water energy & environment’s regular section brings you an eight-week overview of the latest analysis of the power and gas markets from Energy Trader Daily. Following the recent market slump caused by a combination of the excess gas flows in the system, healthy storage levels, warm temperature forecasts and low demand levels, prices at the Read more…
Take part in our energy performance survey
Click to participate The Energy Saving Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) is the UK government’s proposed approach to meeting the requirements set out in Article 8 EU Energy Efficiency Directive. The Directive requires all EU member states to introduce a programme of regular energy audits for large organisations. All qualifying organisations will have to conduct an audit Read more…
Are boiler controls a good idea?
The short answer to this is “yes, of course they are”. Boilers potentially consume a great deal of energy so they need to be controlled effectively. To that end there are several “layers” of boiler control commonly in use and it is important to understand what each can achieve – and the limitations of each. Read more…
Getting to grips with our energy future
So here we are coming up to just a year before the election and the coalition is still struggling with how to get us towards the low carbon future without pricing industry out of Britain and without scaring away support from their traditional voters. A lot has happened to change the energy landscape since they Read more…
Energy budgeting: more important and difficult than ever
The founder of the famous consulting firm Mckinsey & Co, James Mckinsey, first highlighted the importance of budgets as not just “a ledger activity” but a business tool around which a company should be based writes Dorian Nineberg, chartered accountant and managing director of Pulse Business Energy. As a result of reforms such as EMR, energy Read more…
A kingdom united or a country on the fracking brink?
The discovery and introduction of the unconventional gas from shale rock formations, has dramatically altered the landscape of the US energy market. The development of this gas, via the fracturing of sedimentary rocks, increased the United States’ production of its own gas, making the world’s largest economy more than just energy independent (with regards to Read more…
Entries now open for the Energy Awards 2014
The Energy Awards are back for 2014 and bigger than ever. This year we have revamped the 15 categories and moved to a bigger, central London venue. The awards continue to aim to reward the achievements of companies cutting emissions and leading the way in innovative energy use. So whether you are an end user, Read more…
Ofgem investigates the state of competition in the energy market
Ofgem has called for the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to investigate the market to consider once and for all whether there are further barriers to effective competition. Profit increases and recent price rises have intensified public distrust of suppliers and highlight the need for a market investigation to clear the air. Ofgem’s reforms have Read more…
Building the evidence base
Increasingly, making the best decision relies on convincing decision makers that there is some evidence supporting a proposal, as ESTA’s Richard Hipkiss explains. After the wettest winter on record, and as the flood waters recede agonisingly slowly, thoughts turn from managing the disruption to mitigation (and to a certain extent, to adaptation). Forecasting also comes Read more…
Energy Triads – a great way to cut costs
Darren Lennon, head of strategic clients at npower, shares updates on the National Grid’s annual Triad announcement. The recent Triad announcement from the National Grid has come as something of a surprise, with a Triad occurring on a Friday afternoon for the first time since 1972. Triads are the top three half-hour peaks of energy Read more…
F-Gas changes approaching – but what will they really mean?
Mike Nankivell, marketing director for the UK Daikin distributor Space Airconditioning plc, comments on recent developments with the F-Gas regulation review. The European Parliament recently approved the final text on revisions to the F-Gas regulation by a significant majority, endorsing political agreement reached at the end of 2013. The final stage in the process, prior Read more…
Largest ever installation of solar panels at a British airport
London Southend Airport has demonstrated its commitment to self-generation with the largest ever installation of solar panels at a British airport. Britain’s largest solar installation to date at an airport has been completed at Stobart Group’s London Southend Airport as part of a £10m terminal expansion by Kier Construction. The expanded terminal’s range of shops, Read more…
What did the budget 2014 mean for the UK energy sector?
John Peters, managing director, Engage Consulting takes a closer look at how the budget 2014 impacts the UK energy sector. In the budget the Chancellor not only painted a positive outlook for the economy, he included several measures that will impact and support the energy sector – ranging from regulatory policy, to financial incentives for energy Read more…
Bogus products – Too good to be true? Part2
The concluding part of an article in which Vilnis Vesma describes the hallmarks of bogus energy-saving products and how to resist sales pressure. In the previous issue I discussed five of the 10 hallmarks of a suspect product offering: failure to adhere to the known laws of science; implausible percentage savings claims; extreme ease of installation; Read more…
Bogus products – Too good to be true? Part1
The first instalment of a two-part article in which Vilnis Vesma discusses the hallmarks of bogus energy-saving products and how to deal with their pushy salesmen. Some energy-saving products and techniques always work: fitting a properly sized, high-efficiency electric motor, for example. Some, like condensing boilers and voltage reduction, only work in the right circumstances. Some Read more…
Energy efficiency: money for nothing without subsidy
The idea that companies need to be bribed to even consider the idea of saving money has become imbedded in the corporate culture, argues Energy Managers Association CEO Lord Redesdale. When financing energy efficiency, one is investing in something ethereal. Something that does not exist yet has a high value. This has always been the Read more…
UK enters ‘defining decade’ for nuclear
A major new independent report, Power from Nuclear presents the latest evidence on what new nuclear has to offer the UK, highlighting strategic priorities for politicians and policy makers. It comes as the Government, backed by broad political consensus, lays the ground for new nuclear power led by the private sector. Chaired by former Energy Minister, Charles Hendry Read more…
Market report
water energy & environment’s new regular section brings you an eight-week overview of the latest market analysis of the power and gas markets from Energy Trader Daily. The front season gas contract (NBP summer’14) has extended its southbound trades on the year to over 8p/th in 2014, having traded relatively sideways in the first half Read more…
The budget 2014 helps energy intensives
In an effort to help manufacturing and to militate against energy price rises the Chancellor added measures into the latest budget. A freeze of the carbon floor price, help for energy intensive industries and a much needed acknowledgement of the benefits of CHP. George Osborne Chancellor of the Exchequer, “A resilient economy is a more Read more…
Powering tomorrow
‘Source, generate, supply’ is the model the pioneering Drax Group now operates. The group has three principal businesses – Drax Biomass, Drax Power, and Haven Power, – working together as one group with the same shared commitment, to provide low carbon, cost-effective and reliable renewable power well into the future. But what does this mean Read more…