Full extent of shale gas reserves revealed

adminBusiness Gas, Utilities Market Regulation, Wholesale Utilities Markets

Cuadrilla Resources estimates that up to 200 trillion cubic feet of gas lies underground near Blackpool. The company that halted the controversial ‘fracking’ process after a minor tremor near Blackpool earlier this year says that the resources found beneath the Northwest of England are extremely vast. Hydraulic Fracturing, or ‘fracking’, is a process which is enabling companies to extract gas … Read More

‘European super grid’ could cost £28 billion

adminBusiness Electricity, Energy Efficiency, International, Utilities Market Regulation, Wholesale Utilities Markets

A new ‘super grid’ for electricity that connects Britain to mainland Europe is being tabled as the solution to balancing international supply and demand. The new system would use cables laid under the sea, making it easier to connect offshore wind farms to the grid, eliminating the need for pylons that run from the countryside to the coast. It would … Read More

Jobs created by Obama’s green-tech program

adminBusiness Electricity, International, Utilities Market Regulation

The USA’s $38.6 billion “green-tech” program has so far only created a fraction of the green jobs that were promised. Various media outlets around the world are reporting on what’s becoming known as the Solyndra Scandal. Solyndra was a company that made solar panels, and was funded by Obama’s green-tech subsidy program. “The future is here” said Mr. Obama, when … Read More

Leaked letter says bills could increase 30%

Web MasterEnergy Efficiency, Utilities Market Regulation, Wholesale Utilities Markets

A letter from the Prime Minister’s Senior Policy Adviser suggests current energy policy could add 30% onto household energy bills. In a letter leaked to the Telegraph, from Prime Minister’s advisers Ben Moxham and Gila Sacks, there are claims 30% increases in household bills could be seen by 2020. Senior Policy Adviser Ben Moxham said claims by the Department of … Read More

Ofgem to investigate big six profits

Web MasterUtilities Market Regulation, Wholesale Utilities Markets

Energy industry regulator Ofgem has stepped up its investigation into how the top UK energy suppliers make their profits The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (OFGEM) has hired forensic accountants BDO to scrutinise how the top UK energy suppliers make their profit. BDO will look at the trading profits, wholesale prices and hedging practices at British Gas, E.ON Energy, … Read More

British Gas fined £2.5m by Ofgem

adminBusiness Electricity, Business Gas, Utilities Market Regulation

The industry regulator, Ofgem, has fined British Gas due to ‘basic failures’ found in its procedure for handling customer complaints. The energy giant British Gas was fined the amount after being found it was not re-opening cases that its clients had indicated were still not resolved. This comes only shortly after British Gas Business, the commercial-only arm of the firm, … Read More