Fine ambitions on increasing customer switching run into one problem: it’s a tedious business, and one that can leave you uncertain, on switching sites, whether you really have got a better deal. Janet Wood spoke to Flipper and Swuto, both hoping to take the pressure off domestic consumers – and EnergyConnect which is hoping to get small businesses more active.
News
Northern Ireland’s renewable heat incentive closes to new applicants tonight
by Annabel Andrews •
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) confirmed this week that the Northern Ireland renewable heat incentive (RHI) scheme for domestic and non-domestic installations will be suspended to new applicants from midnight tonight. Ofgem, which administers the scheme on…
News
Engie’s new focus: low-carbon, regulated businesses and ‘customer solutions’
by New Power •
Engie has announced a three-year transformation plan intended to refocus the company on low-carbon activities (which will provide 90% of pre-tax earnings by 2018), regulated activities (expected to be more than 85% of pre-tax profit by 2018) and “integrated customer…
Flash update
UK “must try harder” to attract renewable energy investment
by Annabel Andrews •
This year will be a “make-or-break year” for attracting renewable energy investment to the UK, according to Ernst and Young’s latest renewable energy attractiveness index. The UK was put in the category “must try harder”, along with Australia, Greece, Italy, Poland,…
Longread
What is the future for distribution networks?
by New Power •
What is the future for distribution networks? The European description of them as distribution system operators (DSOs) illustrates the issue: should they be active players in electricity supply and system management, or should they be independent facilitators for other market…
Longread
Ofgem tells National Grid: ‘We are not “Going Green” ’
by New Power •
Ofgem has sent National Grid back to the drawing board in the way it assesses options for future network development, saying the system operator (SO) was too ready to assume its ‘Gone Green’ scenario would come to pass. The regulator…
News
New less ambitious energy efficiency obligation to save suppliers £800 million per year
by Annabel Andrews •
The government’s plans cut household fuel bills, announced in the 2015 spending review, will largely be funded by cuts to to the current energy company obligation (ECO) scheme, according to a letter from the department of energy and climate change (Decc)…
Flash update
Drax announces 2015 losses, says it may mothball coal plant
by Annabel Andrews •
Drax today announced a 26% fall in earnings (EBITDA) to £169 million in 2015, down from £229 million in 2014. Profit before tax fell to £59 million from £166 million. Chief executive Dorothy Thompson called the results “another strong operational performance”…
News
Gas ‘cannot bridge the gap to low-carbon’ without CCS; government strategies ‘at odds’, says UKERC
by New Power •
Without carbon capture and storage (CCS) gas cannot act as a ‘bridging’ technology to meet 2050 greenhouse gas targets. Instead, it must be phased out over the next 35 years and largely removed by 2050, according to new modeling by…