Monday 18 May 2015

Catalyst shortlisted in the TELCA Business Person of The Year and Unsung Hero awards http://www.energy-broker.co.uk/catalyst-shortlisted-in-the-telca-business-person-of-the-year-and-unsung-hero-awards/

The finalists for this year’s Energy Live Consultancy Awards have been announced and we are delighted that Catalyst have been shortlisted in the Business Person of The Year award and Unsung Hero award.

Congratulations to Chris Hurcombe and Debbie Francis for reaching the final selection which will be made by the panel of independent and well respected judges and announced during an exclusive black-tie event on the 25th June.


We are competing against other brilliant enterprises, but regardless of the results we our hugely proud of our nominations.


via TELCA Awards 2013 – Catalyst Commercial.



Catalyst shortlisted in the TELCA Business Person of The Year and Unsung Hero awards

Tuesday 5 May 2015

How Big Is Tesla’s ‘Big’ Announcement? http://www.energy-broker.co.uk/how-big-is-teslas-big-announcement/

When Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled his company’s new battery division last week, he hailed the beginning of a “complete transformation of the entire energy infrastructure of the world.”In reality, Tesla is joining a crowded field of companies already invested in on-site energy storage, and experts are split on just how much those systems will impact the energy market.Beginning this summer, Tesla Energy will sell at-home battery systems at a starting price tag of $3,000. The debut press conference featured Musk heralding a dramatic step forward in the ability of homeowners to store energy generated from potentially fickle renewable sources — namely, rooftop solar panels.

via How Big Is Tesla’s ‘Big’ Announcement?.



How Big Is Tesla’s ‘Big’ Announcement?

Friday 10 April 2015

Catalyst Business Energy Market Brief April 2015 http://www.energy-broker.co.uk/catalyst-business-energy-market-brief-april-2015/

Brent crude oil, coal and carbon prices returned to downward trends in March, impacting GB commercial electricity and gas contracts. Oil prices dropped 2% to average $57.4/bl as concerns increased that US storage levels were reaching full capacity.

The falls fed into coal prices, which dropped 4.9% over March and hit a five-year low of $56.9/t. The coal market was also affected by falling global demand levels, which have increased oversupply in the market.


The carbon market was also bearish, with priced dropping 7% to average €6.8/t as talks on proposed market reforms slowed. Prices hit a five-month low of €6.3/t in the month.



Catalyst Business Energy Market Brief April 2015

Tuesday 7 April 2015

Nuclear waste dumps bypass public approval under new UK law http://www.energy-broker.co.uk/nuclear-waste-dumps-bypass-public-approval-under-new-uk-law/

A UK law has quietly passed through Parliament which allows for radioactive waste dumps to bypass the planning system, local authorities or public opinion. The new legislation is opposed by anti-nuclear activists.

Under the new law, Britain’s radioactive waste from medical use, weapons and power stations which has been stockpiled for 50 years may be dumped, circumventing local requirements.


Sites will be chosen by the secretary of state for energy and climate change. As of last week they are considered “nationally significant infrastructure projects.” While the planning inspectorate could recommend sites for the nuclear waste piles, the secretary does not necessarily need to follow the advice. Local communities and councils can dispute the details, but can’t stop the process.


The law was passed in the Parliament’s last working hours before it was prorogued for the general election and was noticed only by anti-nuclear activists and local opponents.


via Nuclear waste dumps bypass public approval under new UK law — RT UK.



Nuclear waste dumps bypass public approval under new UK law

Thursday 26 March 2015

4% Of UK Electricity Could Come From Solar By 2020 http://www.energy-broker.co.uk/4-of-uk-electricity-could-come-from-solar-by-2020/

Solar panels costs have plunged though, so the government revised its numbers. Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Ed Davey made some key remarks about what the UK’s solar future might look like: “He said he expected up to 14 GW of solar by 2020 – up from 5 GW at the end of 2014. That equates roughly to 1.5% of total UK annual electricity to just under 4%. He said he expected it to grow further in the next decade.”

However, the government will no longer subsidize large-scale solar farms. These are facilities with 5 MW of solar or more. Of course, we all know that national economies are emerging from the worst recession in decades. Supporting a fledgling industry like solar power seems to be both reasonable and future-forward, especially considering that new solar installations create jobs that are skilled and generally pay decently.


Both solar and wind power need support at the policy level, but politics too often has a way of interfering with the development of renewable energy. Conservative politicians frequently have ties to the fossil fuel industry, and some of them work strenuously to hold back anything that could hurt it.


via http://snip.ly/ebtr



4% Of UK Electricity Could Come From Solar By 2020

New kind of “tandem” solar cell developed http://www.energy-broker.co.uk/new-kind-of-tandem-solar-cell-developed/

Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Stanford Univ. have developed a new kind of solar cell that combines two different layers of sunlight-absorbing material in order to harvest a broader range of the sun’s energy. The development could lead to photovoltaic cells that are more efficient than those currently used in solar-power installations, the researchers say.

The new cell uses a layer of silicon—which forms the basis for most of today’s solar panels—but adds a semi-transparent layer of a material called perovskite, which can absorb higher-energy particles of light. Unlike an earlier “tandem” solar cell reported by members of the same team earlier this year—in which the two layers were physically stacked, but each had its own separate electrical connections—the new version has both layers connected together as a single device that needs only one control circuit.


The new findings are reported in the journal Applied Physics Letters by MIT graduate student Jonathan Mailoa; associate professor of mechanical engineering Tonio Buonassisi; Colin Bailie and Michael McGehee at Stanford; and four others.


via http://snip.ly/I5vB


 



New kind of “tandem” solar cell developed

Friday 20 March 2015

Eiffel tower renovation includes wind turbines http://www.energy-broker.co.uk/eiffel-tower-renovation-includes-wind-turbines/

As part of a high profile renovation project, one of the most iconic sites in the world has become the latest venue to embrace renewable energy as two vertical axis wind turbines are installed on the Eiffel tower.

US-based renewables specialist Urban Green Energy (UGE) announced that it has fitted the two turbines and that they can deliver 10,000kWh of commercial electricity annually. This effectively offsets the power used by the commercial areas on the tower’s first floor.


The company added that the two turbines are “virtually silent” and have been painted to resemble the rest of the tower.


The height of the turbines, 400 feet above the ground, was specially chosen to maximise the energy production of the devices, allowing them to take advantage of relatively steady winds.


via Eiffel tower renovation includes wind turbines.



Eiffel tower renovation includes wind turbines

Tuesday 17 March 2015

North Sea wind power 'may make East of England a trade hub' http://www.energy-broker.co.uk/north-sea-wind-power-may-make-east-of-england-a-trade-hub/

The East of England could become a hub for trade in renewable energy with Scandinavia if the proper regulation is put in place, says an industry group.

RenewableUK said it hoped a House of Lords report on the North Sea would help move forwards a framework to allow the import and export of wind energy.


Some of the biggest offshore wind farms are off the coast of Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex.


The committee found the North Sea was under pressure from human activity.


But it said urgently-needed strategic and political vision would “secure it for future generations” and help manage the economic opportunities.


via BBC News – North Sea wind power ‘may make East of England a trade hub’.



North Sea wind power 'may make East of England a trade hub'

Wednesday 4 March 2015

Catalyst Business Energy Market Brief March 2015 http://www.energy-broker.co.uk/catalyst-business-energy-market-brief-march-2015/

Brent crude oil saw its first month-on-month increases in eight months in February as a number of US oil rigs were taken offline, and prices hovered around the production costs of US shale oil. New commercial crude reserve regulations were introduced in China, which boosted short-term import demand. The gains throughout February sent long-term UK gas and power prices higher.

via Catalyst Business Energy Market Brief March 2015.



Catalyst Business Energy Market Brief March 2015

Thursday 26 February 2015

Microsoft buys more green energy than Google and Apple combined http://www.energy-broker.co.uk/microsoft-buys-more-green-energy-than-google-and-apple-combined/

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 revealed to be number 2 in the Environmental Protection Agency’s top 100 leading green energy purchasers in the United States. According to the EPA, Microsoft purchases nearly 2.5 billion kilowatt-hours of renewable energy per year, which is enough to power the entirety of the company’s operations in the US.


The sources of this green energy range from biogas and biomass, to small-hydro, solar, and wind. This energy is either purchased from companies like Sterling Planet and PNM, or produced on-site, for example, with the company’s own solar panels.


via Microsoft buys more green energy than Google and Apple combined.



Microsoft buys more green energy than Google and Apple combined

Tuesday 24 February 2015

Renewable energy poised to overtake nuclear in the UK http://www.energy-broker.co.uk/renewable-energy-poised-to-overtake-nuclear-in-the-uk/

A wind of change is blowing through the UK’s power stations. Renewable sources of energy like wind turbines could soon generate more electricity than nuclear power stations.The contribution of renewables towards keeping the lights on more than doubled from 6.8 per cent in 2010 to 14.9 per cent in 2013, according to the Office of National Statistics. Nuclear power, at 19 per cent, is in slow decline – no new power stations have been built since 1995, when it contributed more than 25 per cent of the UK’s electricity.Onshore wind turbines delivered a third of the country’s renewable electricity in 2013, with offshore wind rising fast and accounting for 21 per cent. A plan approved last week for the world’s largest offshore wind farm – 400 turbines covering more than 1100 square kilometres of the shallow waters of the Dogger Bank in the North Sea – would add almost two-thirds to existing offshore generating capacity of 4000 megawatts.The UK has invested £14.5bn in wind turbines since 2010, supporting 35,400 jobs, says Ed Davey, secretary of state for energy and climate change. Renewables are also reducing our reliance on foreign imports of fuel, he adds.

via Renewable energy poised to overtake nuclear in the UK – environment – 24 February 2015 – New Scientist.



Renewable energy poised to overtake nuclear in the UK

Thursday 19 February 2015

Biofuel from trash could create green jobs bonanza, says report http://www.energy-broker.co.uk/biofuel-from-trash-could-create-green-jobs-bonanza-says-report/

Creating biofuels from waste produced by industry, farms, and households could generate 36,000 jobs in the UK and save around 37m tonnes of oil use annually by 2030, according to a new report.

Across Europe, hundreds of thousands of new jobs could be created by using these ‘advanced biofuels’, which could replace 16% of the continent’s road transport fuel by the same year, the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) study said. But the gains will not come without ambitious policy to promote advanced biofuels, it warned.


“Alternative fuels from wastes and residues offer real and substantial carbon savings, even when taking account of possible indirect emissions,” said Chris Malins who led the analysis for ICCT . “The resource is available, and the technology exists – the challenge now is for Europe to put a policy framework in place that allows rapid investment.”


However, a key vote in the European Parliament’s environment committee next week could stop this potential being realised, as a centre-right grouping of MEPs has signalled that it will oppose a biofuels reform package considered crucial to the fledgling industry.


The committee will vote next Tuesday on a compromise biofuels reform bill that would mandate a goal of advanced biofuels providing 1.25% of Europe’s transport fuel by 2020.


via Biofuel from trash could create green jobs bonanza, says report | Environment | The Guardian.



Biofuel from trash could create green jobs bonanza, says report

Wednesday 18 February 2015

ESOS SOS For Business Energy Savings http://www.energy-broker.co.uk/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 over £250m can be acheived simply by acting on some of the measures identified in their ESOS audit. And this is based on just cutting energy consumption by only 0.7%.


However those companies that are also prepared to invest in energy saving measures with a payback period of two years or less, this increases to £1.6bn a year.


via ESOS SOS For Business Energy Savings.



ESOS SOS For Business Energy Savings

Thursday 12 February 2015

Gas price cut delays 'leave 12 million homes paying more' http://www.energy-broker.co.uk/gas-price-cut-delays-leave-12-million-homes-paying-more/

Delays in implementing gas price cuts have denied more than 12 million households a total of £47 million in savings, Citizens Advice has calculated.

The Big Six energy suppliers all announced price cuts in January but five of them said their changes would not come into effect for weeks or months.


Only one, E.On, implemented the reduction with immediate effect.


via Gas price cut delays ‘leave 12 million homes paying more’ – Telegraph.



Gas price cut delays 'leave 12 million homes paying more'

Wednesday 4 February 2015

Solar power to thrive without subsidies in UK by 2020 http://www.energy-broker.co.uk/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 report found that within the next decade large scale solar farms, commercial rooftop systems, and even residential rooftop systems would be affordable without government help.


Last month, German energy giant E.ON announced that due to the falling cost of the technology it was switching out the fossil fuel half of its business and converting to solar and wind production instead.


The report claims that this move will have a significant effect on the German energy market and predicts a similar occurrence in the UK sometime soon.


via Solar power to thrive without subsidies in UK by 2020.



Solar power to thrive without subsidies in UK by 2020

ESTA issues warning over potential ESOS scheme failure http://www.energy-broker.co.uk/esta-issues-warning-over-potential-esos-scheme-failure-2/

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 other avoidable reasons such as poor collaborations between suppliers and participating organisations.


However, the study also stated that there is plenty of time left before the start of the scheme for all of the companies to make the necessary improvements.


via ESTA issues warning over potential ESOS scheme failure.



ESTA issues warning over potential ESOS scheme failure

Tuesday 3 February 2015

U.K. Spot Gas Falls as Record Storage Flows Offset Norway Cuts http://www.energy-broker.co.uk/u-k-spot-gas-falls-as-record-storage-flows-offset-norway-cuts/

U.K. natural gas for spot delivery fell after reaching a one-month high as record withdrawals from storage sites offset reduced flows from Norway.


Same-day gas declined 1.7 percent after advancing as much as 5.8 percent to the highest level since Dec. 29, according to broker data compiled by Bloomberg. Withdrawals from storage sites jumped to the highest level since Bloomberg started compiling National Grid Plc data in April 2013, helping meet increased demand amid colder-than-normal temperatures.


Outages at the Sleipner field and the Kollsnes gas plant in Norway cut flows to the U.K. for as many as four days, according to data from pipeline operator Gassco AS. Norwegian flows into Britain fell to less than a quarter of forecast demand, Gassco data showed. Storage withdrawals reached an all-time high of 118 million cubic meters a day, according to National Grid data.


Below-average temperatures are forecast for the next five days, according to MDA Weather Services. The lowest power generation from wind since Jan. 22 boosted the share of gas used for electricity to 35 percent, according to National Grid Plc.


Same-day gas fell to 48.3 pence a therm ($7.27 a million British thermal units) by 3:29 p.m. London time after reaching 52 pence earlier today, broker data show. The next-day contract advanced a fifth day, rising 0.3 percent to 48.40 pence a therm.


Gas exports from Norway to the U.K. were at 85 million cubic meters (3 billion cubic feet) a day, from as much as 115 million yesterday, according to Gassco. Sleipner output will be cut by 12.2 million cubic meters Monday after an outage that started on Friday while Kollsnes flows will be cut by 34.5 million cubic meters Monday after a reduction since Thursday, Gassco said.


“Undoubtedly this has led to the surge on the spot and helped support the near curve,” Nick Campbell, an energy risk manager at Inspired Energy Plc, said by e-mail. “Lower wind generation has also increased system gas demand.”


via U.K. Spot Gas Falls as Record Storage Flows Offset Norway Cuts – Bloomberg Business.



U.K. Spot Gas Falls as Record Storage Flows Offset Norway Cuts

Wednesday 28 January 2015

ESTA issues warning over potential ESOS scheme failure http://www.energy-broker.co.uk/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 other avoidable reasons such as poor collaborations between suppliers and participating organisations.


However, the study also stated that there is plenty of time left before the start of the scheme for all of the companies to make the necessary improvements.


via ESTA issues warning over potential ESOS scheme failure.



ESTA issues warning over potential ESOS scheme failure

Tuesday 20 January 2015

New graphite discovery could spark green energy revolution http://www.energy-broker.co.uk/new-graphite-discovery-could-spark-green-energy-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 by all other gases, including hydrogen itself.

The result of this breakthrough is that the efficiency of fuel cells, which make energy from hydrogen gas, could be hugely increased.The idea has also been raised to extract hydrogen from normal air and burn it as a carbon-free source of energy in fuel cells, producing commercial electricity and water without any harmful by-products.


via New graphite discovery could spark green revolution.



New graphite discovery could spark green energy revolution

Cheapest Gas Since August Lures U.K. Utilities Away From Coal http://www.energy-broker.co.uk/cheapest-gas-since-august-lures-u-k-utilities-away-from-coal/

Natural gas will probably start to replace coal in U.K. power generation as oil’s decline helped damp prices to their lowest since August.


Wholesale costs are close to levels where generators will increase output from gas-fired plants at the expense of coal, according to Energy Aspects Ltd. The transition will be led by five facilities owned by utilities from RWE AG (RWE) to Centrica Plc (CNA) that produce enough power to supply about 11 million households, Yarm, England-based Enappsys Ltd. said.


Jefferies Group LLC last week cut its 2015 U.K. gas forecast by 26 percent after the drop in oil costs, while HSBC estimates that prices will this year average 14 percent below 2014. Cleaner-burning gas usually declines in summer, when demand for heating is lower, making it more attractive for power generation.“It’s the first time we have been close to the switching range this time of year since 2010 and if prices keep falling, producing power from gas will become cheaper than from coal,” Wayne Bryan, an analyst at Alfa Energy Group in London, said by e-mail on Monday. “Lower gas prices will help cut electricity costs for consumers and have a positive influence on the U.K.’s mandate of reducing carbon emissions.”


via Cheapest Gas Since August Lures U.K. Utilities Away From Coal – Bloomberg.



Cheapest Gas Since August Lures U.K. Utilities Away From Coal

Thursday 15 January 2015

Lincolnshire baker goes green http://www.energy-broker.co.uk/lincolnshire-baker-goes-green/

Pocklington’s Bakery, a Lincolnshire-based craft bakery, has invested in a 150KW solar panel to generate power.

According to the bakery, 90% of its daytime electricity is now powered by the solar panels.


It believes it is the first bakery in the UK to make such a heavy investment in the alternative electricity source.


The bakery runs three shifts over 24 hours, employing more than 60 local staff and producing a range of products for its 300 wholesale customers.


Chris Pocklington, manager, said “I have been told we are the first bakery to install solar panels in such a large way in this country. That surprises me as the process was so easy.


“The planning went smoothly for us, which was great and the installation took less than two weeks from start to finish.


via Lincolnshire baker goes green – British Baker.



Lincolnshire baker goes green

NHS “should haggle with energy suppliers more” http://www.energy-broker.co.uk/nhs-should-haggle-with-energy-suppliers-more/

There is “room” for the NHS to scrutinise its deals with energy suppliers, says the campaign manager of a new awards recognising the green efforts of NHS hospitals.

Scott Buckler at the NHS Sustainability Awards told ELN there are some “great examples” of NHS Trusts saving energy.


In an interview about the awards, he suggests there is potential to get “better value” from suppliers.


Read our full Q&A with Scott below, taking in everything from NHS work on energy saving and staff incentives to tips on what the judges are looking out for.


ELN: Why is it important for the NHS to save energy?


Scott Buckler: The NHS is facing an unprecedented financial crisis at the moment with Trusts making tough choices on frontline services. With such an area as energy many NHS Trusts can create operational savings which in turn creates frontline finance. Energy is an essential part of any organisation, it is what keeps it from switching off, however this does not mean organisations such as hospitals should take it for granted instead they should be addressing it urgently to ensure it delivers value for money and long-term security.


Through energy management plans the NHS could potentially save millions per annum and this is something which should not be overlooked. It is also important to view energy as an environmental impact for any organisation which without care can often lead to a health issue such as for example LED lighting over conventional strip lighting which can lead to over-heating within wards.


via Energy Live News – Energy Made Easy – NHS “should haggle with energy suppliers more”.



NHS “should haggle with energy suppliers more”

Tiny Batteries Spark Green Revolution http://www.energy-broker.co.uk/tiny-batteries-spark-green-revolution-2/

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 sun doesn’t shine or the wind does blow, and electric vehicles, that have limit range due to battery capacity, could be huge.


The latest breakthrough in reducing battery size is known as a “nanopore”. It is a microscopic hole in a ceramic sheet that is about as thick as a grain of salt. This sheet contains all the components required for a working battery and for electric current production. One billion of these holes could fit into the size of a postage stamp.


via Tiny Batteries Spark Green Revolution.



Tiny Batteries Spark Green Revolution

Wednesday 14 January 2015

E.On Becomes First ‘Big Six’ Supplier to Cut Prices in 2015 http://www.energy-broker.co.uk/e-on-becomes-first-big-six-supplier-to-cut-prices-in-2015/

With wholesale energy prices currently in a lull, E.On has become the first of the big six commercial energy companies (the others being British Gas, SSE, ScottishPower, EDF Energy and npower) to announce it will pass these lower costs on to their customers.

News from the German-owned energy supplier said that the price cut would ‘save about 2 million households £24 on a typical annual bill’; the equivalent of approximately a fortnight’s gas usage.


The change in pricing isn’t entirely altruistic from E.On, however, as growing pressure from the UK government has been questioning why – if wholesale commercial electricity and gas are so low – are energy bills remaining at record-high prices.


Last week the Treasury announced that it would be launching and investigation into why prices remain fixed despite these fluctuations in supply cost, and energy minister Matt Hancock announced he has requested the presence of all six of the companies at a meeting to explain their prices.


via E.On Becomes First ‘Big Six’ Supplier to Cut Prices in 2015.



E.On Becomes First ‘Big Six’ Supplier to Cut Prices in 2015

Oil prices may begin to bottom out http://www.energy-broker.co.uk/oil-prices-may-begin-to-bottom-out/

Some analysts have suggested that oil prices may begin to bottom out as prices fall to near the production costs of US shale oil, which has become the fastest growing area of non-OPEC supply over recent years. However, further falls in oil could make US fields unprofitable and could stabilise the global market from its current slide as US oil fields close and supply decreases.

The successful restart of three nuclear reactors over December, which were taken offline in August, has increased market confidence that a fourth reactor at Heysham will also return successfully. Higher nuclear production power should improve supply margins for the rest of winter and could reduce power prices.


Catalyst Commercial Services’ independent approach enables clients to manage their exposure to energy price risk, while at the same time benefiting from a first class service from a range of major and independent suppliers.


via Catalyst Business Energy Market Brief January 2015.



Oil prices may begin to bottom out

Monday 12 January 2015

Wind Energy Powers 25% of UK Homes in 2014 http://www.energy-broker.co.uk/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 from the National Grid, revealing record amounts of wind – and other clean commercial energy sources – were used across Britain over the last twelve months.


Wind power was the headline-maker in the report, revealing that wind generated enough electricity to supply the needs of more than 6.7 million UK households last year; a 15% increase on the amount generated in 2013 (up from 24.5 terawatt hours to 28.1TWh in 2014) – equating to the annual demand of over 25% of homes in the country.


via Wind Energy Powers 25% of UK Homes in 2014.



Wind Energy Powers 25% of UK Homes in 2014

Jan15 - Business Energy Market Brief - Long-term contracts down on weaker commodities http://www.energy-broker.co.uk/jan15-business-energy-market-brief-long-term-contracts-down-on-weaker-commodities/

Long-term contracts down on weaker commodities



Sharp falls in oil, as well as continued reductions in coal prices, pulled long-term contracts down over December. Summer 15 gas dropped 3.4% to average 50.1p/th, ending the year 19.5% lower than levels seen at the start of 2014. Long-term power prices followed, with the summer 2015 contract dropping 1.6% month-on-month to average £47.1/MWh. Annual April 2015 power was down 2.2% to average £49.2/MWh.


via Catalyst Business Energy Market Brief January 2015.



Jan15 - Business Energy Market Brief - Long-term contracts down on weaker commodities