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
Approaches to ESG investing are beginning to change, and not before time
There has been mixed news on the subject of ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) investing recently, and I have a sense there is something of, if not a backlash, then a re-adjustment in how such investing is being viewed. [...]
How best to ensure energy market competition? Abolish the price cap for a start
Hot on the heels of widespread annoyance over energy suppliers’ mythical profits, comes a new report from the Centre for Policy Studies saying that the price cap is stifling energy market competition and costing consumers money. In fact, this [...]
Controversial cost recovery sees British Gas profits rise
Last week Centrica announced its interim results, which saw British Gas profits increase tenfold, setting off predictable outrage from the media and politicians. Journalists have been falling over themselves to criticise the company, and in particular the fact that [...]
Is it time to properly regulate the regulators?
I have frequently been critical of Ofgem in its regulation of the retail energy sector, advocating for the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) to take over, so it has been deeply disappointing to see the extent to which the FCA [...]
Is the hydrogen net zero dream starting to float away?
This week I had an opinion piece published in The Telegraph on the use of hydrogen as a means of energy storage which could help to manage the intermittency from weather-based renewable generation. It has attracted a fair amount [...]
Are the FES useful? How do the scenarios compare with actual data?
Two years ago, National Grid ESO’s Future Energy Scenarios (“FES”) celebrated their 10th birthday. I took a look back at how the scenarios had developed and whether the predictions outlined within them came true as time went on, to [...]
Open peer review: Prospects for Nuclear generation in Great Britain
I have written a paper for the Global Warming Policy Foundation ("GWPF") outlining the prospects for nuclear power in GB. The draft paper is now out for an open review process on the GWPF website here: https://www.thegwpf.org/open-peer-review-prospects-for-nuclear-generation-in-great-britain/ In writing [...]
Fixing grid connection delays needs major regulatory reform
The issue of grid connection delays has garnered a lot of attention recently, as developers report large waits to connect to electricity networks, and accuse network operators of holding back net zero plans. Networks are often seen as boring [...]
NAO reports on smart meter rollout which it says is at a crucial point
On 14 June, the National Audit Office (“NAO”) published an updated review into the smart meter rollout, finding that while progress has been made since its previous review, the scheme is significantly behind target and the Government is not [...]
Gas price volatility shows the ongoing fragility of the market
The past couple of weeks have seen unusually high levels of gas price volatility across European gas markets. Prices have declined significantly from their highs last August, and the market has coped well with the dramatic reduction in Russian [...]
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