Interesting links, articles, news and blog posts sent out to members on 08/09/22.
News: PM expected to reverse fracking ban as campaigners call for review’s release – Guardian Online
7 September 2022, Fiona Harvey. BEIS has been sitting on report delivered in early July into possible effect of fracking in UK:
News: Ofgem, BEIS releases the Electricity Networks Strategic Framework – Current News
6 September 2022, George Heynes. Ofgem and the UK Government have released The Electricity Networks Strategic Framework outlining how the energy network will transform in order to support the decarbonisation of the UK:
Link: https://www.current-news.co.uk/news/ofgem-beis-releases-the-electricity-networks-strategic-framework
News: Ukraine war: Russia to keep key gas pipeline to EU closed – BBC News Online
3 September 2022, Robert Plummer & Oliver Slow. Russia’s main gas pipeline to Europe will not reopen as planned on Saturday, adding to concerns about energy supplies this winter:
Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-62766867
Research briefing: Energy bills and the price cap – House of Commons Library
1 September 2022. This briefing provides background on energy bills and the price cap, further information on recent reforms to the cap methodology, and proposals for different approaches to price regulation:
Link: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-8081/
News: Energy UK backs scheme to cut down profits from renewable generators – City Am
1 September 2022, Nicholas Earl. Energy UK has called for nuclear plants and electricity generators to ditch their lucrative renewable obligation certificates (ROC) in favour of long-term deals with lower returns:
Link: https://www.cityam.com/energy-uk-backs-scheme-to-cut-down-profits-from-renewable-generators/
News: Ovo Energy boss proposes plan to stave off household bill crisis – BBC News Online
1 September 2022, Simon Jack. The boss of the UK’s third largest energy supplier has proposed a plan for the government to subsidise soaring gas and electricity bills:
Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-62742303
News: Don’t Pay UK: Why are Brits boycotting energy payments and what are the consequences? – Euro News
2 September 2022, Lottie Limb. More than 1.7 million UK households are planning to stop paying their energy bills next month, when the price cap takes an 80 per cent leap, new research suggests:
News: Centrica Moves Closer to Restarting UK’s Largest Gas Storage Site for Winter – Bloomberg
31 August 2022, Elena Mazneva. Centrica Plc won permission to restart Britain’s largest natural gas storage site this winter as Europe’s energy crisis intensifies:
News: Short-term energy market interventions – Cornwall Insight
30 August 2022, Tom Edwards. There is considerable concern about the availability and price of energy for this winter and those that follow. Cornwall Insight has been contributing to the policy discourse through our widely-referenced domestic Default Tariff Cap analysis:
Link: https://www.cornwall-insight.com/short-term-energy-market-interventions/
News: England housing strategy could consume over 100% of the nation’s carbon budget – Envirotec Magazine
August 2022. The UK government’s business as usual housing strategy could consume all of England’s cumulative carbon budget consistent with 1.5°C of heating by 2050, unless vital action is taken to rapidly reduce the ecological impacts of housing:
Link: https://envirotecmagazine.com/2022/08/23/england-housing-strategy-could-consume-over-100-of-the-nations-carbon-budget/
News: New government must act decisively to grip the energy crisis, says CBI – Envirotec Magazine
August 2022. New survey data from the CBI reveals the extent to which businesses, like households, are concerned about soaring energy costs. More than two-thirds of firms expect their energy costs to increase over the next quarter:
News: Industry reactions to Ofgem’s energy price cap increase – Current News
26 August 2022, George Heynes. With Ofgem revealing this morning that it would increase the energy price cap to £3,549 per year for dual fuel from 1 October, the news has been met with much debate across the energy sector:
Link: https://www.current-news.co.uk/news/industry-reacts-to-ofgems-increase-to-the-energy-price-cap
News: Price cap in need of urgent reform following energy bill hike – City AM
26 August 2022, Nicholas Earl. Energy specialist Cornwall Insight has reignited calls for the energy price cap to be reformed, following the latest hike in household energy bills this winter:
Link: https://www.cityam.com/price-cap-in-need-of-urgent-reform-following-energy-bill-hike/
News: Climate change: Russia burning huge amounts of gas, puzzling experts – BBC News Online
26 August 2022, Matt McGrath. As Europe’s energy costs skyrocket, Russia is burning off large amounts of natural gas, according to analysis shared with BBC News. They say the plant, near the border with Finland, is burning an estimated $10m (£8.4m) worth of gas every day:
Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-62652133
News: Huge rise in energy bills announced – BBC News Online
26 August 2022. Key developments on the energy crisis:
Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-62633742
Press release: Shell Energy Retail Limited to pay £537,000 for price cap overcharging – Ofgem
25 August 2022. Shell Energy Retail Limited is to refund and compensate 11,275 prepayment customer accounts it has overcharged on its default tariffs. The total amount of customer detriment to be refunded is £106,000. Refunds will be issued automatically to affected customers:
News: British Gas to donate 10% of profits to help cut bills – BBC News Online
25 August 2022, Daniel Thomas. British Gas is to donate 10% of its profits to help customers cope with soaring bills for the “duration of the energy crisis”. Its owner Centrica says the money will go into an existing support fund – trebling help available this winter for the poorest customers:
Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-62666221
News: REMA: electricity market design choices – Cornwall Insight
23 August 2022, Kate Mulvany. Electricity markets will serve as the foundation for the future GB energy system. This article examines some of the market design decisions that will be considered by the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements (REMA):
Link: https://www.cornwall-insight.com/rema-electricity-market-design-choices/
Decision: Review of competition in the electricity distribution connections market – Ofgem
24 August 2022. The next round of price controls (RIIO-ED2) for the electricity Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) will begin in April 2023, and will run until March 2028. As part of this process we will set outputs and incentives on the service that DNOs provide:
Link: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/decision-review-competition-electricity-distribution-connections-market