Featured Posts
New report: The true affordability of net zero
This evening my latest report: The true affordability of net zero, was launched at an event hosted by The [...]
Norway turning away from electricity interconnection
Norway is turning away from electricity interconnection as its governing coalition collapses over disagreements over energy co-operation with Europe. [...]
Time to accept that wind farm costs are not falling
There has been a consistent narrative that the cost of building new wind farms is falling, with falling subsidy [...]
Addressing the high real cost of renewable generation
Over the past few months we have been inundated with claims from interested parties that more renewables are the [...]
Recent Posts
A very volatile day for global gas markets
Gas markets were highly volatile today as prices went on a roller-coaster ride - front month NBP futures on ICE reached an unprecedented £4 /therm! Similar trends were seen in European markets with the key TTF benchmark exceeding €160 [...]
Global coal markets are also suffering shortages as gas crunch bites
While the world’s attention is on the current global gas shortage, a similar dynamic is playing out in the coal markets, with coal shortages creating difficulties in the power sector, even in countries with significant domestic production. Bergkamen A, [...]
Increased gas demand from China sees global prices rise further
In researching the new gas courses for my training programme, I discovered the etymology of the word “gas” - appropriately, it derives from the Greek word khaos meaning “chaos”. Sixteenth century Flemish scientist Joannes Baptista van Helmont, was interested [...]
Another three energy suppliers fail – they are unlikely to be the last
Today another three suppliers failed: ENSTROGA, Igloo Energy and Symbio Energy all announced they have ceased trading. ENSTROGA had around 6,000 domestic customers, Igloo had roughly 179,000 domestic customers, while Symbio supplied around 48,000 domestic customers and a small [...]
The Government is showing fresh interest in new nuclear but can it avoid repeating past mistakes?
Against the backdrop of the current energy crisis comes the news that the Government is looking at new proposals for a nuclear reactor at Wylfa Newydd. The original proposal was for an Advanced Boiling Water Reactor ("ABWR"), but after [...]
Electric shock: the Government struggles to address the energy market crisis
The energy market crisis is suddenly big news. It is impossible to open a newspaper or turn on the television or radio without hearing stories of rising bills and supplier bankruptcies. Energy is no longer a footnote in the [...]
Welcome to the launch of Watt-Logic Training!
Today I am (finally) launching Watt-Logic Training, a new programme of online energy training courses. It has been a longer journey than I hoped – the IT was much more complicated than I thought it would be – but [...]
Gas market tightness causing prices to surge and questions over security of supply
Gas market tightness has caused prices to rise sharply over the past few weeks, not only pushing electricity prices higher, but also causing supply issues in industries such as fertiliser manufacture which rely on natural gas as a feedstock. [...]
Circling the drain: the prospect of bailouts in the energy sector
Today the Business Secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, has raised the prospect of nationalising parts of the electricity industry. Of course, it isn’t couched in those terms, but the Government has announced that it will appoint a Special Administrator to run [...]
Two more suppliers fail as energy prices soar
In the year and a half from the beginning of 2020 to July 2021 UK power day-ahead prices effectively doubled, and everyone from suppliers, three of whom have closed in recent weeks, and another two today: Utility Point and [...]
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