It’s been another busy week in the office and in the energy sector. The government have made some key decisions which are sure to affect the price we pay for our energy. We’ve also heard the first rumblings of Brexit affecting energy prices, which was predicted some time ago. But it’s not all doom and gloom… Here are our ramblings on a Friday afternoon!
Nathan Rao take a bow!
Last week saw the annual ‘coldest winter on record’ headline from the Daily Express. Some joker (Nathan Rao) at the newspaper has yet again warned us that we are facing ‘FOUR MONTHS’ of snow and sub-zero temperatures. In perhaps the vaguest article of all time, we are told that the weather could change over the winter period and it may even get colder. There’s also a ‘possibility of a White Christmas’ (!!!!) Clearly, we would never suggest that The Express prints anything other than hard facts… But luckily, if their claims do turn out to be true, we’ve got tons of tips to help you keep warm in a cold snap!
Fuel prices set to rise
The pound has fallen to its lowest level since the financial crisis and this will have a direct impact on fuel prices. With the closure of the UK’s coal-powered plants, we are increasingly reliant on importing gas from countries such as Norway. As the pound falls, the cost of importing gas increases. This means fuel prices will rise too – a 5% price hike is expected in the next few months. With the Big Six energy companies expected to announce new higher rates in the next few weeks, saving energy will become more important than ever consumers. Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered!
HS2
The new high-speed rail line has been confirmed this week by Chris Grayling, the UK’s energy secretary. The hugely controversial project is estimated to cost a healthy £50billion and we can’t help thinking the money could be better spent elsewhere – renewable energy would be a good place to start!
Hinkley Point C given the green light
After years of set-backs and negotiations, final authorisation has been given to start building Hinkley Point C nuclear power station. It will not be operational for some time (sometime in 2025 according to latest reports), but is expected to provide 7% of Britain’s electricity needs for 60 years. Read about our reservations here.
And in the office…
We have been neglecting our social media accounts for a long time now. Luckily, we now have Ollie here to update the outside world on the latest energy saving news, products and tips. Send him any questions via Twitter or Facebook and he’ll be happy to help!
We went to Canary Wharf this week to visit Polysolar, a company which produces solar glass. BIPV- or Building Integrated Pholtovoltaics – is a growing industry, combining aesthetics and functionality. It centres on optimising solar panels for use in the fabric of a property, rather than being tacked on. Polysolar has been at the forefront of developing new technologies for almost a decade. Its next product will be fully transparent super-thin solar panels which can be used as windows or on any part of the building. You can read all about the technology in next week’s blog.
That’s us signing off for this week. Enjoy your weekends!
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