Hear me out. Is the price rise good for climate change?

LADYXXMACBETH

Is the spike in gas, oil and electric good for the environment? 
Loads of people have cut their gas use, electricity use and maybe take less journeys in the car and it's because it's costing us all more. 
I have halved my energy use (and not because it's spring) I started in January. Plus there's more talk of more renewable energy going forward.
I had my heating at 20c before the price hike, it is now at 14c. I turn off lights in my house and have less baths and more showers. I've stopped using my tumble dryer and use the car much less. 
My bill has increased but my usage is down by 50% so the extra cost are almost being wiped out by my decrease in usage. 
Granted in October when it rises again it'll be more and I won't be able to reduce my use but this has to be a good thing for the planet. 
I understand that for some people they need to have the heating on at 20c or have medical equipment that needs power. But for the majority of able bodied people it's doable. 

I want it noted that I'm not a climate change enthusiast, it was just something I have thought about and wanted people's thoughts too. I suspect I will be told to shut up and not be stupid. Plus I do recognise that people are really struggling and it mainly a theoretical question. 

MattMattMattUK

LADYXXMACBETH said:

Is the spike in gas, oil and electric good for the environment? 
Loads of people have cut their gas use, electricity use and maybe take less journeys in the car and it's because it's costing us all more. 
I have halved my energy use (and not because it's spring) I started in January. Plus there's more talk of more renewable energy going forward.
I had my heating at 20c before the price hike, it is now at 14c. I turn off lights in my house and have less baths and more showers. I've stopped using my tumble dryer and use the car much less. 
My bill has increased but my usage is down by 50% so the extra cost are almost being wiped out by my decrease in usage. 
Granted in October when it rises again it'll be more and I won't be able to reduce my use but this has to be a good thing for the planet. 
I understand that for some people they need to have the heating on at 20c or have medical equipment that needs power. But for the majority of able bodied people it's doable. 

I want it noted that I'm not a climate change enthusiast, it was just something I have thought about and wanted people's thoughts too. I suspect I will be told to shut up and not be stupid. Plus I do recognise that people are really struggling and it mainly a theoretical question. 

No, it is not good for the environment. Whilst it has lead people to reduce gas and electricity consumption that change has been minimal. Combined with that is an increase in coal generation in Europe, together with people burning more stuff at home for heat (coal and wood).

In theory longer term it should accelerate the shift to renewables and nuclear, as well as increasing efficiency and slightly reducing usage, however investment in all of that is significantly below where it needs to be.

User_Name_1

The goverment say air heat pumps are good for the enviroment (upto 300% more efficent ?)
It would be intersesting to know how much using air heat pumps as opposed to gas boilers would effect the profits of the uk energy companies?


Do the UK energy suppliers make more profit from gas or electricy ?

shinytop

LADYXXMACBETH said:

Is the spike in gas, oil and electric good for the environment? 
Loads of people have cut their gas use, electricity use and maybe take less journeys in the car and it's because it's costing us all more. 
I have halved my energy use (and not because it's spring) I started in January. Plus there's more talk of more renewable energy going forward.
I had my heating at 20c before the price hike, it is now at 14c. I turn off lights in my house and have less baths and more showers. I've stopped using my tumble dryer and use the car much less. 
My bill has increased but my usage is down by 50% so the extra cost are almost being wiped out by my decrease in usage. 
Granted in October when it rises again it'll be more and I won't be able to reduce my use but this has to be a good thing for the planet. 
I understand that for some people they need to have the heating on at 20c or have medical equipment that needs power. But for the majority of able bodied people it's doable. 

I want it noted that I'm not a climate change enthusiast, it was just something I have thought about and wanted people's thoughts too. I suspect I will be told to shut up and not be stupid. Plus I do recognise that people are really struggling and it mainly a theoretical question. 

For me personally, no. I won't use significantly less energy to heat my house but I will be burning more coal and wood (bought and scavenged) rather than using my ASHP for everything.  I was considering getting an EV but expensive electricity blows my financial case so I'm putting that off.  I'll be using the (petrol) car more because with more than one traveler, it's cheaper than public transport and because energy is more expensive, I feel poorer and want to save money.  
  

Leon_W

I agree with quite a lot of your post Ladyxxmacbeth.

I get the point that, for some, it's going to be the straw that breaks the camels back, but for the vast majority, it's a case of cutting your cloth accordingly.

We have also reduced our energy consumption massively. Planning ahead for dry washing days so we don't use the tumble dryer. It's now cheaper for us to use our immersion heater (high in the tank) for a couple of showers a day rather than use gas to heat the whole tank for baths. More thought given to car journeys etc.

Reduced energy consumption has to be good for the environment, although it would be much better as a planned reduction rather than enforced through crippling price rises !

wrf12345

The industry and Ofgem are undermining Green thinking by inflicting huge increases in standing charges. The govn is not promoting low energy use because it wants the energy companies to get the money they have lost over the last year back. They previously ruined Ebico's business model (no standing charge and single rates for all users), taking out a meaningful segment of the competition. The govn handout in October will probably cover the increased standing charges, encouraging the industry to keep increasing them. There is no competition on rates or s/c's, the whole industry is a national disgrace.

wrf12345

"The goverment say air heat pumps are good for the enviroment (upto 300% more efficent ?)

It would be intersesting to know how much using air heat pumps as opposed to gas boilers would effect the profits of the uk energy companies?"

Air pumps are less efficient when most needed, when it is the coldest. If electric rates go down and gas rates up in October then heat pumps may be cheaper to run in theory but currently the cost of installation and purchase is quite frightening (I would say cartel pricing), outrageous pricing bolstered by govn grants.

The cheapest form of heating, if you have a source of wood, is the wood burner, and that is the least Green, so heavy gas prices may well result in more pollution, etc and innocent trees being felled.

Magnitio

For many years there has been an increasing number of warnings about climate change and the need to reduce energy usage and our reliance on fossil fuels. From reading the posts on this forum and others, it appears that a lot of people have completely ignored this and continued life as normal, or even increased (directly or indirectly) their consumption.. It has taken a rise in energy prices for many people to think about their usage. It shows that concerns about today and tomorrow are considered more important than the future climate and the associated issues that will impact us and our children over the coming years.

Ultrasonic

For me the answer is probably yes but I'd like to see far more prominent discussion about ways people can and should look to reduce their energy use to help both financially and environmentally. Yet again we've had a potential big jump in the price cap announced but with the impact discussed on the assumption that consumers would do nothing to reduce their energy consumption.

Are some people already working hard to reduce/minimise energy use? Absolutely. But I think there is huge scope for many more to do so.

Pete99

The climate will change whatever we do or don't do, it changes in cycles whether the planet's occupied or not.

Ultrasonic

Pete99 said:

The climate will change whatever we do or don't do, it changes in cycles whether the planet's occupied or not.

That is dangerously wrong as far as I'm concerned. The scientific evidence on this is overwhelmingly to the contrary.