Npower becomes latest to increase bills
August 26, 2011 at 4:09 pm
Yet again, energy customers across the country are going to have to tighten their wallets as the fifth of the ‘Big Six’ energy firms recently announced that it is increasing its bills.
The decision by Npower to increase its bills was widely anticipated, following the price rises by four of the other five major power companies. It now means that Npower customers can expect to pay an average of £133 extra for their gas and electricity each year.
The above-inflation rise will come into effect from October 1, and will affect 3.3 million households in the UK.
Gas bills will rise by 15.7%, with electricity rising by 7.2%. This means the average dual-fuel customer will see bills go up from £1,149 to £1,282, a rise of 12.2%, according to uSwitch.com.
Customers will be frustrated to learn that the price hikes have been blamed yet again on rising wholesale prices. But many consumer groups have reacted angrily and have stated that the prices of wholesale energy are decreasing, and that when the prices were low customers did not see any real benefits. Indeed, wholesale costs are down by about a third from their peak.
Now MPs have even asked the Competition Commission to investigate wholesale prices and the energy rises by the major power providers.
In its defence, Npower has said that the rises are less than those made by its competitors, but that will be small consolation to its customers who will now be preparing for yet another difficult winter.
All eyes are now on EDF Energy to see if it decides to join the club and raise its own prices, a possibility which is becoming increasingly likely.
E.ON latest to raise energy prices
August 20, 2011 at 2:34 pm
The rise of energy bills across the board carries on unrelentingly as E.ON has just become the latest of the so-called ‘Big Six’ energy firms to raise its gas and electricity bills. It is putting gas up by 18.1% and electricity by 11.4%.
It has joined three other companies – Scottish and Southern Energy, Scottish Power and British Gas – who have all raised their own prices recently.
Just after this news came out, it was also revealed that npower is increasing its bills, which leaves EDF as the only one of the major energy providers yet to increase its gas and electricity costs.
Once again, the reason for the rise in prices is the all-too-familiar excuse of rising wholesale prices.
The price rises will take effect from September onwards, and once again the advice for E.ON customers is to take the opportunity to switch before they are forced to pay an extra £170 a year for their dual-fuel bills.
The managing director of E.ON, Graham Bartlett, said that events in Libya and Japan, and the uncertain times in general, have had a large effect on energy prices, and that wholesale prices have rocketed during the year by 30% since last winter.
The company has pledged to help its customers deal with the rises by providing help including insulation advice and the installation of solar panels for just £99.
The Guardian, which reported on the news, quoted Energyhelpline which claims that an extra 140,000 people will now fall into fuel poverty. The newspaper also quoted the chief executive of Consumer Focus, Mike O’Connor, who said that bills are high even though wholesale prices are now a third lower than in 2008.
British Gas in massive new £20m solar panel scheme
August 10, 2011 at 2:30 pm
British Gas has partnered with the Mears Group, a large repair and maintenance service provider, to announce a new £20 million contract which will lead to the installation of PV (photovoltaic) solar panels in 3,500 homes in Peterborough.
The contract has been signed with Cross Keys Homes and, according to Mears, will be the biggest PV scheme for social housing in the UK.
As part of the partnership, the installation costs will be covered by British Gas. The energy giant is set to recoup its investment over a period of 25 years through the Feed-In Tariff.
The role of Mears Group will be to carry out many of the installations, including providing the scaffolding and electrical components.
The first panels to be fitted in the scheme should be installed by September, and work on the project is expected to be completed by April 2012.
The chief executive of Mears Group, David Miles, said that the company saw “increasing opportunities in this area” and that the partnership with British Gas provides the company with access to expertise and funding.
PV solar panels are one of the best ways in which people are able to reduce their carbon footprints and take advantage of a completely free and ongoing source of power. The FiT scheme has been set up to encourage more installations of solar panels to help people across the UK to cut down on their energy consumption and start to enjoy the benefits of using the sun’s power instead of relying on fossil fuels.
This scheme is a step in the right direction, and will hopefully lead to many more similar schemes over the years ahead.
What’s the difference between Smart Meters and Energy Monitoring Units?
August 10, 2011 at 1:05 pm
With all the recent advancements in home energy monitoring devices, keeping track of all the new information in the market can be quite difficult. You may have heard of smart meters and home energy monitoring units, but what are they? What do they do? How do they affect you, the consumer? Presented here is a comparison of two similar sounding pieces of equipment that are actually quite different. Both devices can help you save money on energy use, whether you use gas, electricity, or a combination of both.
These devices can be used separately or concurrently to keep track of exactly how much energy usage is taking place. Take control of your energy budget by using these devices to see what appliances use the most energy. Monitor your exact usage over time to see what time of day the majority of your energy consumption happens. Find ways to reduce that consumption with real-time estimated energy use translated into kilowatt hours. Say goodbye to estimated bills for good with the use of automated meter reading. View your energy usage over time with your own personal online account. Read on and find out the differences between these new advances in energy monitoring technology.
Smart metering uses the latest in upgraded technology for automatic, accurate reading of energy usage. Smart meters replace your current gas or electric meters; both digital and manual readout models. Once a smart meter is installed, there is no longer a need for a representative from the energy company to come out to take a reading. The unit uses mobile communications technology to instantly and accurately provide energy usage directly to the utility. This automatic process eliminates human error and provides complete and total accuracy. Your energy usage information is captured on a regular basis, approximately every 30 minutes for electricity usage and once a day for gas usage. The information gathered is stored on an online account for easy access by the customer. With user-friendly line graphs or bar charts, your personal energy usage is easily viewed and interpreted. This allows the customer to see exactly how they are using energy throughout the day, thereby having the knowledge to tailor their usage to conserve both energy and money.
Some utility companies offer free smart meters to homeowners and/or business customers; these are First Utility (homeowners) and Opus Energy (businesses).
Energy monitoring is a less sophisticated technology that uses a stand-alone device that sits in the home and gives an estimated account of electricity usage. A home energy monitor is not 100% accurate but does give you the option of real time output. These units can help identify which appliances cost the most to operate and give you a visual representation of patterns and costs throughout the day. Imagine being able to see a rough estimation of just how much your energy usage translates into kWh, actual costs, and the level of CO2 created by your energy usage. This allows customers to cut down the use of appliances that consume the most energy, both reducing cost to the consumer and reducing your carbon footprint on the environment.
Energy monitoring units are now provided by a number of suppliers such as First Utility, Southern Electric and British Gas to name but a few.
London Olympic Games carbon footprint concern
August 3, 2011 at 3:11 pm
The amount of carbon emissions created by the forthcoming London 2012 Olympics is a cause for concern for UK environmental groups. The key decision to scrap the idea of using wind turbines at the Games may mean renewable energy targets will now not be met.
The London 2012 Olympics will draw a global audience of billions, making it one of the biggest sporting tournaments on the planet (second only to the football World Cup, in fact), as well as being a sponsors’ dream. But environmentalists and pressure groups insist that the Olympics’ profile does not mean its organisers are exempt from doing all they can to prevent any harm to the environment.
Amongst the groups’ concerns are worries about a lack of electric-powered vehicles at (and to and from) the Games, and whether many of the temporary materials being used there are actually recyclable.
Some environmentalists assert that, through lowering carbon emissions as much as possible, the London 2012 Olympics could in fact be seen as ‘leading the way’ when it comes to promoting renewable energy around the globe – enhancing the Games’ reputation even more as it ‘makes its name’ as recent history’s most sustainable event!
However, with the wind turbines option having now been dismissed (supposedly for ‘safety reasons’), the London 2012 Olympics organisers are struggling to reduce the Games’ carbon footprint in new ways.
Ultimately, it is the responsibility of The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) to reduce carbon emissions. And although they have said that they are committed to doing so, their decision to seek an alternative to using wind turbines is proving much more difficult than originally expected (despite seeking the advice of key sustainability partners, such as BT).
Meanwhile, time marches on towards the Games’ opening ceremony date, and a fresh concern amongst environmentalist groups is that the ODA is now starting to abdicate responsibility (for finding a wind turbines alternative) to the renewable energy industry itself, which they insist is best placed to offer a solution to the problem.
