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Posts under ‘Business Electricity’

‘Big six’ make small price reductions

All of the big six energy suppliers have now cut their prices, following electricity and gas price rises in the second part of 2011. All of the largest players in the energy market have now cut their standard domestic tariffs to some extent, but all of them have made reductions that amount to a fraction [...]

PAC publishes report on Smart Meters

The Public Accounts Committee has published their MPs report on the preparations for the rollout of Smart Meters for all homes and businesses. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is responsible for overseeing government expenditures to ensure that they work in the public interest. The Smart Meter rollout is expected to cost £11.7 billion, and the [...]

Which? calls for halt to smart meter rollout

The consumer group Which? has today called for “an immediate halt to the smart meter roll-out” as it believes a full review of the plans are needed before the second phase starts in 2014. As we reported back in March last year, the DECC has already set out its plans for a nationwide smart meter [...]

5,000 Solar firms go bust in Germany in 2011

Germany’s once booming solar power industry is declining at an alarming rate, with 20,000 jobs being lost in 2011 alone. Germany once had the biggest solar industry in the world, providing around 150,000 jobs by 2010, but that bubble seems to be starting to burst, as demand for solar technology drops, government subsidies are cut [...]

The main problem with wind turbines

32,000 new turbines are planned, but how many understand the major flaw with the UK’s most popular renewable energy source? It seems at first glance to be the perfect solution to an ever-growing problem. Like the sun, the wind never ‘runs out’, and each turbine we build in the UK provides a little bit more [...]

Ofgem wants ‘better protection for businesses’

In a press release on Monday, Ofgem proposed new measures designed to shake up the business energy market, and encourage energy suppliers and brokers to provide a better service.

Rising gas prices push up energy bills

Wholesale natural gas prices are 40 per cent higher than they were this time last year. Despite criticism that green taxes and subsidies are pushing up energy prices, Ofgem remain certain that it is rising wholesale electricity prices that are to blame. An Ofgem report stated that wholesale gas is now 40% costlier than it [...]

Chris Huhne attacks critics

The Energy & Climate Change Secretary has called renewable energy critics ‘curmudgeons and faultfinders’ and says they are ‘selling Britain’s ingenuity short’. Chris Huhne seems to never be out of the spotlight. A couple of weeks ago he was slamming those who doubt the cost-effectiveness of renewable energy sources, such as wind power, and last [...]

‘Keep switching’, says Huhne at Energy summit

The UK has “relatively good electricity and gas prices”, the Energy Secretary said at the Energy Summit held on 17 October 2011. Mr Huhne said on Radio 4′s Today programme, that energy companies were “not the Salvation Army”. He added “We expect them to earn respectable returns for their shareholders but they need to be [...]

Nuclear is cheapest ‘low carbon’ energy source

Energy secretary gives the green light to nuclear development, despite fears over the management of nuclear waste. In a speech to the Royal Society today, energy secretary Chris Huhne confirmed that the UK is to continue with its plan to build new nuclear power plants that was set in motion by the current Labour Party [...]