Energy news in general

HillStreetBlues

molerat said:

Something to make you weep

Found whilst rummaging in my stored files from 2004

Just looked at my oldest electric bill, dare I say it but didn't have s SC!

molerat

HillStreetBlues said:

molerat said:

Something to make you weep

Found whilst rummaging in my stored files from 2004

Just looked at my oldest electric bill, dare I say it but didn't have s SC!

No SC or hidden SC ?

HillStreetBlues

molerat said:

HillStreetBlues said:

molerat said:

Something to make you weep

Found whilst rummaging in my stored files from 2004

Just looked at my oldest electric bill, dare I say it but didn't have s SC!

No SC or hidden SC ?

No actual SC but dual rate. I wouldn't call it a hidden (maybe classed it as included) SC as different way to pay it and could calculate if that method of paying worked out better for me.
It couldn't have been worth it for me as I changed to a supplier with a SC a month later.

MeteredOut

Xbigman said:

At the other extreme (the good bit starts at 16 mins 24 secs)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9ullm7VinI


Darren

"the good bit"?

Its just some Americans whinging about being ripped off by their energy company, that the bills are lies to hide where the money is really going, and ranting about excessive CEO payouts. 

Much like a few posts on this board.

I'd like to say I wasted time watching it so others don't have to, but I could only stand it for a couple of minutes for fear of sticking my foot through my monitor

The_Green_Hornet

High electricity bill taxes holding us back, say industry groups

Make UK tells government that prices threaten to derail industrial strategy as Energy UK calls for charges to be ‘rebalanced’

The UK government is being pressed to wipe billions from the energy costs facing households and heavy industry by reforming the high taxes levied on electricity bills.

These policy levies mean the UK pays some of the highest energy bills in the world, and are simultaneously disadvantaging British industry and stifling the efforts of households to transition to lower-carbon heating systems, according to industry trade groups.

Make UK has warned that the government’s long-awaited industrial policy is at risk of being derailed by the high energy prices charged to UK manufacturers, which the lobby group states make the sector’s energy bills 46% higher than the global average.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jun/02/high-electricity-bill-taxes-holding-us-back-say-industry-groups

MattMattMattUK

The_Green_Hornet said:

High electricity bill taxes holding us back, say industry groups

Make UK tells government that prices threaten to derail industrial strategy as Energy UK calls for charges to be ‘rebalanced’

The UK government is being pressed to wipe billions from the energy costs facing households and heavy industry by reforming the high taxes levied on electricity bills.

These policy levies mean the UK pays some of the highest energy bills in the world, and are simultaneously disadvantaging British industry and stifling the efforts of households to transition to lower-carbon heating systems, according to industry trade groups.

Make UK has warned that the government’s long-awaited industrial policy is at risk of being derailed by the high energy prices charged to UK manufacturers, which the lobby group states make the sector’s energy bills 46% higher than the global average.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jun/02/high-electricity-bill-taxes-holding-us-back-say-industry-groups

The immediate solution to their complaint, which is currently being considered, is moving all the green levies to gas. It would seem to make the most sense as it would further incentivise the installation of heat pumps, EVs, solar etc. 

WiserMiser

MeteredOut said:

Xbigman said:

At the other extreme (the good bit starts at 16 mins 24 secs)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9ullm7VinI


Darren

"the good bit"?

Its just some Americans whinging about being ripped off by their energy company, that the bills are lies to hide where the money is really going, and ranting about excessive CEO payouts. 

Much like a few posts on this board.

I'd like to say I wasted time watching it so others don't have to, but I could only stand it for a couple of minutes for fear of sticking my foot through my monitor

If you'd had the patience to stay for the relevant part you'd have learned that all the surcharges  on electricity bills in the US far exceed the cost of the electricity used.  It makes our standing charges and net zero surcharges look like small beer.

That's a fair point to highlight.

Scot_39

MattMattMattUK said:

The_Green_Hornet said:

High electricity bill taxes holding us back, say industry groups

Make UK tells government that prices threaten to derail industrial strategy as Energy UK calls for charges to be ‘rebalanced’

The UK government is being pressed to wipe billions from the energy costs facing households and heavy industry by reforming the high taxes levied on electricity bills.

These policy levies mean the UK pays some of the highest energy bills in the world, and are simultaneously disadvantaging British industry and stifling the efforts of households to transition to lower-carbon heating systems, according to industry trade groups.

Make UK has warned that the government’s long-awaited industrial policy is at risk of being derailed by the high energy prices charged to UK manufacturers, which the lobby group states make the sector’s energy bills 46% higher than the global average.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jun/02/high-electricity-bill-taxes-holding-us-back-say-industry-groups

The immediate solution to their complaint, which is currently being considered, is moving all the green levies to gas. It would seem to make the most sense as it would further incentivise the installation of heat pumps, EVs, solar etc. 

Domestically and maybe many SMEs for heating etc.

Of course for many industries gas increases would be bad news too.  Furnaces, forges, kilns etc.

 The move of green levies from electric to gas has been mooted for at least the last 4 years.

Under the last govt and has again hit headlines in recent days.

There is talk of an approx 15% rise in gas and pro rata cut in electric in some articles - but it all depends which - if any - levies are included in move.

And there has even been talk of phasing  the change over upto 10 years so any change might not be immediate as manufacturers hope.

So roughly how much could they be talking about domestically well just one estimate From last Apr 

https://bmmagazine.co.uk/news/claire-coutinho-mulls-overhaul-of-green-levies-on-electricity-bills/

"Currently, green levies contribute around £142 to the average electricity bill, compared to just £46 for gas bills, primarily due to charges associated with renewable energy schemes and bill support for low-income households."

In theory duel fuel homes might tend to be cost neutral depending on fuel balance and all electric gain - but as usual the devil will be in the detail.

Others argue shuffling from line a to line B is pointless (sound familiar) in terms of cutting costs and the green levies should be funded by general taxation - domestic and business (which then largely falls on profit not integral part of operating costs).

MeteredOut

WiserMiser said:

MeteredOut said:

Xbigman said:

At the other extreme (the good bit starts at 16 mins 24 secs)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9ullm7VinI


Darren

"the good bit"?

Its just some Americans whinging about being ripped off by their energy company, that the bills are lies to hide where the money is really going, and ranting about excessive CEO payouts. 

Much like a few posts on this board.

I'd like to say I wasted time watching it so others don't have to, but I could only stand it for a couple of minutes for fear of sticking my foot through my monitor

If you'd had the patience to stay for the relevant part you'd have learned that all the surcharges  on electricity bills in the US far exceed the cost of the electricity used.  It makes our standing charges and net zero surcharges look like small beer.

That's a fair point to highlight.

I watched from where I was told "the good bit" was. It was simply people whinging about energy costs, and making silly claims, so I stopped watching.

But, the US has a completely different energy market, and how that market splits its bills between what it calls energy used and what it calls surcharges has no bearing on the market here. The overall cost people pay is probably slight more relevant, but not in any meaningful way.

QrizB

MeteredOut said:

But, the US has a completely different energy market, and how that market splits its bills between what it calls energy used and what it calls surcharges has no bearing on the market here. The overall cost people pay is probably slight more relevant, but not in any meaningful way.

If the UK moved to a US-style model it would just rearrange the where the costs fell.

Take the curent price cap as an example. 25.73p/kWh and 51.37p/day SC for the median TDCV of 2700kWh/yr works out as £694.71 for energy used and £187.50 for SC.

If we cut 15p off the unit price, so 10.73p/kWh, the energy cost would fall by £405/yr to £289.71 but the SC would increase by the same amount to £592.50/yr, £1.62 a day.

I can already imagine the outcry from certain regulars on this forum!