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
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 [...]
Contrary to popular belief, there is no statutory requirement for UK coal power stations to close next year
Along with most everyone else in the energy market I have been of the opinion that coal power stations in the UK must close by law by 1 October 2024. I have learned that this is not in fact [...]
Early winter outlook confims our reliance on interconnectors
As the country basks in a heatwave, National Grid ESO has published its early outlook for next winter (this is the third year it has issued an early outlook, and it has come out a month earlier than in [...]
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 prices being offered as evidence. I have challenged this narrative in the past, pointing out that evidence from the accounts [...]
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