Featured Posts
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 [...]
Windfall tax harms oil and gas production and must be cut
In May last year, the UK Government introduced a windfall tax on the profits of oil and gas companies [...]
Why Norway’s views on energy security should ring alarm bells across Europe
Norway's energy security would appear to be a done deal, yet the past couple of years have been very [...]
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
Negative electricity prices hit the GB market
One of the consequences of the energy transition and the increase in renewable generation on the electricity system has been the growth in negative electricity prices, where production is curtailed and/or consumers are paid to take surplus generation. These [...]
Energy market outlook for 2020 – a year is a long time in energy
Another new year brings another look back at the past 12 months and a time to consider what the energy market outlook might be for 2020. This time last year, my predictions for the top five energy themes for [...]
Once upon a time…
A personal project has kept me away from my blog recently, but I wanted to end the year with a wrap-up of some interesting low-carbon technologies that are enjoying a revival. Scientists have been studying a rare phenomenon in [...]
Guernsey: energy policy considerations for small markets
Last week I had the pleasure of being one of the keynote speakers at the Institute of Directors Guernsey Branch annual convention, speaking about energy policy options for the Bailiwick in the context of climate ambitions. The day before, [...]
Hinkley Point C costs increase while new safety concerns emerge in French fleet
The troubled European Pressurised Water reactor technology hit new problems this week with EDF announcing further cost overruns at its next generation nuclear project at Hinkley Point C. “Challenging ground conditions” have meant the cost of the project has [...]
Smart meter rollout extended as benefits continue to fall
The Government has finally agreed to extend the deadline for smart meter installation, pushing it back to 2024 under a new supplier obligation that will come into effect from 1 January 2021 when the current obligation ends. At the [...]
Ofgem provides further clarity on its proposed network charging reforms
Ofgem is in the process of reforming the way in which users pay for access to and use of electricity networks, which I have described in previous posts here and here. The Targeted Charging Review is the more advanced [...]
9 August blackout technical report highlights issues with Grid Code compliance
Ofgem has now published National Grid’s technical analysis of the 9 August blackout. Much of the meat is contained in the appendices. The report does not answer many of the questions that have been asked in relation to the [...]
Initial blackout report blames lightning strikes, but why was Hornsea so vulnerable?
National Grid has now published National Grid ESO’s initial report into the 9 August blackout. The extremely repetitive 26-page report sheds some new light onto the events on the day (and I was rather gratified to see that my [...]
A new direction is needed for retail energy regulation
While energy news has been dominated by talk of last week’s blackout, there have been some important developments in the retail space which are worth highlighting, and which underline the need for a new direction in retail energy regulation. [...]
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