Featured Posts
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 [...]
Energy security strategy: worryingly vague, worryingly long-term and worryingly still supply focused
Last night the Government announced its much anticipated energy security strategy, with the full version appearing this afternoon. The [...]
Price cap subsidies for every household as default tariff hits record highs
This morning Ofgem has announced a record increase in the level of the default tariff price cap, from £1,277 [...]
Recent Posts
New project re-ignites European interest in thorium
Last month, Dutch research institute, NRG, re-ignited interest in thorium nuclear projects by announcing a new investigation into the use of thorium reactors in collaboration with the EU. The Salt Irradiation Experiment ("Salient"), based at the High Flux Reactor [...]
Twisting electricity generation with nanotube technology
Today I came across a fascinating piece of research which has the potential to be a real game-changer - an international research team led by scientists at The University of Texas and Hanyang University in South Korea has developed [...]
Once upon a time….Mayor Khan’s zero carbon fairytale
This week the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan has published his draft environmental strategy for the city, with an ambition for London to be a zero carbon city by 2050, with energy efficient buildings, clean transport and clean energy. He [...]
Will new BIPV technologies finally see the concept go mainstream?
The recent entry of Tesla into the PV market has generated renewed interest in building-integrated solar PV - a technology which allows the structure of buildings, walls and windows as well as roofs - to generate electricity thereby reducing [...]
Is Secure and Promote delivering for retail competition?
On 25 July, Ofgem launched a consultation as part of its review of the Secure & Promote licence condition. Secure and Promote was introduced in 2013 to improve liquidity and market access for small and new entrant electricity suppliers. [...]
Helm energy price review: time to confront the sacred cows
The Government has this week appointed Dieter Helm, professor of economic policy at Oxford University, to lead a review into the cost of energy. He will chair a panel of experts including Nick Winser, executive director at National Grid [...]
Electricity bills: the drama won’t stop until pricing becomes transparent
The press and politicians are currently full of outrage at the announcement by British Gas of a 12.5% increase in its electricity prices from September, describing the rise as "extortionate", "unjustified" and a "slap in the face" to families, [...]
RIIO reform: current regime too generous to network companies
On the 12th July, Ofgem issued an open letter launching the process for establishing the next round of price controls, known as "RIIO-2", for the GB gas and electricity systems. These price controls determine the amount of allowable expenditure [...]
Future Energy Scenarios underline the need for an Independent System Operator
In its Future Energy Scenarios, National Grid presents its views of the future of the GB energy system, which I have described here. As I was exploring the scenarios, I was struck by some surprising features of the scenarios, [...]
Future Energy Scenarios: interrogating the crystal ball
National Grid has published its latest future energy scenarios going out to 2050. The scenarios are based on the (in)famous energy trilemma: security of supply, de-carbonisation and affordability, and provide what National Grid says are "credible pathways for the [...]
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