi-faceted energy consultancy using automatic, integrated, agile data driven systems to empower both customers and themselves alike to drive more efficient, collaborative and accurate outcomes. The new brand truly represents Catalyst’s position as a Digital leader in what feels like at times an analogue energy market.

  • Time of use tariff changes – prepare now

    Time of use tariff changes as part of the network charges make up around a fifth of the total power bill. Larger businesses tend to be settled on a half hourly basis, and have advanced metering to support that. Their network charges have generally been banded into red, amber and green periods with red the most expensive and green the cheapest. These vary by region and distribution network operator (DNO).

  • Green Deal for 2050 net zero target

    The EC said the deal, shown in Figure 1, provides a roadmap to move to a clean, circular economy and stop climate change, revert biodiversity loss and cut pollution. The EC will present the first ‘European Climate Law’ by March 2020. It will also present the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, the new Industrial Strategy and Circular Economy Action Plan, the Farm to Fork Strategy for sustainable food and proposals for pollution-free Europe.

  • UK electricity bill could increase by £270mn annually

    The UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) published a report on 7 December, in preparation for the now-postponed Commons vote on the Brexit deal, predicting that a hard Brexit could add £270mn a year to the UK electricity bill.  Titled Elecxit: The Cost of Bilaterally Uncoupling British-EU Electricity Trade, the report said that a “hard elecxit”

  • National Grid Winter Energy Supply

    In system operator National Grid’s Winter Outlook Report 2018-19, released on 11 October, the UK’s winter energy supply was confirmed to be secure. Electricity and gas demand Even in the event of another cold snap this winter, National Grid said it will be able to meet demand. The system operator has predicted that electricity demand

  • National Grid expects excess summer gas and electricity supplies

    National Grid has revealed that it is expecting to have more than enough available gas and electricity supplies to meet demand over the summer period. The announcement came in the latest edition of National Grid’s annual Summer Outlook report, published on 10 April. National Grid uses this report to set out its view of the

  • Security of Supply Auctions – Record Low Prices

    The government has welcomed the results of its Capacity Market auctions which have secured future energy supplies at record low prices for homes and businesses. The T-1 Capacity Market auction, for delivery in 2018-19, cleared in line with expectations at £6.00/kW. This was followed by the T-4 Capacity Market auction, for delivery in 2021-22, which

  • E.ON Unlocking Fixed Business Contracts

    E.ON will have the difficult task of notifying their commercial customers over the coming weeks that they will need to unlock their current fixed price contracts in order to add an additional charge that wasn’t forecast when the contract was originally signed. This additional charge will also cover customers that are potentially no longer with

  • Harvesting Sunlight With Salt

    Projects, such as Shams 1 and Noor 1, are aiding the solar industry’s evolution. North Africa, specifically the Mena region, and the Middle East are hoping to supply Europe with reliable electricity. To achieve this, the two regions need a solar energy system that is virtually infallible: continues to provide electricity when it’s cloudy and

  • Google’s Renewable Energy Storage Solution

    Alphabet Inc., formerly known as Google, has an innovative solution for renewable energy storage. The promising new project, dubbed Malta, uses a combination of salt and antifreeze to store energy. Malta is being developed by Alphabet’s somewhat secret research and development facility. The research lab, simply named X, was also responsible for developing Google’s driverless

  • Ofgem warns network companies of tougher future price controls

    Energy network companies have been told to brace themselves for a “tougher” round of price controls from 2021 by the energy regulator. Ofgem explained it had seen “clear evidence” the cost of investment required in networks was “significantly lower” than previously assumed, and warned the new “RIIO-2” price control would reflect this. The warning followed

  • Energy Intensive Industries Cost Shifting

    Estimated annual increase on average bills by affected users in Great Britain, 2016 prices, non-discounted, over 2017-18 – 2027-28 Energy intensive industries (EIIs) are to be made exempt from the indirect costs of the Renewables Obligation (RO) scheme, lowering electricity costs for some of the country’s biggest energy users. While EIIs, such as major manufacturers

  • Wireless Mobile Charging On-The-Go

    Easily charge your phone while travelling, without the need of a charger. One of the most common concerns a traveller faces while en route to a destination is how to charge their phones. Chargifi seeks to alleviate the anxiety associated with draining your mobile phone’s battery. Chargifi, originating on Chancery Lane, London, is working on

  • Firms fear cyber-attacks on new energy technology

    Two-thirds (65%) of UK businesses are concerned over the cyber risks associated with new energy technology, according to a new survey conducted by professional services firm PwC. The research, from the latest PwC B2B Energy Survey, was issued on 8 May and found that half (51%) of businesses were worried that their client data was

  • Catalyst Shortlisted for Energy Management Champion

    We are absolutely thrilled to announce that Catalyst has been shortlisted for the ‘Energy Management Champion’ award at this years TELCA 2017 (Energy Live Consultancy Awards). On Monday 22 May 2017, the Energy Live News team announced its shortlist for the Energy Live Consultancy Awards 2017 (TELCA). This year, Catalyst was named as a finalist

  • Printable and Spray on Solar Panel Technology

    The Latest Advances in Solar Panel Technology: Printable and Spray on.  Novel solar panel technology appears to be a game changer for the renewable energy market. Researchers are currently developing new film technologies for the solar panel industry. The innovative thin film materials would transform the traditional renewable energy panels into a spray on or

  • Greater Flexibility Required Over Summer, says National Grid

    Greater flexibility will be needed over the course of summer 2017 to balance the electricity system during periods of low demand, and increased supply and demand variability, according to National Grid. In its Summer Outlook Report 2017, published on 6 April, National Grid explained that, due to falling demand on the British electricity system, it

  • Small Business Switching Falls In 2016

    Ofgem’s annual survey of small and micro-business engagement in the energy market has found that just 21% of businesses switched supplier in 2016, down from 25% in 2015. Despite the drop in switching the research, which was published on 7 April, found two-thirds (66%) of businesses had some degree of engagement with the energy market

  • New Compressed-Air Energy Storage

    The startup company, Hydrostor, has an energy storage scheme that appears to be cost-effective. Hydrostor has created an energy storage system that utilises compressed air to generate commercial electricity.  Hydrostor, an energy storage company based in Canada, has claimed that the new system will cost substantially less than regular battery storage, while producing as much

  • On-Demand – Clean, Affordable Energy

    A start-up company in Sydney is set to unveil the Chemical Looping Energy on Demand System, or CLES. If the new energy system lives up to its name, the device will outperform many of the current energy storage systems available on the market, including the duration of time it takes to pay for itself. Collaborators

  • Low-Carbon Policies to Push up Firms’ Operating Costs

    The UK’s climate watchdog – the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) – has said that the government’s low-carbon policies will put a significant upward pressure on businesses’ costs in the years ahead. The finding came in an assessment of the impact of green policies on business energy bills, released by the CCC on 16 March.

  • The UK Energy Storage Market

    This spring the UK government intends to make structural changes to the energy market, which will benefit energy storage. The UK government contacted major players in the electricity industry last autumn, for suggestions on how to alter the power grid. If new legislation is enacted in the spring based on this information, many industry observers

  • New Gas Fired Power Station Officially Opened

    Catalyst was in attendance at the official opening of the new 880MW combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power station in Carrington near Greater Manchester this week. As Energy Minister Jesse Norman officially marked the opening of the new £710 million development at Carrington, which has the capacity to provide power to more than one million

  • Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard

    A Catalyst guide to the new MEES (Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard) for developers, investors, landlords and lenders.  Starting in April 2018, a new legal standard will apply to rented commercial buildings. The MEES, or (Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard), brings a challenging opportunity for many property owners, developers, lenders and freehold investors. This guide reviews how

  • Capacity Auction Boosts Power Supplies

    The government has secured over 52GW of electricity supplies for 2020-21, following the conclusion of its latest capacity market auction. The auctions, introduced by the coalition government in the previous parliament, seek to ensure that the UK’s power supplies remain secure as it transitions away from old fossil fuel plants and towards cleaner sources of

  • Think Tank Backs Power System Reform

    Developing a smarter power grid could result in households saving up to £8bn a year collectively by 2030, according to a new report by the Policy Exchange think tank. The group published its Power 2.0 report on 7 November. It outlined how the rapid expansion of renewables was creating challenges in terms of managing the

  • New Solar Roads Power The Way

    Solar panels are to be fitted onto stretches of our roads next year in the UK. Doing so will provide clean energy to various businesses and homes that are connected to them. These photovoltaic panels are a quarter of an inch thick and can be glued onto the road’s surface. Engineers that are developing the

  • Nuclear Diamond Batteries

    A team of scientists have found a way to use nuclear waste as an energy source, by converting radioactive gas into artificial diamonds. These gems would be able to generate their own electrical current for several centuries and could be used as batteries. This amazing feat is feasible due to the enduring half-life of the

  • Turning Waste Heat Into Electricity

    A new energy efficient engine has been invented, that generates electricity from waste hot water. This new machine has the potential to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions for thousands of businesses, ranging from cargo shipping companies through to data centers. This solution comes from a firm based in Dublin, Ireland called Exergyn, who intends

  • Energy supplies secure for winter, says National Grid

    System operator National Grid has confirmed that the risk of winter power blackouts has fallen, with more electricity supplies available than had earlier been anticipated.  The company published its annual Winter Outlook report on 14 October. It suggested that Britain’s capacity margin – the extent to which the supply of electricity on the system would

  • Is This The Holy Grail of Clean Energy

    The application sales engineer at PDC Machines, Nihad Kaiseruddin, demonstrates the SimpleFuel device. This prototype powers electric fuel-cell vehicles with high-purity hydrogen derived from a combination of water and electricity. Some may call this magic, however, it’s no parlor trick.  Inside this 8-foot-tall steel box, water is being converted into clean hydrogen motor fuel at

  • UK Hits All Time Renewables Rankings Low

    The UK has dropped down to 14th place in EY’s quarterly index of the most attractive locations for renewables investment – its lowest position to date. The report, issued on 26 October, explained that European countries had become increasingly attractive to renewables investors in recent months, having lost pace with emerging markets earlier in the

  • Britain’s Biomass Emissions Risk

    The renewable energy industry in the UK has denied the validity of a new economic analysis, suggesting that it is altering the facts. The report in question claims that using biomass power may cause more carbon pollution than natural gas or burning coal. These domes are Drax’s biomass storage units. They are able to hold

  • New Technology To Save Nuclear Power

    New nuclear reactors are emerging in the US, providing a safer and cheaper alternative to traditional nuclear power plants. A traditional nuclear reactor, being cooled with water to lower temperatures. Smaller nuclear reactors are being built with a new technology to passively keep things cool. The nuclear industry may have a new outlook in the

  • The Stored Energy In The Sea Project

    The Stored Energy in the Sea (StEnSEA) project is a new pumped storage system aimed at large-scale marine storage of electrical energy. There is currently a lack of storage within the UK grid system and but it is expected that storage levels will triple worldwide by 2030, while installed capacity is expected to multiply more

  • Battery Storage Projects Awarded Landmark Contracts

    Battery storage will, for the first time, play an important role in balancing supply and demand on the power system, after several projects were awarded key contracts by National Grid. In order to effectively balance supply and demand, National Grid must ensure that the frequency of the electricity system is maintained at 50Hz. But the

  • Your Exclusive Personal Invitation

    Whats the Future of Energy Contracts? As an energy intensive user you understand the complexities of the wholesale energy market, the myriad of 3rd party costs and the lack of transparency when it comes to how you are charged for all these components that make up your final bill.  Despite imporovments over the years billing

  • UK Half-Hourly Meter Extension Plan

    Ofgem’s mandatory move to half-hourly settlements for all consumers extended Ofgem’s huge project to switch to half-hourly electricity settlement (HHS) for almost all customers has been plaguing the business energy world for months. Now the remaining customers, including smaller businesses and domestic consumers, are being told they will have to adopt it as well. Up

  • Solar Crowdfunding Project

    Retail chain Marks & Spencer is using crowdfunding to source the money for installation of solar panels on its shops. In partnership with Energy4All, a non-profit group that helps community groups begin energy co-ops, the chain is aiming to raise £1.23m in order to put panels on nine of its larger stores, including sites in

  • Competition authority confirms business energy reforms

    Business groups have welcomed the announcement of reforms to the energy market, following an investigation by the UK’s competition watchdog. Consumers Disengaged On 24 June the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) published the final report of its investigation into the energy industry. The investigation was launched two years ago, after the sector’s regulator, Ofgem, expressed

  • Businesses Warm to Energy Switching

    A new survey has shown that businesses have an increasingly positive view of the process for switching between electricity and gas suppliers. On 25 May, energy regulator Ofgem published research, prepared by analyst BMG, on Micro and Small Business Engagement in Energy Markets. It was based on 1,500 telephone interviews with businesses between October-December last

  • Portugal Zero Emissions Blitz

    Portugal has achieved a huge clean energy milestone by managing to keep its lights on for four consecutive days using renewable energy only, data analysis of national energy network figures has revealed. Consumption of commercial electricity was fully covered by solar, wind and hydro power for a groundbreaking 107 hours, beginning at 6.45am on Saturday

  • UK Invests Heavily in Energy Storage

    Energy storage company Camborne has announced a collaboration with major infrastructure fund manager Equitix and Building Services Contractor FES Group. This strategic joining of forces will mean Equitix and FES Group supporting the delivery of Camborne’s large energy storage projects in the UK. Although currently rather small, the UK market for battery energy storage is

  • UK could save billions in integrated EU electricity market

    The UK will share in savings of up to €40bn a year by 2030 if the EU’s electricity market is fully integrated, an assessment by the Treasury has found. Published on 18 April, the report said that the integrated market would allow the free flow of energy across the continent, removing regulatory and technical barriers.

  • Businesses to Help Balance Energy System this Summer

    The operator of Britain’s commercial electricity system has said that firms will be given the opportunity to assist in ensuring supply matches demand this summer. In its annual Summer Outlook report, issued on 7 April, National Grid explained that it was becoming increasingly challenging to operate the system during periods when demand from consumers was

  • Business Energy Tax Reforms

    Chancellor George Osborne used the Budget on 16 March to announce major reforms to the energy tax landscape for businesses. The changes are intended to ease the administrative burden that businesses face from the current system, which includes a number of taxes and schemes – often with overlapping requirements. A streamlined framework Osborne confirmed that

  • UK could save £8bn a year through smart energy

    Utilising technologies like battery storage and demand response could save consumers £8bn a year, according to the government’s new National Infrastructure Commission (NIC). The NIC is the government’s new advisory body on infrastucture. Its Smart Power report, released on 4 March, examined how the UK’s commercial electricity network could be made more flexible in facing

  • Chancellor told to ease energy cost pressure on businesses

    A business lobbyist has told the government that energy costs must not be allowed to undermine the UK’s international competitiveness. On 15 February the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) submitted to the government its view on the upcoming Budget, which will be announced by the chancellor later this month. It said the government needed to

  • 55% UK Power Supply Gap

    According to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers the government’s plan to close all coal-fired power stations and ageing nuclear plants by 2025 could result in the UK facing a 40-55% commercial electricity supply gap. In their report, titled the Engineering of the UK Electricity Gap, the ImechE called plans to plug the gap with combined

  • Government Seeks to Ensure Energy Regulation Supports Innovation

    The government opened a consultation on 15 January on whether regulation in the commercial energy markets is allowing innovation to flourish. A Balanced Approach Innovation is a key driver of technological development in the energy sector, so is regarded as vital for delivering lower costs, greater reliability and an effective decarbonisation process. However, the government

  • Government Progresses Energy Reforms

    The government’s Energy Bill has been approved in its first key vote in the Commons, and its provisions will now be closely scrutinised by MPs. The bill, which has already been approved in the House of Lords, has two key components: it will establish a new regulator, the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA), for the

  • Water Consumer Council Challenge Water Leaks

    Over half of the UK’s water companies reported rising levels of commercial water leakage this year, according to the Consumer Council for Water. CC Water has called on the industry to do more to tackle the problem. The report by CC Water, titled “Delving into Water”, showed that consumer confidence in water companies is on

  • Battery Storage Already Viable For Investors, Report Claims

    In a study published on 18 January, Consultants Eunomia examined the potential of battery electricity storage in the UK. Storage systems allow commercial electricity to be stored so that it can used at a later time. There are a wide range of storage measures – but at present the technology’s role in the power sector

  • Biomass Power Plant Conversion Must Comply

    An investigation has been launched by the European commission into the UK’s plans to convert part of its Drax coal power plant to biomass. The commission wants to make sure that Drax plans are in line with EU state aid rules, after giving the go ahead to a similar conversion taking place in Lynemouth for

  • Catalyst Commercial Services Acquires Aqua House

    Business Energy Consultants Catalyst Acquires Aqua House to Boost Commercial Water Division Catalyst Commercial Services Limited, a UK market leading utility consultant who provides utility procurement services, sustainability and environmental services, is pleased to announce that it has today completed the acquisition of Aqua House Limited for an undisclosed sum. Aqua House is a specialist

  • Calls For Investigation After Diesel Back-Up Subsidy

    The government is facing demands for an urgent investigation into the fact that companies were given more than £175m in subsidies to build heavily polluting “diesel farms” in order to provide back-up power for the UK. Critics of the decision say that the money is rewarding intensive carbon dioxide emitters, just as Britain has promised

  • ESOS Non-Compliant Business Penalty

    Under current EU legislation, businesses must demonstrate that they have made a compliant Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) assessment on or before 5th December 2015 to avoid being subject to a maximum penalty of £185,000. The Environment Agency (EA), which administers ESOS on the Government’s behalf, estimates that from the 14,000 enterprises that fall under

  • Mini Nuclear Reactor Race

    Chancellor George Osborne’s plans could put the UK at the heart of the new global mini-nuclear reactor industry, reactors that are trucked into towns to provide hot water, or shipped to foreign countries to be plugged into their electrical grid. On Wednesday the Chancellor revealed that by 2020 at least £250 million will be spent

  • 007 James Bond’s New Electric Car

    The boss of Aston Martin has announced plans for an electric car with between 800 and 1,000 horsepower, ideal for a new zero-emissions 007. Andy Palmer said the move of all carmakers towards electric motors is inevitable and said his 102-year-old company is ready to make the switch instead of trying to meet ever-decreasing emissions

  • Birminghams Virtual Power Plant

    A small business that has created the UK’s largest “virtual power plant” says it will be capable of powering the cities of Birmingham and Leeds in three years time. Called Limejump, the plant collects supply from small generators, such as from farmers that have solar panels or are producing biogas. However, the business also pays

  • Importing Icelandic Power

    An ambitious project conceived by an Icelandic economist aims to connect Iceland and the UK with an undersea power cable, exporting electricity to Britain. The idea has been in the works for many years but has had its fair share of logistical problems. Both Prime Minister David Cameron and Icelandic Prime Minister Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson

  • Lowest Winter Capacity For Decade

    The chance of an electricity blackout has risen to its highest in a decade and the National Grid has admitted that it is more likely to draw power from additional sources to try to keep the country’s electricity flowing. The operator said it had enlisted power stations to provide extra capacity and has asked companies

  • Business Energy Efficiency Tax Reform

    Following the Chancellors announcement of the Summer Budget, in which he said energy policies and regulations would be subject to review, HM Treasury has launched a consultation to seek opinions on its proposals to reform the business energy efficiency tax landscape. The government is looking for feedback about what data should be collected and made

  • UK Accused of Rigging Market Against Renewable Energy

    Dale Vince, a pioneer of the UK renewable energy industry and founder of green energy company Ecotricity, has accused the British government of corrupting the market in an attempt to scupper green energy in favour of fossil fuels and nuclear power. The criticism comes as RenewableUK, the industry’s trade association, announced that 25.3% of the

  • The Grid Needs Updating to Prevent Dark Age

    New figures released by National Grid last month show that Britain is heading towards a serious energy capacity issue. Demand is increasing, power generation spare capacity is decreasing, and this leads to an increased likelihood of the lights going out. The main cause of this power problem is the UK’s Soviet-era energy infrastructure. The National

  • UK blackouts more likely says National Grid

    According to a new report from National Grid, the risk of blackouts this winter has increased due to the closure of power stations. The electricity system surplus will be just 1.2% this winter, the lowest level in a decade, the gas and electricity operator said. In order to try and negate this issue, National Grid

  • magic energy box provides your house with night time power

    The ability to store solar power for use when the sun isn’t shining would be a dream come true for home owners who have invested in solar panels. Many thousands of houses are now using hi-tech blackboxes to store solar energy for use at night. At the moment, solar panels provide “free” energy to households

  • Diesel farm boom and UK energy subsidies

    It has been discovered that subsidies being granted on household energy bills have caused a boom in polluting “diesel farms” across the UK so the grid can meet periods of high electricity demand. One programme for the National Grid has almost a quarter of Britain’s back-up power provided by tiny fossil fuel power stations –

  • Lowest ever peak demand thanks to solar

    The increase in the UK’s solar PV generation has contributed to the National Grid forecasting its “lowest ever” peak level demand this summer. At 37.5GW, the National Grid’s estimate of peak demand, published in their summer outlook, is 900MW lower than the same figure for last year. The rise in solar PV generation capacity within

  • UK homes to be powered by Norwegian hydro

    Last month the UK and Norway signed an agreement to build what will become the world’s longest interconnector from the town of Kvilldal, in southwest Norway, to Blyth, in northeast England. The document, which was signed at the British Embassy in Oslo by representatives from National Grid, the power grid operator in Great Britain, and

  • Tesla Solar Power Night Storage Batteries

    Using the same technology inside their electric cars, Tesla is working towards developing lithium-ion batteries for the home, according to a statement from CEO Elon Musk. The batteries would be used to store excess commercial energy collected from solar panels of homes and businesses, and then drawn from over night when the panels are idle.

  • Microsoft buys more green energy than Google

    Over the past few years the negative effects of CO2 in the atmosphere and global warming have become common topics of discussion, and so has the technology that plays a role in reducing emissions, such as electric vehicles and smart devices in homes and offices that reduce energy consumption. Computer giant Microsoft has recently been

  • ESOS SOS For Business Energy Savings

    With less than 10-months left until the deadline for complying with the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) legislation.  Market leading energy consultants Catalyst have warned that many large UK businesses may be missing out on over £250 million in energy savings. Recent figures released by the Department for Climate Change (DECC) show that savings of

  • Solar power to thrive without subsidies in UK by 2020

    THEMA1, a think tank in Berlin, has announced that Britain will have a thriving solar power sector without the need for subsidies by 2020, based on the falling cost of parts and vast improvements in the supply chain in the industry. Using evidence from the German market, such as price signals and business activity, the

  • ESTA issues warning over potential ESOS scheme failure

    The Energy Services and Technology Association (ESTA) has published recommendations to avoid failure of the Energy Savings Opportunities Scheme (ESOS) and to make it more effective. A study carried out on energy efficiency suppliers indicated that a lack of publicity could lead to the top 10,000 UK companies failing the ESOS audit, as well as

  • New graphite discovery could spark green revolution

    Scientists have discovered a new form of carbon graphite – the material in pencil lead – that had unexpected properties that could cause a revolution in the production of green energy and electric vehicles. The scientists discovered that graphene allows positively charged hydrogen atoms to pass through it despite the fact that it is impenetrable

  • Wind Energy Powers 25% of UK Homes in 2014

    Whilst many articles seem to buy into the myth that renewable energy in the UK is still in it’s infancy, new data following the end of the year has been published, revealing that the UK homes are operating on as much as 25% power from wind. Renewable UK published a report based on newly-released data

  • 5 Solar Technologies to Watch in 2015

    A new year full of exciting new discoveries in the field of commercial energy lies ahead, and after making plenty of headlines in Germany, Australia and the United States in 2014, it looks like there will be little to slow solar down in 2015. Whilst subsidies might be being tailed off for solar commercial energy

  • Tiny Batteries Spark Green Revolution

    When it comes to batteries, reducing the size is almost as important as increasing the storage capacity. Now, scientists have come up with a new nanosize battery that is 80,000 thinner than a human hair. The impact on industries such as green energy, which currently requires huge batteries to store the energy for when the

  • Air conditioning could be replaced with mirrors

    Scientists have developed a mirror that could see air conditioning units becoming obsolete. Placed on the roof of buildings, the mirrors are designed to reflect light and heat back into the subzero temperatures of space. The researchers believe that the mirrors could dramatically reduce the amount of commercial energy used by business and shopping centres

  • Yesterdays Laptop Battery or Tomorrow’s Power Source

    Anyone with a laptop more than a year old, knows that the battery in most units can barely run Microsoft Excel and a web browser for than 40 mins without demanding a charge – so it might come as a surprise to find out that most old laptop batteries could soon be powering communities in

  • Climate change won’t be solved by renewable energy

    A new report by two Google engineers, published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, claims that climate change cannot be solved by renewable energy technologies like wind and solar energy. The two engineers had previously worked on an ambitious renewable energy project for Google known as “RE<C”. The project failed however, and prompted

  • Energy Saving Opportunities Scheme Looming Deadline

    Energy Saving Opportunities Scheme Looming Deadline Certification body BM TRADA has warned that a “significant proportion” of the largest companies in Britain do not know about the government’s Energy Saving Opportunities Scheme (ESOS). Whilst registration is not required, Companies must determine if they meet the criteria on the 31st December 2014 and therefore comply under

  • Renewable Salt Water Energy Generation

    Dutch researchers are hoping to add a new kind of renewable energy to the market by opening a new “Blue Energy” test facility. Blue energy produces commercial electricity by taking advantage of the difference in salt concentration between fresh water and sea water. Rik Siebers, of REDstack BV, said the aim was to improve the

  • Future energy storage: giant grid batteries

    Around the globe, mass energy storage and distribution is becoming of greater and greater interest as the world moves more towards renewable but more intermittent forms of energy production, such as wind and solar. By finding a way to store large amounts of energy, the UK could move from the current supply-must-meet-demand system to one

  • New “black box” Energy device

    New “black box” device manages household energy usage to reduce cost A new device has been developed that is said to cut energy bills by a fifth each month.  The new device, dubbed the “black box”, will turn household appliances off and on throughout the day in response to fluctuations in the cost of electricity.

  • German Giants E.ON to Quit Coal & Gas

    E.ON, Germany’s biggest utility company, has announced that plans to split the firm in two and sell off most of it’s power generating units due to what their CEO has described as ‘dramatically altered global energy markets’. Germany – on paper one of the most progressive countries in terms of commercial energy – is often

  • £5 Billion UK Green Investment Bank Landmark

    On its second anniversary the UK Green Investment Bank has been congratulated by British Prime Minister David Cameron for contributing more than £5 billion to new green energy infrastructure projects. The bank is the first of its kind and raises money for the development of the country’s green energy industry. Since it was created two

  • Will new device change the face of renewable energy?

    A British company has successfully undertaken first-stage tests to bring wave power closer to fruition in the UK. Named Searaser and created by renewable energy innovators Ecotricity, the device will potentially re-invent the electricity sector, pushing it into greener and more eco-friendly territory. The idea behind the creation of the device is to give Britain

  • Nano-Batteries: Renewable Energy’s ‘Nick-of-Time’ Solution

    A new wave of ‘nano batteries’ could be leading a cavalry charge to help increase viability for green commercial energy sources, as researchers in the US say they have “ultimate miniaturization of energy storage”. The team, based at the University of Maryland, have already created a working model of a ‘simple’ nano-battery concept designed to

  • UK Seeks More Off-Shore Wind Power

    After revealing plans to build the World’s largest offshore wind farm this summer, the UK government has approved another significantly-sized installation earlier this week. Consent has been given for Danish company Dong Energy A/S to install a new off-shore wind farm 19km west of the Cumbrian coast, close tot he existing ‘Walney I’ and ‘Walney

  • UK Businesses ‘Could Save £5bn’ With Rooftop Solar

    This week a new study has indicated that businesses here in the UK could save a collective £5 billion in commercial energy spend by switching to rooftop solar photovoltaic panels. Kingspan Energy might just happen to be one of the UK’s longest-running providers of ‘high performance insulation, building fabric, and solar integrated building envelopes’, but

  • Dubbed the ‘Game-changer’ Flow’s Home Generator

    A new style of boiler which contains the capability to produce energy as well as heated water is set to be handed out by it’s British developer for ‘free’ in the hopes of kick-starting a new era of self-supplying homes and businesses – and built upon a surprising business model. Dubbed a ‘Game-changer’ already by

  • Amazing Flying Wind Turbine to Begin Trial Period

    It might look like something from a sci-fi film, but this huge floating device is actually set to provide green electricity and Wi-Fi to residents of the remote city of Fairbanks, Alaska. Designed and constructed by MIT startup Altaeros Energies, this futuristic floating marvel is a new type of airborne wind turbine dubbed the BAT

  • Wind Energy Cheapest According to New EU Report

    A new report conducted on behalf of the European commission has declared wind as the cheapest source of commercial energy – but only when ‘external’ factors are brought in to consideration. Revealed earlier this week, the data – written for the European commission by the Ecofys consultancy – revealed that onshore wind is cheaper than

  • New Energy Efficiency Target

    A fresh call for an expanded energy efficiency target from environmentalists claims that the UK could boost the British economy by £62bn. At a time where the 20% by 2020 targets are looming large over the heads of the government – in which the UK and other members of the European Union have committed to

  • IBM Give Solar Converters a Drastic Redesign

    One of the biggest names in computing technology, IBM, have teamed up with Swiss company Airlight Energy to give the tradition solar panel a drastic redesign after revealing an all-new ‘sunflower’ prototype. In comparison to giant wind turbines and colossal solar steam arrays, the average solar panel is hardly space-consuming or an eye-sore, but the

  • The Next Energy Superpower From Down Under

    The Australian Coalition Government has unveiled their plans to make their country a new “energy superpower” with a fresh strategy that relies heavily on fossil fuels.  Whilst Australia has hit the headlines for it’s use of renewables – including record solar energy production and a new surge in interest in tidal energy – Ian Macfarlane,

  • Green Deal Dubbed a ‘Disappointing Failure’ by Committee

    We already knew the uptake by the public was less than expected, and last week we heard how small businesses were also shirking away from it, and now a parliamentary committee has dubbed the government’s Green Deal a ‘disappointing failure’. A group of MPs was called upon to evaluate the loan scheme, which was designed

  • Energy Budget Tight for Many Small Businesses

    A new survey carried out by the Federation of Small Business (FSB) has found that almost a third of it’s members said the cost of energy was a barrier to growth for their company. Carried out across the 8,000 FSB members, the survey revealed that the cost of electricity, water and gas for their business

  • World’s Biggest Tidal Installation

    Following on from last month’s news that Wales would be testing a UK-first tidal wave generator as part of a new commercial energy development, Scotland are building what they are already calling the ‘World’s Biggest’ tidal array. Currently in the midst of an ongoing independence debate, Scotland have been dragging up the UK’s renewable energy

  • Solar Power-Generating Windows

    The great solar conundrum is one that can divide even the greenest of eco-advocates; businesses and homeowners want the clean, affordable commercial energy that comes with solar power, but many don’t want (or can’t have, due to planning regulations) the large photo voltaic cells required to create it. But what if every window were a

  • Video – ‘World First’ Tidal Energy Generator Lands in Wales

    It seems we can’t go a week without talking about strides being made or patents being filed for a new style of solar cell or increases in wind power capacity. But, as we’ve reported before, many commercial energy developers are all at sea when it comes to tidal power. But this week a new wave

  • Solar panels could become a third more effective

    The scientific technique of singlet fission was first observed in glowing crystals nearly half a century ago, but now scientists are looking at it once again as a way to improve the efficiency of modern solar cells. The process allows a single photon of light to release two electrons instead of the usual one, and

  • EDF Energy Shut Down Four UK Nuclear Reactors

    France’s largest supplier of commercial energy – EDF – have shut down four of it’s UK-based reactors after discovering a fault in a boiler unit. A statement from the company says it found a potentially-dangerous defect in a boiler spine at the Heysham-1 plant in Lancashire back in June, and following on from that discovery

  • Wholesale Gas Prices Should be Investigated, says MP

    Tim Yeo, chairman of the Energy Committee, has said that an ongoing investigation into the UK’s ‘Big Six’ energy companies should extend into looking at commercial gas prices, too.  A senior figure in Westminster, Yeo has taken umbrage with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the organisation tasked with running the inquiry, and their approach

  • As Fracking Bids Open; What Now for UK Shale Energy?

    Hydraulic fracturing – more commonly known as ‘fracking’ – has hit the headlines to no small amount of controversy as the coalition government invited commercial energy companies to first onshore bid on the oil and gas licences in six years this past week. Having raised plenty of issues in the US, where horror stories of

  • Solar Steam Power; A New Generation

    When many think steam power, the vast majority will think it an anachronism; more suited to Victorian trains than modern commercial energy solutions.

  • Microsoft Announce 175 Megawatt Wind Farm Deal

    Software giants Microsoft have announced a new deal with an Illinois-based wind farm project to power it’s Chicago datacentre.  The makers of Windows will purchase 175 megawatts of commercial wind energy from the Pilot Hill Wind Project as part of a 20-year agreement announced this week. 

  • City-Scale Solar Set to be Viable by 2018

    Investment bank UBS has predicted that solar power could be powering entire cities by 2018 in it’s latest forecast for commercial renewable energy projects.  The Swiss-based financial powerhouse has predicted that more and more homes and businesses could be putting power back into the grid by the end of the decade, thanks to the rise

  • Solar Power Looks to Sea-Salt for Cheaper Costs

    With subsidies for solar panels one of the first cuts to be made under the Coalition government’s ‘Energy Bill’ in 2013, one of the best things that could happen to solar energy in the commercial energy sector is for the cost of producing panels to suddenly be made cheaper. And whilst we’ve had no shortage

  • Ofgem Commits to Biggest Ever Energy Investigation

    Commercial energy watchdog Ofgem will unveil plans for the largest ever investigation into the energy market next week, with potentially huge knock-on effects. Public anger over increasing bills and complicated invoicing has led Ofgem to lay out plans for an eighteen-month long inquiry into claims of profiteering and coordination between suppliers to decrease competition. A

  • Smart Meters: A Solution We Can All Agree On?

    With so much talk about the energy market in the United Kingdom since the start of 2014, it seems that everyone has developed an opinion on how best to tackle businesses with rising commercial energy costs and homes descending into fuel poverty. The issue is – and will likely always be finding something that works

  • Very Generous Green Deal Phase Two

    Early indications for the UK Government’s ‘Green Deal’ suggested a low uptake rate amongst the public, so much is being made of the second round of loans by Energy Secretary Ed Davey, who has labelled the scheme as ‘very generous’ this week. Conceived as an alternative to having commercial energy companies foot the costs of

  • MIT Team Set the Pace with new Quantum Solar Cell

    A team at the world-famous Massachusetts Institute of Technology has set an exciting new benchmark for the commercial solar power market by improving the efficiency of a new type of solar-cell, known as a ‘Quantum Dot’ cell. Whilst solar power has seen the one of the more widely-spread and favorable uptakes out of the renewable

  • Dutch Trains Could Run on 100% Wind Power by 2018

    An announcement this weekend made by a collective of Dutch rail carriers could see all of the electric trains in the Netherlands run on renewable power by as soon as 2018. A newly-formed co-operative of Dutch train companies called VIVENS (Verenigd Inkoop en Verbruik van Energie op het Nederlandse S) has just put pen-to-paper with

  • Britain’s Fossil Fuels to Run Out

    Whilst the UK’s status as an energy importer rather than exporter is no secret, a new study by researchers warns that what little remaining fossil fuels Britain does have at its disposal will likely run out in a little over five years.

  • Britain Hits It’s 2020 Carbon Reduction Target

    Britain has ‘Already Approved’ Enough Renewable Energy to Meet EU Goals New analysis of the renewable energy projects currently in development concludes that the UK has enough renewable energy in development to meet it’s European Union-set obligations.

  • It’s Sink or Swim Time for Wave Power

    Tidal Energy has made headlines this week for all the wrong reasons as a high-profile project in the United States was scrapped this month, calling into question the prospects of wave power. Created by Ocean Power Technologies over two years ago, a huge, 260 tonne buoy was destined to supply power to 100 homes in

  • Energy Companies Make Good on ‘Half Switching Time’ Promise

    Private and commercial energy customers have been promised a reduced switching time when changing energy companies by the end of the year.  After a push from Energy & Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey, the UK’s energy companies will now offer a two-and-a-half week switching time when changing energy providers – half of the current standard

  • UN Calls for ’Tripling’ of Renewable Energy Use

    The United Nations has to called on world leaders to triple the planet’s use of renewable energy in a new report on climate change this month.  Titled “Mitigation of Climate Change” by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the report – revealed on Sunday – highlights the increased carbon emissions produced in the

  • Commercial OLED Lighting

    Innovation is the byword in the lighting industry over the last decade or so. Hardly any time has passed since every build seemed to use a filament, before making way to eco-friendly options and more-recently, LEDs.  Most recently, the discussion has shifted to OLEDs. Now, fans of the smartphone and high-end television market know that

  • Grow Your Own Solar Panels

    Solar panels have always been referred to as solar cells, but cells of a different kind have been making waves in the solar commercial energy industry at the start of 2014 thanks to some bold new experiments taking place in labs across the world.  Most prominently, labs at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology – MIT

  • QR Codes: The Unlikely Solution to Rising Energy Bills?

    Energy Secretary Ed Davey has this week pushed energy providers to start including QR codes on all bills, with the intention of allowing commercial energy and domestic customers a more interactive bill that will allow them to see where they’re spending money on their energy. Secretary Davey has out lined the plans to enforce QR

  • Japan Reconsiders Its Nuclear Energy Options

    Three years after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear catastrophe Japan has revealed that it still considers nuclear power as a vital source of commercial energy and will look to it for power in the future. In the country’s first energy policy since 2011, Japan’s government have said it is still a ‘key’ course of electricity for

  • Google’s Record-Breaking Solar Planet Goes Online

    When it comes to companies we love to revisit, Google has to be top of the list. The Search Engine giant has quietly been investing huge amounts in both self-serving renewable energy projects and investments into ongoing reseach over the last decade. The California-based company have previously invested huge sums on wind farms in Scandinavia

  • Energy Minister: British Gas Could be ‘Broken Up’

    Energy Minister Ed Davey has called into question the prices and profits of British Gas this week, suggesting that the company holds a monopoly position that may have to be broken up.

  • Energy Companies Accused of ‘Stealth Tax’

    Energy suppliers in the UK are facing fresh controversy after nearly 200 MPs have signed a House of Commons motion for an Ofgem enquiry following accusations of ‘ripping off’ customers.

  • Could ‘Crowdfunding’ Answer the UK’s Green Energy Demands?

    Crowdfunding websites such as Kickstarter and IndieGoGo work on a relatively simple premise; someone with the idea for a product or service turns to the masses on the internet to gain the means, with each ‘backer’ promised something in return for their investment.

  • ‘We’re going all out for shale,’ Says Cameron

    In news sure to have huge knock-on effects for the UK commercial energy economy, prime minister David Cameron has announced that the coalition government is “going all out for shale”.

  • 8 Push EU for Renewable Energy Target

    In addition to goals for recycling and carbon dependency, ministers from some of Europe’s most influential countries are lobbying the EU to set a target for renewable energy.

  • 50 New UK Nuclear Power Plants

    New documents submitted to the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) by one of its advisory bodies have shown that the government could be considering building as many as 50 new nuclear power stations. The figure, ten times the number the DECC was believed to be considering, will likely cause much turbulence in the

  • Two Tough Winters for Energy Customers

    With four of the UK’s big six energy firms stalling on administering the £50 reduction to domestic and commercial energy consumers, and threats of blackouts next winter, it looks like the heated debate over energy prices is set to continue well into 2014. Having negotiated a £50 reduction to energy bills and chipped away at

  • Energy Firms Will Pass on Savings from Green Levy Cuts

    UK Chancellor George Osbourne has stated he is “absolutely insistent” that customers will see reductions on their energy bills should the government bow to pressure from energy companies to make further cuts to green levies.

  • Blow for UK Renewables as Wind Farm is Axed

    A £4bn off-shore wind farm project has been axed by German ‘big six’ energy company RWE npower dealing an untimely blow to Britian’s renewable energy plans.  The Atlantic Array of off-shore turbines was set to create thousands of jobs in the business electricity sector and provide power to around 1 million homes. RWE npower has

  • Google Invest $80m into US Solar Project

    Search Engine giants Google are once again expanding their portfolio of renewable energy projects with news of a $80m investment into six solar energy facilities in the United States.

  • New York City set for LED switch by 2017

    When you’re the city that never sleeps, it’s important to keep the lights on – but as well all know, leaving the lights on isn’t the epitome of energy efficiency. Which is why thew City of New York will be transitioning it’s street lights to more energy-friendly LEDs over the next four years. Speaking last

  • Energy Prices Issue is a Self-Defeating Cycle

    Whilst the focus on commercial Energy companies and price rises has been very much a British issue these last few weeks as three of the big six revealed plans to push up the cost of their tariffs, new research from Reuters has revealed that it is a similar story across Europe.

  • Prices Raised, Cost Drop, Popularity Falls

    Ofgem’s latest findings have brought more criticism onto some of the UK’s largest energy companies in a week where the ‘Big Six’ are already being held to account by a government committee over pricing. Ofgem claim that energy companies have seen wholesale electricity costs fall over the last three years whilst putting up prices for

  • Big Six Energy Bosses Called Before MPs

    The Energy and Climate Change Committee has called the heads of the UK’s biggest six commercial energy firms before MPs today to give evidence to support the recent spate of prices rises across the industry. Sir Robert Smith, Chairman of the committee of MPs, has called upon bosses of the ‘big six’ to Parliament after

  • UK Energy Sector Set for Far East Boost

    Energy Secretary Ed Davey has today announced the UK energy sector is close to securing “tens of billions of pounds” in investment from the Far East. Secretary Davey said China, Japan and Korea were set pour a ‘massive’ investment into nuclear energy as well as other technology, pointing to a close-to-final dealt build new reactors

  • Ed Milliband – UK Energy Firms too Close to Ministers

    Labour leader Ed Milliband has targeted energy lobbyists who deal with government ministers as part of a drive for transparency in Government.  Speaking to The Independent, Mr Milliband cited that ministers have met with lobbyists from the ‘Big Six’ commercial energy providers five times more often than consumer groups, accusing ministers of being ‘too close’

  • Energy Companies Set to Delay Energy Companies Obligation

    The biggest commercial energy providers in the UK have entered last-minute negotiations with the British Government in an attempt to delay the commencement date of a new scheme.

  • Solar and Wind Power Drops Below Coal

    Earlier this week figures from a new study revealed that it is now less costly to get electricity from solar panels and wind turbines that from traditional coal-powered power plants for the first time in the US. Thanks to tax-breaks for ‘green’ power and taxes to help offset climate change the Journal of Environmental Studies

  • Energy Market Labelled a ‘Bewildering Lottery’ by Which?

    Consumer group Which? has made several damning criticisms of the energy market in a new statement, going as far as to call the sector ‘broken’. Towards the end of 2012, the government aimed to simplify the energy market for consumers with the introduction of the The Energy Bill. The long-discussed legislature aimed to simplify the

  • UK Utilities Giants Warn EU of Power Supply Risk

    Nine of the biggest commercial energy companies in Europe have banded together in an attempt to have the EU reconsider it’s energy policies, which they say are potting the whole continent’s power supplies at risk. Gerard Mestrallet, chief executive of GDF Suez and Paolo Scaroni, head of Italian oil group Eni, are both set to

  • Is Germany on Track for 100% Renewable Energy by 2050

    Germany’s huge focus on renewable energy after the decision to shut down it’s nuclear power plants looks set to pay dividends sooner than expected as internal figures show the whole country could be running on renewable energy by 2050. Speaking as part of a panel at an event hosted by the World Policy Institute Jochen

  • New Nuclear Plants Could be ‘Obsolete’

    The British-born entrepreneur behind one of the US’s most rapidly-rising solar panel companies has weighed in to the debate over Parliament’s plans to rely on nuclear power for the UK’s commercial energy needs. Andrew Birch, born in Edinburgh, Scotland, is currently chief executive of Sungevity – one of the fastest growing names in solar panel

  • White House Goes Green With Solar Panels

    Work will begin on installing solar panels to one of the most famous addresses in the world this week, as the White House will have photovoltaic panels installed on its roof. The culmination of a three-year old promise by the President, the installation of solar panels at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue represents a commitment by the

  • Energy Executive Derides Government Energy Plans

    In a rare public display of opposition to a flagship government scheme by a senior energy executive, the CE of industry giant Centrica has branded the Energy Company Obligation (Eco) as too complicated and too expensive. Chief Executive Sam Laidlaw has voiced vocal opposition to the Eco programme in an interview with the Financial Times

  • The Direction of the Country’s Energy Future in Doubt

    Britain’s Members of Parliament face a race against time to decide on the future of UK energy, after mixed calls from MPs have cast doubt over a unified strategy. The December introduction of ‘The Energy Bill’ was designed to be a the keystone of the United Kingdom’s energy infrastructure – thrashed out between the major

  • Renewable Energy Planning Rules Revamped

    The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) earlier this week issued new planning guidance for local councils and authorities, aiming to help them pit renewable energy projects against other environmental concerns in their jurisdiction. Alongside the new guidance, the DCLG issued a statement encouraging local councils to think about the greater environmental impact when

  • Government lifts Fracking Controls in Dash for Shale Gas

    Local councils are set to lose their say on whether controversial shale gas harvesting goes on in their area as new planning guidelines were published last week. After allegedly causing unusual seismic activity in the United States, campaigners have vehemently opposed exploiting shales gas reserves in the British countryside, and so far have been able

  • Next-Gen Turbines Set to Give Wind A New Lease of Life

    Appliance giants GE revealed an exciting innovation this week with the official announcement of it’s next generation wind turbines, bringing a huge leap forward in efficiency and storage.

  • World’s Largest Offshore Wind Farm Comes to London

    The renewable energy sector in the UK received a shot in the arm late last week as the world’s largest offshore wind farm was opened on July 4th. None other than Prime Minister David Cameron was on hand to cut the ribbon at the London Array, a flagship renewable energy development  that the government hopes

  • Can We Reach 100% Renewable’s by 2050?

    A new organisation, the Global Alliance for 100% Renewable Energy, has been causing quite a stir amongst European legislators recently by calling for a a 2050 goal to reach 100% renewable energy. 

  • Is the Green Deal a Raw Deal?

    Launched to much aplomb in January as the natural successor to many council-run energy efficiency schemes, the Green Deal was meant to provide easily-accessible funds to people who who wanted to make their homes more energy efficient.

  • Life Changing New Flagship Solar Thermal Plant

    India welcomed the delayed arrival of a state-of-the-art solar thermal plant in northwest Rajasthan state this weekend, hoping to stave off blackouts that have troubled the country for the last two years.

  • China Could Cut 200m Tonnes of Commercial Coal by 2015

    After being outed earlier this year as burning almost as much coal as the rest of the world combined, China are taking a proactive approach to cutting down on their coal usage, according to new reports. As many other countries aim to ‘kick their coal habit‘, China has seen their usage of fossil fuels increase

  • Google Bids For Renewable Energy Pole Position

    Search Engine giants Google have announced a landmark investment deal into South African solar power this week as the US-based company continues to diversify it’s interests in the energy market.

  • Amidst Fears of Energy Deficit

    The plea comes amid confusion between energy suppliers, high-profile consumers and the government themselves over where the UK’s energy will come from over the next 10 years. 20% of the UK’s energy generating capacity will be retired by 2023 to satisfy stringent EU laws on environmental standards – meaning that much of the closing stations will be fossil fuel powered.

  • Scottish Tidal Power “Encouraging” After First Year

    12 months have passed since launching the Pelamis P2 wave energy machine off the coast of Orkney in Scotland, and  it’s owners have heralded it’s ‘encouraging’ results after a full year in use.  One of the first of it’s kind, the Pelamis P2 is a wave energy converter owned by ScottishPower Renewables, who have posted

  • Shale Energy Creates Oil Boom

    Shale oil is ‘reshaping the commercial energy industry’ according to a statement released by the International Energy Agency on Tuesday. The North American shale energy industry has created a ‘supply shock’ according to Maria van der Hoeven, IEA executive director, that could have decade-long repercussions.  The agency said that US shale oil will help meet

  • Amazing Hybrid Solar Panel Breakthrough

    A UK-based cleantech firm will spend this summer trialling an a new generation of solar panels in secret locations across Britain, hoping to offer a ‘two-for-one’ benefit to those still skeptical on solar.

  • UK Green Energy Set for £1bn Abu Dhabi Investment

    Reports this morning indicate that Abu Dhabi could be set to invest as much as £1bn into UK’s alternative energy industry as part of their ongoing energy strategy.

  • Imminent Energy Price Increase Across UK Energy Market

    Increasing Costs & Simplified Plans Drive Up Prices Across UK Energy Market A triple-header of bad news for the energy market has come to light this week as three separate reports seem to signal another energy price increase in energy prices across the UK. 

  • Get Ready For Algae Electricity Power Technology

    Everyone knows that plants are great to have around your domicile; from a full-blown vegetable garden or a small window box, plants are said to bring a sense of life and energy to any home. But what about homes powered by plants?

  • Shocking Hydrogen Breakthrough

    The way in which hydrogen is procured in the energy market could be changed forever thanks to a team of researchers from Virginia Tech, who have achieved a means of extracting the gas from any plant. Associate professor of biological systems engineering Y.H. Percival Zhang, at Virginia Tech’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and

  • Fresh Criticism for The Energy Bill

    After it’s reveal at the end of last year, the Energy Bill has come in for no shortage of criticism from opponents who believe the coalition government’s roadmap to a sustainable future for Britain’s commercial energy interests is heading down the wrong path.

  • Putting Nuclear Waste to Work

    With the coalition government subtly pushing England towards nuclear power as a short-term gap as we head towards a less carbon-dependent future, more and more researchers are looking into ways that nuclear power can be made safer, environmentally-friendly and generally more efficient.

  • Solar Panel Price Cut Comes as Renewables Surge

    A new report from renewable energy authority Clean Edge has shown a large growth in the number of renewable technologies deployed in 2012 – and also explained the ‘flat’ state of revenue in the clean energy sector.

  • Japan Hopes ‘Fire Ice’ Will End Energy Dependence

    Researchers in Japan are hoping that they have unlocked the key to harnessing a new source of carbon energy – nicknamed ‘Fire Ice’. 

  • The Major Energy Users Council – Opinion Poll Results

    I attended the Major Energy Users Council (MEUC) spring road show this week in Birmingham, and I thought I would share some of the interesting topics that were discussed during the day.  The event was hosted by Mr. Andrew Buckley the Director General of the MEUC and featured a range of leading energy experts from

  • Hydrogen – The Commercial Energy of the Future?

    Whilst the long-touted ‘hydrogen economy’ seems to have been touted for as long as it has been in development, problems with handling and transport of the fuel have proven problematic.  Recently, an international team of researchers has published a new method for low-temperature generation of the fuel from methanol, that can be used to produce

  • Top 5 Energy Smartphone Apps

    Following on from our Top 10 Amazing Energy Saving Apps, In this week’s article we bring you 5 of the best energy efficiency apps for Smartphone’s. With them you will be able to control your household energy costs by reducing electricity usage, surveying home appliances and even help you change light bulbs.

  • Top 10 Amazing iPhone Home Energy Saving Apps

    Want to be more energy efficient, there’s and 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.

  • 4 Bizarre uses for Wind Energy

    Wind power has many amazing applications. These include offsetting carbon emissions, providing wind turbine jobs, appearing in adverts for energy companies to show how eco-friendly they are, and giving angry people something to complain about in local newspapers.

  • Half Hourly Electricity Suppliers Cost

    Today, every business has to deal with the fact that as electricity consumption is on the rise, and its cost can no longer be ignored as just a little overhead. The cost of half hourly energy is becoming a significant factor when it comes to investment in the business, and therefore, just like any other factor, this needs to be optimised as well.

  • ‘Clean’ Coal A Reality?

    A team of researchers at Ohio State University in the US claim to have discovered a new method of taking the energy from coal without actually burning it.  The new method – called coal-direct chemical looping –  has been pioneered by Professor Liang-Shih Fan and his team at Ohio State University, and is claimed to

  • Ofgem Chief Warns of Fossil Fuel ‘Roller-coaster’

    The Chief Executive of energy watchdog Ofgem has warned that Britain’s reliance on fossil fuels is at the peak of it’s ‘roller-coaster’ this winter – and will plunge fast over the next few years.  Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Chief Executive Alistair Buchanan warned both public and business energy consumers to brace for higher energy

  • Energy Service Company – ESCO

    An Energy Services Company is a company that will develop, install, and finance energy projects that are designed to improve energy efficiency and reduce on-going operational and associated maintenance costs. These types of contract are known as an Energy Savings Contract or ESCO for short.  Although the concept of ESCO contracts have been around for

  • Concern Grows Over China’s Coal Consumption

    Despite their recently-confirmed standing as the number-one investors in eco-friendly commercial energy, new figures released this week show China is now burning almost as much coal as the rest of the world combined. Whilst support from Beijing for clean energy investment – including a large-scale, economically viable solar panel production – and increased awareness over

  • Is the ‘Green Deal’ a Good Deal for Energy Consumers?

    Yesterday morning the government launched it’s new Green Deal scheme.  Similar in purpose to the energy efficiency schemes that were used by local authorities and energy companies, the Green Deal aims to help people make their homes more energy efficient using government funding. 

  • Belgium Plans Off-Shore ‘Energy Island’

    Whilst we get to explore many new innovations in the world of commercial energy production, we don’t get to use the term ‘donut-shaped’ very often – but that’s about to change thanks to a large-scale project being planned in Belgium.

  • Can The Green Deal Save You Money On Your Home

    Green Deal – It’s finally been launched but can it help you save some money?  There’s still some finalising that must be done on it and just two key energy providers have gotten on board with it. However, here’s the gist of the green deal: 

  • Clean Energy Investment Tumbles 11% in 2012

    Despite 2012 proving to be a rich year for The Energy Bill, the development of new technologies and potentially game-changing projects in the UK, it seems investors worldwide weren’t quite as encouraged by news from the commercial energy sector as we were, as worldwide investment in green energy projects fell 11% last year. 

  • British Wind Power Gets Record Breaking Blades Boost

    Whilst 2012 ended on a high for solar power, with a number of innovative new technologies being developed across the globe, there was also plenty to cheer about for commercial electricity providers who rely on wind power.

  • Amazing Solar Power Breakthrough – New Nano Mesh

    Solar energy seems to have had a rough time as of late; government subsidies have been reduced, installations are down and it seems as though every other form of green energy has had some major innovation – leaving solar in the shade.  But there have been a few rays of hope for, arguably, the most

  • Could Shale Gas Deal With Country’s Energy Crisis

    If Chancellor George Osborne and fellow conservatives have their way, shale gas could see an increase in use with a substantial tax regime.  The chancellor and fellow conservatives don’t like what they’ve seen in the renewable energy sector, which are lots of greens and subsidy junkies. He recently told the public that an initiative approach

  • The Worlds First Ever Fibre Optic Solar Cell

    In a truly international collaboration, a team of physicists, chemists and engineers from all corners of the globe have created the first ever fibre-optic solar cell.  Thinner than a human hair, these man-made fibres and completely flexible and perfectly formable – and produce electricity, just as a solar panel would. Starting with optical fibres made

  • What Does The Energy Bill Mean

    After weeks of writing, speculating and – in some quarters – dreading, the UK government finally unveiled it’s long-awaited Energy Bill last week. The Energy Bill is to act as both a road map and rulebook for both private and commercial energy in the UK for the foreseeable future, tackling such weighted topics as decarbonisation,

  • UK Faces Possible Electricity Blackouts By 2015

    Ofgem, the UK’s industry regulator, expressed a warning that people could experience blackouts by 2015. At this time, there’s no chance for it. But, by 2015, it’s a one in 12 chance.  The reason for the increase in possible blackouts is the decrease in operational power stations and the country’s spare generation capacity, which is

  • New Energy Bill ‘Lacks Focus’

    Whilst still officially unannounced the Coalition government’s Energy Bill has already begun to make waves amongst the commercial energy industry, after more of it’s details were made public this week.  The Energy Bill is much-awaited by the entire energy market as it is set to lay out the way in which Britain will meet it’s

  • One-Minute Miracle: Crude Oil in 60 Seconds…

    One-Minute Miracle: Crude Oil in 60 Seconds… Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed a method of creating crude oil from algae that takes as little as only a minute.  So-called ‘biocrude’ has become a hot property as the global energy economy looks for a way of weaning itself from oil-based products like petrol

  • Nuclear, Wind & Tidal Leaders in Joint Appeal

    In an unprecedented joint appeal, the leaders of Britain’s nuclear, wind and tidal energy industries urged ministers not to abandon the fight against climate change.  As the government continues to send out mixed messages on it’s stance on green commercial energy issues, heads of the UK energy organisations – which altogether represent over 1,000 nuclear

  • Shocking New Form Of Renewable Energy

    Highest Wind Energy Glider Portable Power Station Following on from our feature two weeks ago on the Uprise Portable Wind Turbine, another challenger in the portable power stakes has appeared.   Boasting a completely unique-looking gadget, Highest Wind energy say that their Highest Wind Energy Glider™ is able to be used in 35% more locations than

  • EDF Energy Raises Energy Prices

    EDF Energy has become the latest of Britain’s “big six” utilities to increase its gas and electricity prices, adding to pressure on already hard pressed consumers.    The decision to raise its energy prices by an average of 10.8% per cent comes just days after other suppliers have already increased there energy prices. 

  • UK Company Makes ‘Petrol From Air’

    A British company has this week unveiled a revolutionary new form of technology that can create petrol from air around us.  Based in the North of England, Air Fuel Synthesis describe themselves as a small company, but those around them are already heralding their invention as a potential thunderbolt to the commercial energy market. The

  • Npower Buries It’s Price Increase

    Following hard on the heels from British Gas that it would be putting its gas and electricity price up from November 16th, by an extra £80 on to its typical annual dual fuel bill, which is an average increase of 6% affecting some 8.5 million customers .  Its rival npower followed with an average rise

  • Millions face rise in energy bills

    Millions of families are facing another jump in household energy bills after it was reported today by the BBC that UK’s largest energy supplier British Gas  plans to increase gas and electricity tariffs. Updated Friday 12th October – British gas has today confirmed that it has raised its charges for both gas and electricity by

  • Energy Prices to Rise as Investment Falls

    As so much good news has surrounded the commercial energy industry of late, some bad news was never going to be far behind – and it’s a double blow as leading authorities are predicting a price rise from many leading providers, and investment in clean energy has taken a tumble this quarter. 

  • Liquid Air Energy – “Cryopower”

    Whilst there now seems to be countless ways of generating energy (biogas, wind, solar, nuclear, fossil and so on) one of the great challenges that faces emerging forms of energy generation is how to store it.  Case in point; the electric car industry has quickly discovered that the dream of a ‘green’ car is tainted

  • Catalyst Scores a Hole in One

    Catalyst’s energy procurement services gives Adventure Mini Golf a competitive edge whilst helping lower and control energy costs Birmingham UK – 1st October 2012 – Adventure Mini Golf is the UK’s first indoor tropical adventure golf complex, featuring two themed 18-hole courses.   For years they have struggled with understanding the complexities of the UK energy

  • Solar-Powered Electric Pumps Launched in US

    In a news that could soon have repercussions for the business energy market, Tesla motors have revealed their first solar-powered fuel stations where consumers with electric cars can ‘fill up’ for free.   Dubbed the Supercharger Network, the stations were constructed under strict secrecy by electric car manufacturer Tesla. Covering six locations in California, Nevada and

  • Could Shale Gas Beat the Recession?

    Whilst much of the focus on the commercial energy front is mostly on ‘green’ or renewable resources, one form of natural fuel that hasn’t yet been pushed to it’s potential is that of shale gas.  Produced in pockets, the gas forms from air trapped in shale formations, and can be harvested to turn into energy

  • Vision for a Wind Powered World

    Two new studies published this week agree that the Earth has more than enough wind that could be harnessed to meet it’s energy demands, at least technically.  Published on Sunday and Monday, the two studies from two separate US-based research teams have concluded that, if placed ideally, existing wind-turbine technology could be used to produce

  • Major UK Nuclear Plant Problems

    The future of energy in the UK was meant to be in nuclear produced power, with 5 new UK nuclear plants set to be up and running by 2025.   With each of the five UK nuclear plants packing two reactors a piece, new nuclear power plants would provide the cornerstone of the Goverment’s decarbonisation promise, capable

  • UK Energy Supplier Triples Profits

    UK energy supplier E.ON announced to the public today that it’s reported underlying net income for the January to June period has hit £2.6bn – tripling last year’s figure of £706m.  One of the so-called ‘Big Six’ energy suppliers, E.ON meet the needs of over 6 million customers, 5 million of which are in the

  • Home Energy Prices

    As a leading UK energy broker, our clients often ask if we could offer them the same kind of independent energy service and energy comparison for themselves or their staff at home. We recognise that our strengths and specialist expertise, allows us to focus our resources on the UK business energy market place. But it

  • The Green Deal Booster

    Will the Green Deal add £100 Million Boost for Commercial Energy Efforts – Ahead of it’s expected launch at the end of 2012, the UK government has announced it has assigned £100m for investment in commercial energy efficiency projects.  The body set up to lay the foundations for the bank, UK Green Investments (UKGI) has

  • Germany Set Renewables Record

    Germany boasted a record 67.9 billion kilowatt hours of renewable energy for the first six months 2012, an increase of 19.5 percent from the same period last year, according to a new commercial energy report this week.

  • Renewables Boost Profits at EDF Energy

    The power giant reported that the first 6 months of the year had seen them lower nuclear output, and offset that with growth in sources renewable energy used for private and commercial energy. State-controlled EDF also boasted an 8.2% jump in sales to €36.2 billion (£28.3 billion), and the net income for the period was €2.8bn (£2.2bn).

  • Staff energy saving training courses

    It’s important to make energy saving a team effort and our energy training sets out to focus staff on the cost of energy and how to help reduce consumption in the work place.  By asking individuals involved in your organisation where they think energy is being wasted and encourage them to think about how they

  • What is an Energy Performance Certificate

    When is an Energy Performance Certificate required, well an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC Certificate) sets out the energy efficiency grade of a commercial building.  Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are required when a commercial building over 50m2 is built, sold or rented.  There are two grades of buildings under the EPC requirements which relate to the

  • What is a Display Energy Certificate

    A Display Energy Certificates (DEC Certificates), is required for public buildings and those occupied by public authorities which have a total useful area greater than 1000m2 and provide a public service to a large number of people and are therefore frequently visited by those people (eg a school, hospital, government or local authority building).  They

  • CCL Reduction Services

    Climate Change Levy (CCL Reduction) is a tax on energy used by Industry, Commerce and the Public Sector introduced in 2001 as part of the UK Government’s Environmental Policy.  Climate Change Agreements (CCAs) provide 80% rebate on Climate Change Levy for energy intensive sectors which agree to and meet targets for improving their energy efficiency.

  • What is a Business Energy Site Survey

    Our on site energy survey is designed for companies that our looking to measure and manage their on site energy consumption in more detail. Book now for our new onsite business energy survey. We also provide an optional display energy certificate as standard, and you can also upgrade this report to include a full carbon

  • The initial phase of the Carbon Reduction Commitment

    Starting in April 2010, the Carbon Reduction Commitment is the UK’s first mandatory carbon trading scheme. The initial phase of the Carbon Reduction Plan will be compulsory for organisations that consume over 6,000 MWh (6,000,000 kWh) of half-hourly metered electricity during the period from January 2008 to December 2008. At today’s prices, this is roughly

  • UK Energy Bill ‘Now Unworkable’

    Committee chairman Tim Yeo MP and his colleagues were tasked with evaluating the claims that the new draft Energy Bill is set to move Britain “to a secure, more efficient, low-carbon energy system in a cost-effective way” – but the MP for Suffolk South declared that it takes far too greater risk in doing the polar opposite.

  • Energy Price Increase Due

    Large-scale projects designed to improve the UK’s major gas and electricity grids will add another £15 to household bills within a decade, according to energy regulator Ofgem. A report filed yesterday shows that Ofgem believes around £22bn needs to be spent to improve the current energy systems across the UK, with a number of ‘critical infrastructure projects’ requiring action within the next decade.

  • China Quadruple Solar Goal

    As the planet’s biggest supplier of solar power panels, China always held lofty solar energy production targets. But those targets were unexpectedly quadrupled today as China looks to avoid the rising costs of fossil fuels.

  • Britain’s Next Energy Crisis

    A new report commissioned by environmental group ‘Friends of the Earth’ warns that the UK could be heading for an uncertain energy future, thanks to gaps in environmental policy. Despite encouraging results in Wales and a bright commercial energy structure in place in Scotland, fear is now rising over the barriers that are limiting investment in renewable energy.

  • Generate Electricity by Walking

    When it comes to movement, we’re more used to expending energy than generating it. Petrol for cars, fuel for planes – even food for our bodies before and after exercise. However, researchers in the UK have designed a new device that could allow the humble act of walking to change the way we think about energy on the move and generate electricity from walking.

  • Energy Producing Football

    A Harvard-designed concept has taken the world of energy by storm, as five female students have produced a football that produces and captures energy whilst it’s being kicked. The Soccket – as it’s designers have named it – has already been given the thumbs-up by former President Bill Clinton, who has described the product as ‘extraordinary’.

  • Renewable Energy Investment

    Whilst all we’ve had to report over the past few weeks is Coalition-led cuts and restructuring to the incentives for renewable public and commercial energy in England, Scotland is set to becoming the leading location in the UK for attracting investment in renewable energy.

  • Solar Power Sets World Record

    Solar power plants in Germany set a new World Record this past weekend when they produced 22 gigwatts of electricity per hour – a figure that matches 20 nuclear power stations operating at full capacity – according to the head of the Renewable Energy Institute.

  • New Energy Bill Explained

    After much hand-wringing and collar adjusting, the Coalition Government’s highly-anticipated new draft energy bill is set to be outlined by ministers this afternoon, and contains one or two surprises that could have huge knock-on effects in the commercial energy marketplace.

  • Hudson Energy Enters UK Market

    Hudson Energy who is a part of Just Energy Group Inc, a publicly traded Corporation, established in 1997 is set to take its first tentative step into the UK energy in the coming months.

  • Waste Heat Revolution

    A team at the University of Sheffield this week have said they believe that the region’s famous steel plants could hold the key to a greener future for the South Yorkshire city. The experts at the University say that harnessing the waste energy created by the steel plants outside the city centre would produce an additional 20 MW of thermal energy.

  • Greek Solar Lighting Project

    Of all the places you’d expect to find revolutionary renewable energy innovation, a country being kept afloat by bailouts on a continent plagued by an extended recession is probably amongst the least likely.

  • Solar Business RIP

    New figures from the Department of Energy & Climate Change suggest that the recent axing of subsidies for Solar Panel installation could threaten to put the renewable energy source in the shade.

  • Floating Wind Turbines

    Britain’s energy secretary Ed Davey and his American counterpart Steven Chu are set to announce a joint venture between Britain and the US to accelerate the development of new floating wind turbines technology.

  • The UK Smart Metering Implementation Programme

    Smart meters are the next generation of gas and electricity meters which will play a key role in bringing our energy management into the 21st century. They will unlock huge benefits for consumers, giving us more control over how we use our energy at home and at work, helping us to cut energy consumption save money and reduce carbon emissions.

  • Renewable Energy Generation Up & Emissions Down

    As we get ready to publish our latest UK energy market report the DECC released last year’s energy statistics. Even though figures did not match the predicted targets Renewable energy generation expanded significantly and carbon emissions fell in 2011.

  • The Natural Gas Fired Energy Future

    As usual the annual Budget announcement was polemical. This time the biggest controversy was in the energy and environment sector where the announcements to support expansion of fossil fuels, especially gas, were not welcomed by environmentalists.

  • The Greenest Government Ever

    A recent poll conducted by YouGov which was commissioned by Greenpeace revealed that only 2% of the British public believes that David Cameron has been successful in his pledge to lead the “greenest government ever”.

  • Thorium Energy Cheaper Than Coal

    Safer, cleaner, sustainable and many times more effective than any other energy resource on Earth. Meet Thorium, a naturally occurring, slightly radioactive metal, capable of producing immense amount of energy, in a safe, environmentally friendly and very economic manner.

  • Electricity Power Cuts Unlikely

    Weak demand and new gas-fired power plants coming on-stream by 2016 should keep the lights on in Britain for the rest of this decade. UK Power cuts predicted to the end of this decade will be avoided thanks to increased energy efficiency, the economic recession, renewable energy resources and a new generation of gas fired power plants.

  • Renewable Energy Concepts Part 2

    Continuing from where we left last week, this week we bring you the final part of our series about innovative ways to generate clean energy. In case you missed the first part you can read it here: Renewable Energy Concepts Part 2.

  • Renewable Energy Concepts Part 1

    Solar, geothermal and wind are well known renewable energy resources but finding sources of renewable energy is a none stop challenge and it will continue to be till we find the “perfect” way to generate renewable energy.

  • Climate Change Secretary Resigned

    Chris Huhne, Britain’s Energy Secretary, has resigned from Cabinet to fight criminal accusations. On Friday morning (February 3) the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced that there was sufficient evidence to charge Britain’s Energy Secretary Chris Huhne for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice which forced him to resign.

  • Climate Change Risk Assessment Report

    Last week the Government published a unique report listing the risks and opportunities businesses and the country as a whole will face from climate change. Entitled Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) the report also calls for public responses.

  • Business Energy Efficiency Savings

    Small Businesses (SME’s) account for 45 per cent of all the business energy usage in the UK and according to the Carbon Trust as well as reports from energy suppliers the vast majority are missing out on saving opportunities due to the lack of information on how to improve their business energy efficiency.

  • Electricity and Gas Price Cuts

    The six major energy suppliers known as the “Big Six” have announced either gas or electricity price cuts for their household consumers in recent days. Despite the fact that here at Catalyst our aim is to find the cheapest business gas and business electricity prices for our clients, we decided to investigate these cuts and find out if they will really make much difference to the average household energy bill.

  • Solar Power Breakthrough makes Nuclear Uncompetitive

    A recently announced solar power breakthrough in solar technology could change the way electricity is generated for good. Researchers have developed a new type of solar photovoltaic (PV) cell that uses a system similar to that employed by plants to capture solar energy.

  • How to Hire An Energy Broker

    Every week we bring you the latest UK energy and gas prices. These prices vary on a daily basis influenced by a series of factors that we talked about in our article: “Understanding the Fluctuation of UK Gas Prices”. As professional gas and energy brokers it is our job to stay on top of the news in order to find the best deals for our clients.

  • Bill Gates Investing Millions

    The man who revolutionised personal computing now wants to revolutionise the way we generate energy. After stepping down as the CEO of Microsoft, Bill Gates has been investing millions of dollars to fight global warming; his ultimate goal is to find an energy source completely free of CO2 emissions.

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