E.ON Launches Energy Fit Plan
E.ON has launched a new “Energy Fit Plan” which gives customers two months free energy, a free energy monitor and online energy efficiency advice.
The new two year deal from E.ON, called the Energy Fit Plan, gives customers two months’ worth of energy for free and customers can also earn Tesco Clubcard points for money spent on their energy bills.
Utility Exchange has been reporting over recent months on increases in both domestic and business electricity prices and gas prices and over the last week or so EDF Energy and ScottishPower have withdrawn cheap plans and replaced them with more expensive versions.
E.ON has launched the new tariff after the response received from E.ON’s YourSay Customer Panel which is made up of 28,000 people. The Energy Fit Plan is designed to give customers more choice and control over how they pay for their energy and E.ON says it will give customers a clear two year payment plan.
The Energy Fit Plan will cost an average of £1,150 a year and customers will benefit from the free energy in months 12 and 24. It’s not E.ON’s cheapest tariff and customers will have to stay on the plan for two years to benefit from the free energy.
An E.ON spokesperson said “E.ON Energy Fit Plan is not E.ON’s cheapest product, but it does offer people choice and a different way of paying which is what our customers told us they would like”.
E.ON’s Marketing Director, Jeremy Davies, said “Through our customer panel, they’ve told us that they’d like to see products with a free energy element. Our Energy Fit Plan not only gives people a month’s worth of free energy each year, but also the tools and support they need to help them control their bills and save money throughout their energy fit journey”.
He added, “People who sign up now will get their payment in time for next Christmas, and because our Energy Fit Plan allows people to earn Tesco Clubcard points on their energy bills too, they’ll have the additional peace of mind of knowing that there’s even more that they can save”.
The plan is available to dual fuel customers and those without a gas supply who pay by fixed monthly direct debit and manage their account online. Those signing up to the plan will also receive a free energy monitor worth £45 and online energy efficiency advice.
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Energy Companies Respond To Electricity Market Reform White Paper
Energy companies have been responding to the recent Electricity Market Reform (EMR) White Paper which proposes investing £110 billion in a low carbon economy.
Utility Exchange reported this week that the EMR White Paper had been published with Chris Huhne, the Energy Secretary saying that it would make energy bills affordable. After its publication, some of the big six energy companies gave their response to it.
The chief executive of Scottish Renewables, Niall Stuart said of the EMR White paper “The statement confirms that renewables are a major part of our future energy mix and the sector will be a significant driver of investment and employment over the coming decades as we replace ageing and polluting power stations with cleaner alternatives. Nobody should underestimate the importance of these reforms, which will make or break progress towards the UK’s and Scotland’s renewable energy and climate change targets”.
The chief executive of Scottish Renewables, Niall Stuart said of the EMR White paper “The statement confirms that renewables are a major part of our future energy mix and the sector will be a significant driver of investment and employment over the coming decades as we replace ageing and polluting power stations with cleaner alternatives. Nobody should underestimate the importance of these reforms, which will make or break progress towards the UK’s and Scotland’s renewable energy and climate change targets”.
He added that despite there being an enormous amount of detail to be developed the measures included in the White Paper should allow them to invest in renewables at the same time as keeping costs down for customers.
He continued by saying “Despite recent media reports, these reforms will actually mean reduced financial support for renewable electricity in exchange for long term certainty over revenues, with generators potentially having to pay back income if market prices reach a certain level”.
Meanwhile Scottish & Southern Energy (SSE) said it welcomed the ambitions in the White Paper and its intentions. In a press release the company said “There is a clear need to decarbonise the energy sector and maintain secure energy supplies at a cost which is affordable for UK consumers and business. For this to happen there has to be a stable, certain and robust policy framework within which companies can make investment decisions”.
The chief executive of SSE, Ian Marchant said “Any changes to the electricity market arrangements have to be carefully thought through, in a way which avoids unintended consequences and is supportive of the investment that is needed now and in the next few years. It is on this basis that we will ultimately judge the white paper as a whole and to ensure this is achieved we will continue to work with the UK government and other stakeholders”.
Meanwhile Dr Paul Golt of E.ON said of the White Paper “We welcome today’s publication of the Electricity Market Reform White Paper and believe that it makes a good start in stimulating the growth in low carbon generation that we desperately need in the UK. But we cannot be complacent, it’s important that this is driven forward to ensure a cleaner energy future for everyone”.
Mark Hanafin, the Managing Director of Centrica Energy, owner of British Gas responded to the White Paper by saying “Today’s announcement is an important step in delivering a secure, low carbon electricity system for the UK. There remains much detail to resolve so that investors can have confidence that the tax and regulatory environment makes the UK energy sector a good place to invest. These measures come at a cost and it is vital that all of us – Government, regulators and the industry – are open and transparent with the public about the true impact of these changes”.
The chief executive of RWE npower, Volker Beckers, said the EMR White Paper showed the government understood the urgency of the situation and scale of the energy challenge. He said “There is no plan B: the EMR can and must be made to work. Failure will be bad news for the environment, for industry, and, most notably, for customers”.
He said RWE npower welcomed the announcement of the EMR White Paper but added that it was “vital that both customers and investors can see where their money is going. The scale of investment required in the UK is unprecedented: £200 Billion by 2020 is equivalent to £8,000 for every household in the country. The EMR White Paper shows progress on climate change and security of supply, but we must have more focus on affordability”.
EDF Energy responded to the EMR White Paper by saying the reforms would “transform market, deliver stability and protect customers from volatile fossil fuel prices”.
The chief executive of EDF Energy, Vincent de Rivaz, said “Today’s White Paper gives Britain more control over its energy future. This will transform the market and ensure customers will benefit from stability, security, affordability and predictability. Current UK electricity prices are driven by volatile fossil fuel prices, which are subject to global events outside Britain’s control. As a result, the country is exposed to spiralling energy costs. We need a more balanced mix of energy generation”.
It seems that on the whole energy companies have reacted positively to the EMR White Paper but would like to see more details before they comment further. As wholesale energy markets push up domestic and business electricity prices the EMR White Paper is designed to help combat volatile prices but it remains to be seen whether it will succeed in doing this.
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Electricity North West To Pay Businesses To Reduce Energy Use
Electricity North West (ENW) wants businesses in the Greater Manchester area to take part in a trial which will pay them to reduce their energy use.
The trial is the first of its kind in this country and has been organised by Electricity North West. The trial will involve paying businesses to cut their energy use when extra capacity is needed for the national grid.
The idea of the trial is to help manage the increase in electricity use because the Department of Energy & Climate Change predicts that electricity consumption will double by 2050. The trial therefore hopes to help manage electricity use by reducing demand at peak times.
It should also help businesses to reduce their business energy bills at a time when business electricity prices are increasing.
Trials will take place across Stockport and Bury over the next five years and if they prove successful then the scheme could be extended to other parts of the North West.
Customer strategy director for ENW, Paul Bircham said “As we move to a low carbon economy, people are likely to be using more and more electricity, using it to power their heating and cars, instead of gas and petrol”.
He added “But the local network that we own and maintain can only carry a certain amount. So the challenge for us, and our customers, is to find ways to cope with the increase in demand without just building more and more lines”.
Mr Bircham said it would cost customers a fortune to build new networks because they’d have to add the cost to electricity bills. He said “if we can reduce the demand during peak periods instead, then the costs will be hugely reduced”.
Working with EnerNOC, a leader in energy management, ENW will bring the technology needed to adjust demand for electricity. Those who use lots of electricity, such as big businesses, will be incentivised to join the scheme. Despite ENW asking these businesses to reduce their energy use at peak times there should be minimal disruption.
The president of EnerNOC, David Brewster, said “The United Kingdom is in the process of creating one of the world’s most advanced, low-carbon electricity grids. Electricity North West is participating actively in that transition by encouraging energy users to use electricity more strategically”. He added “Controlling energy demand will be an important part of ongoing energy market reforms in the UK, and Electricity North West is already ahead of the curve. We value their leadership in demand-side energy management and look forward to working together”.
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Govt Announces Strategy For Smart Meter Roll Out
The Government has announced its strategy for the roll out of smart meters which will save around £7.3 billion in energy bills over the next twenty years.
Smart meters will monitor energy use constantly, showing households and businesses how much energy they are using so that they can turn off anything not needed, save money and reduce their gas and electricity bills.
Smart meters will also benefit energy suppliers because meter readers won’t be needed and energy providers will be able to provide more accurate billing. They will also have a better understanding of energy demand patterns.
The Government has set out the timetable for installing smart meters in homes and businesses throughout the country. Around 53 million smart meters will be installed in homes and businesses in an attempt to save the country £7.3 billion over the next twenty years.
Chris Huhne, the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, said “Smart meters are a key part of giving us all more control over how we use energy at home and at work, helping us to cut out waste and save money”.
He added “In combination with our plans to reform the electricity market and introduce the Green Deal for home and businesses, the rollout of smart meters will help us keep the lights on while reducing emissions and getting the best possible deal for the consumer”.
The Energy Minister, Charles Hendry said “Smart meters will enable us to modernise the electricity system over the coming years and create the smart grids we will need to bring new low carbon energy sources online, and handle much higher demand for electricity as we progressively electrify transport and heating”.
The Government will now begin to work with industry and various consumer groups to prepare the foundations for the introduction of smart meters ready for their introduction in 2014. This will include deciding on the specification for the smart meters to be used.
Between now and 2014 it’s expected that companies will construct and test trial systems, assess customer feedback and show how they can ensure energy savings. It’s thought consumers will be asked if they’d like to take part in trials of the smart meters.
E.ON has welcomed the Government smart metering consultation and says it’s on the way to aiding homes and small businesses to deal with their shifting energy requirements.
The managing director of E.ON’s Energy Solutions business, Graham Bartlett said, “This is an important step towards the national rollout of smart meters, giving us some of the vital detail that will enable us to deploy this game changing technology responsibly to our customers”.
E.ON has already installed around 35,000 smart meters and Mr Bartlett added, “And, following this announcement, we intend to install a further 100,000 smart meters this year to help us shape our offering for our customers. We see this next phase as crucial in shaping the national rollout and ultimately our customer experience as we look to provide them with cleaner and better energy”.
However, it’s reported that energy bills could increase because it seems that ministers have underestimated the cost of rolling out smart meters. Back in 2009, when the smart meter roll out was initially approved, the cost was estimated to be around £9 billion. However, it has now emerged that costs will increase to around £11.3 billion.
It seems the cost will be passed on to customers even though energy companies are set to save £11 billion because they won’t have to carry out meter readings.
While the Department of Energy & Climate Change says that bills will increase by only around £6, others suggest that bills could rise by over £200 – and that’s if the cost is split between businesses and households.
In theory smart meters should enable homes and businesses to reduce their electricity bills but it seems that this may be negated by the additional costs involved in the roll out process being added to energy bills.
Smart meters are set to be rolled out nationally between 2014 and 2019.
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Team Develops Tiny Nuclear Battery
A nuclear battery the size of a penny has been developed which produces energy from the decay of radioisotopes, reports BBC News Online. Decaying radioactive substances release charged particles and it’s these that when collected properly can be used to create an electrical current.
While nuclear batteries are not a new thing, they are usually used by the military but are normally much larger.
The team that has developed the battery is from the University of Missouri and they say that the battery can hold a million times more charge than standard batteries.
The isotopes that provide the power fro nuclear batteries can provide a current for hundreds of years and have been used in spacecraft that have been sent to explore space. However, because they are usually quite large they have had few uses on Earth.
For more information: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8297934.stm
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Illegal power market play
As reported by The Times, Seven companies have been found guilty of illegally carving up European and Japanese power transformer markets which has resulted in them receiving fines from the European Commission totalling £61.8 million (67 million euros).
Siemens, a conglomerate of three main business sectors which are Industry, Energy and Healthcare, only just escaped a fine after blowing the whistle on the illegal behaviour.
Receiving the biggest penalty of 33.75 million euros was ABB a UK leading power and automation technology group, followed by power generation and energy company’s Alstom, Areva, Toshiba, Hitachi, and Fuji Electrics – who were issued with smaller fines.
The Times – Business – 8 October 2009
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Company Cars getting greener
Lex Autolease – the UK’s largest company car provider – has released new data today revealing a significant shift in company car leasing habits over the last year, in favour of greener and more fuel-efficient models.
The leasing business has also acknowledged that average emissions across its whole fleet of 350,000 vehicles, has fallen from last years 158g/km to below 152g/km this year. In addition, the organisation has now supplied more than 30,000 vehicles to companies across the UK with emissions of 120g/km or less.
Steve Osborne, head of fleet management at Lex Autolease, advises that the growing interest in smaller company cars is being driven by the desire to reduce carbon emissions and fuel costs, in conjunction with the introduction of lower taxes which have been applied to the most fuel-efficient vehicles.
Under new tax rules which were introduced in April this year, any company car with emissions of under 161g/km is subject to higher allowances against corporation tax, whilst the government’s banding of company-car taxes also means that vehicles emitting less than 120g/km of CO2 are subject to the lowest 10% tax rate.
Mr. Osborne commented that while each of those company car drivers – emitting less than 120g/km – pays the lowest rate of benefit-in-kind tax and gets the most out of their employment package, the company could also be making thousands of pounds in post-tax savings.
Source;
Businessgreen.com/ News/ Transport
http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2250847/executives-embrace-green
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Cap emissions before energy bill
Advising business leaders at a Clean Energy Forum this week, the White House’s top climate and energy adviser, Carol Browner categorically stated that it would be a “big mistake” for Congress to approve an energy bill this year without first placing a cap on greenhouse emissions – “I think you have to keep these programs coordinated because they do impact with each other”
The Reuters report yesterday advised that with climate change legislation facing a hard road to passage in the Senate, some lawmakers are suggesting that the chamber should instead focus on moving less controversial legislation just supporting renewable energy.
Both the House and Senate bills revolve around the cap-and-trade system which limits carbon emissions whereby companies would need permits for every ton of carbon pollution they release into the atmosphere – then utilities and factories which do not use all their permits can trade, or sell them, to those companies who need more.
Discussing the issue, Ms. Browner played down the significance of having a climate change bill approved by both chambers and signed into law before the international climate negotiations begin in Copenhagen in December – where leaders will try to form an agreement to replace the 1997 Kyoto protocol to fight climate change.
“We will manage in Copenhagen wherever we are in the process” she said.
The House earlier this year passed legislation that would limit greenhouse emissions by requiring companies to acquire permits for the carbon dioxide they release into the atmosphere.
Any climate legislation in the Senate is likely to come across a battle seeing as lawmakers from heavy industrial states in both parties have already raised concerns about burdening companies with additional energy costs.
Source;
e-news @ newenergyfinance.com
link http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-GreenBusiness/idUSTRE59657620091007
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E.ON launches Two new Energy Tariffs
Gas and electricity supplier E.ON has today launched two new energy tariffs – however neither is good enough to make the energy supplier top the best buy tables for dual fuel customers, reports energychoices.co.uk.
E.ON Effective date 08.10.2009 Details Launch of Track and Save v3
E.ON Effective date 08.10.2009 Details Launch of Fixed Price Version 4 (to 1 December)
The energy comparison site suggests that these are ok tariffs – but nothing spectacular.
Tariff; Track and Save v3 guarantees customers that their gas and electricity prices will be cheaper than British Gas’s standard tariff – for existing E.ON customers – until 1 February 2011, and will also be free from exit penalties.
Tariff: Fixed Price v4 offers households the ability to fix their gas and electricity prices until 1 December 2010 – There is also no exit fee so customers can switch to an alternative energy supplier without penalty at any time.
Further features include the ability to manage their account online, to pay by monthly direct debit, cash or cheque for either tariff, and customers will also receive Tesco Clubcard points (where applicable) – However, neither tariff is available to prepayment meter customers or households on a restricted hours tariff, for example Economy 7.
Sources;
Energychoices.co.uk/ Energy News
http://www.energychoices.co.uk/eon-unveils-new-fixed-and-new-tracker-energy-tariffs-8102009.html
energypricebeater.com/ Latest Price Updates
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Scottish Power losses CCS Funding
Electricity and Natural Gas company, Scottish Power – a subsidiary of the Spanish utility Iberdrola – has lost out on funding for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) research, reports energyhelpline.com.
The energy firms Longannet power plant in Scotland was nominated to receive a share of £1 billion from the European Commission designated to help with the development of CCS technology – which is intended to reduce harmful emissions subsequently produced by burning coal, but was unsuccessful in its bid.
Nonetheless, officials remain hopeful that the power station will instead receive funding from the UK government through a CCS competition which has been set up by the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC).
The World Wildlife Fund acknowledged Longannet power plant as being the best place in the UK for CCS funding, and responding to the missed opportunity, the funds director, Richard Dixon stated:
“We sincerely hope it will get some form of support to properly test this technology soon, whether it is from Europe or as a winner of the UK government’s own CCS competition”
He also continued by saying that Scotland has a good position in becoming a world leader in the development of CCS technology.
Source;
Energyhelpline.com/ Gas and Electricity News
http://www.energyhelpline.com/news/article.aspx?aaid=19392387&y=2009&m=10&w=1&pid=1