Energy news in general

Ildhund

Octopus Energy sparks £10bn demerger of tech arm Kraken

Scot_39

Solar enters the "constraint" payments gravy train.

Its a Telegraph article - as you might guess by the title - but have posted the PC MSN link as not behind a paywall - the numbers are not yet massive cf wind - but their forecast to grow by at least one quoted source if not NESO itself.

Miliband forced to pay solar farms to switch off

£102,500 Feb to June - to cut off 3.6 GWh of generation - so thats not even the remainig peak summer generation months yet to come. 

Although I did see their constraint for wind figure (£650m) - is actually one metric of balancing - from a site angry about the total cost to consumers - so not just pure constraint payment.

But if as forecast it does continue to grow - the days of generous domestic solar export rates (if not complete bans) (we have already seen some cut off peak rates this year) - at all but peak demand times - must surely be limited in any sensibly balanced approach - to prevent these payments to others.

Scot_39

UK’s wasted wind power laid bare by new Octopus tracking tool

https://www.rechargenews.com/markets-and-finance/uk-s-wasted-wind-power-laid-bare-by-new-octopus-tracking-tool/2-1-1842501

£649m in 6 months.

Well on track to beat last years £1bn by early Dec.

On route to NESOs £8bn in renewables costs, to balance grid, by 2030.

Last week's admission by Ofgem for £100 in charges for the £24bn approvals is not the only increases coming our way.


Sadly pushing zonal pricing, not the more obvious solution - which is simply to stop all curtailment payments in past and future license rounds.

Especially so when likes of Seagreen again gets a dishonorable mention - in curtailment 71% of time, increasing generated power cost four fold according to article - has a heavy share owned by SSE the same group as local TNO/DNO responsible for the local network / so in part the need for curtailment.

stripling

Scot_39 said:

Solar enters the "constraint" payments gravy train.

Its a Telegraph article - as you might guess by the title - but have posted the PC MSN link as not behind a paywall - the numbers are not yet massive cf wind - but their forecast to grow by at least one quoted source if not NESO itself.

Miliband forced to pay solar farms to switch off

£102,500 Feb to June - to cut off 3.6 GWh of generation - so thats not even the remainig peak summer generation months yet to come. 

Although I did see their constraint for wind figure (£650m) - is actually one metric of balancing - from a site angry about the total cost to consumers - so not just pure constraint payment.

But if as forecast it does continue to grow - the days of generous domestic solar export rates (if not complete bans) (we have already seen some cut off peak rates this year) - at all but peak demand times - must surely be limited in any sensibly balanced approach - to prevent these payments to others.

The 'Renewable Energy Foundation' was set up by Noel Edmonds and 'unnamed millionaires' to fight renewable energy. These f̶o̶s̶s̶i̶l̶ f̶u̶e̶l̶ l̶o̶b̶b̶y̶i̶s̶t̶s̶ er... 'organisations' have sprung up like mushrooms over the years - most link back to the same cluster of people which includes the Tufton St gang inc the 'Global Warming Policy Foundation and our fave Ms Watt Logic.  😁

Just an FYI for forumites to keep in mind. 

superkoopauk

Octopus in trouble with Ofgem

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/press-release/octopus-energy-pays-ps15million-prepayment-meter-billing-errors

Scot_39

The £102,500 figure was said to have come from NESO - who were specifically reformed into a standalone organization to meet the renewables targets set by the govt.

And Octopus then used a close but different £649 million figure - and they from the point of view of a renewables generator.

Inconvenient truths are sometimes just that, and not lies.

I am sure if NESO / Octopus management hasnt produced the figures they can take action against the respective sites.

The_Green_Hornet

Ed Miliband abandons plan to charge less for electricity in Scotland

Energy minister decides against ‘zonal pricing’ backed by Octopus founder but opposed by many other energy firms

Ed Miliband has abandoned plans to charge southern electricity users more than those in Scotland, after senior officials warned it could put off investors and make it more difficult to build renewables.

Sources have told the Guardian that the government has decided not to proceed with the scheme, known as “zonal pricing”, and that the decision will be announced once it has been signed off by the cabinet.

Ed Miliband abandons plan to charge less for electricity in Scotland | Energy industry | The Guardian

mmmmikey

The_Green_Hornet said:

Ed Miliband abandons plan to charge less for electricity in Scotland

Energy minister decides against ‘zonal pricing’ backed by Octopus founder but opposed by many other energy firms

Ed Miliband has abandoned plans to charge southern electricity users more than those in Scotland, after senior officials warned it could put off investors and make it more difficult to build renewables.

Sources have told the Guardian that the government has decided not to proceed with the scheme, known as “zonal pricing”, and that the decision will be announced once it has been signed off by the cabinet.

Ed Miliband abandons plan to charge less for electricity in Scotland | Energy industry | The Guardian

This headline show just how utterly ridiculous media reporting has become. When the proposals were being considered the headlines were shouting and making a fuss about how zonal pricing would make electricity supply a "postcode lottery" and pressurising Ed Miliband to leave things as they are. Now Ed Miliband has apparently made that decision this same scheme is reported as abandoning plans to charge less for electricity for Scotland.

Sadly, a sign of the times. The prevalent mood for the papers is not to look at the situation objectively (and take a position as appropriate) but just to complain about whatever happens (presumably "populist complaining" sells newspapers). No wonder the Aussies call us whinging Poms  

QrizB

mmmmikey said:

The_Green_Hornet said:

Ed Miliband abandons plan to charge less for electricity in Scotland

Energy minister decides against ‘zonal pricing’ backed by Octopus founder but opposed by many other energy firms

Ed Miliband has abandoned plans to charge southern electricity users more than those in Scotland, after senior officials warned it could put off investors and make it more difficult to build renewables.

Sources have told the Guardian that the government has decided not to proceed with the scheme, known as “zonal pricing”, and that the decision will be announced once it has been signed off by the cabinet.

Ed Miliband abandons plan to charge less for electricity in Scotland | Energy industry | The Guardian

This headline show just how utterly ridiculous media reporting has become. 

Also, the supporting calculations showed that Scotland might've saved 0.5p/kWh, which is about £1 a month for an average household. And folk in the south of England might've paid a similar amount more.

It was never a big deal.

Scot_39

There is no conflict, just a statement.

There was a plan for change, it may have been cancelled.

The problem if anything with Guardian headline attributing the decision to Miliband, as article clearly hints at others involvement.  

Edit

But he would be the one with egg on his face if August's AR7 - and any future en route to 95% by 2030 - goes badly.

Now if I was net zero devotee (the way UK doing it) the OBRs report and say the Telegraphs or Express's headlines re net zeros £800bn cost to taxpayers - thats arguably more obvious click bait, as 2/3rds is reminding govt they have a massive tax loss from EV drivers to fill - fuel duty and the VAT on it. 

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/net-zero-to-cost-taxpayers-800bn/ar-AA1Ifu2J?ocid=finance-verthp-feeds

But again it's the OBRs own headline figure unless tax policy changes (the transport select committee have recommended EVs move to road pricing for last couple of years for instance to recoup lost fuel duty + the 20% vat tax on that tax)

But that then leaves the third - over £200bn in actual costs.

And many people are getting increasingly vexed by it - and its an easy target for some.