Electricity price hike

[epsilonGreedy]

1 hour ago, SteamyTea said:

I think we should keep a list of the smaller/newer energy companies that get mentioned in the news.  These will probably be the ones that vanish.

 

Heard Dale Vince earlier, so will Ecotricty survive (does depend on the government bailout).

And Chris Burk from Colorado Energy.

 

Do some of the smaller suppliers lack the infrastructure to read smart meters?

 

I ask because when I get quotes from the smaller outfits they often state manual meter readings will be required.

[George]

4 hours ago, Ferdinand said:

 

When did you start?

 

I  thought the first FiTs in UK were ending in around 2033-34 (2008 - 2010 plus 25 years)).

Pretty sure it was a 7 year agreement.  

 

I need to look into it again, really. 

[Ferdinand]

4 minutes ago, George said:

Pretty sure it was a 7 year agreement.  

 

I need to look into it again, really. 

 

Yes I would be interested too.

 

Mine went in in 2016 I think, and is 20 years.

[SteamyTea]

6 minutes ago, George said:

Pretty sure it was a 7 year agreement

RHI is 7 years, original FiT was 20 years, payments index linked and free from taxation.

[oldkettle]

13 minutes ago, George said:

Pretty sure it was a 7 year agreement.  

 

I need to look into it again, really. 

 

This sounds like an RHI, not FIT

[Ferdinand]

22 minutes ago, SteamyTea said:

RHI is 7 years, original FiT was 20 years, payments index linked and free from taxation.

 

Pendant mode, but original FIT was 25 years, which then became 20.

[SteamyTea]

5 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

 

Pendant mode, but original FIT was 25 years, which then became 20.

Yes, I forgot the 25 years ran for a couple of years.

 

I wonder how much some companies are willing to pay for homegrown power at the moment.

Edited September 20, 2021 by SteamyTea

[epsilonGreedy]

Today a Government Minster claims...

 

Quote

No chance lights will go out

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58620167

 

About as reassuring as that other haggard 10 Downing Street phrase "the Prime Minister has every confidence in the Minister of".

 

Is it time to start a thread on candle prices?

[scottishjohn]

I,m just glad I started a fixed tariff deal for 3years last month 

[SteamyTea]

1 hour ago, scottishjohn said:

I,m just glad I started a fixed tariff deal for 3years last month 

It better be with a large company that can easily raise billions on the stock market.

[scottishjohn]

Just now, SteamyTea said:

It better be with a large company that can easily raise billions on the stock market.

edf

[SteamyTea]

3 minutes ago, scottishjohn said:

edf

Should be ok.

Oh hang on, aren't they in hock to the French Government for over £20bn.

I am with EDF, always found their prices reasonable.

[Dave Jones]

I do like the look of the bladeless wind powered gens. Should be more productive than solar as it has the possibility to generate 24x7

 

https://vortexbladeless.com/

 

 

[AliG]

12 hours ago, epsilonGreedy said:

You say offshore wind is more dependable which is true however the availability capacity of offshore wind is still well below 50%. For most of the past month wind power has contributed 10% of its BBC Headline installed capacity.

It is worth noting that installed capacity is very misleading figure to use when talking about wind power.

 

Expected capacity factor for onshore and is around 30% and for offshore wind is around 50%.

 

This is averaged over a year. The 30% average would tend to be around 20% in summer when there is less wind and 40% in winter.

 

Thus wind turbines recently have been maybe producing around 50% of their expected output, not the 10% number that the media will use to make things sound worse (which they love to do)

 

The expected cost of wind energy is based on these capacity factors and the headline capacity is somewhat irrelevant. It is just the maximum output.

 

In the same way, my 5kw solar array generates around 3500-4000kWh a year. It has a capacity of 43800kwh 24hrs x 365days x 5kw, so it runs at less than 10% of capacity. Of course as it cannot generate electricity during the night, for example, then the capacity number is again not really relevant.

 

[George]

15 hours ago, oldkettle said:

 

This sounds like an RHI, not FIT

Just checked - it is a 20 year agreement. I have my own RHI payment on a heat pump... 

 

So... It was my mum who signed up and paid for the panels (my parents and I now share ownership but they were full ownership at the time). The paperwork I have here is with EDF. I have actually changed electricity supplier for the house supply a few times over the years. Presumably that's not a problem? EDF just look at the generation meter and carry on paying FIT rates? 

Edited September 21, 2021 by George

[SteamyTea]

1 minute ago, George said:

Presumably that's not a problem

Should not be, your imports and exports are treated differently, separate accounts with whoever you want.

[ProDave]

You FIT contract is at a set price (depending when the panels were installed) so there would be no benefit to you whatsoever moving the FIT to another provider.  So just keep it where it is and keep providing the meter readings.

[Bitpipe]

I'm with Green, hopes are not high they will survive. Was previously with Tonik and got ported to Scottish Power when they went pop.

 

I note the Govt are pushing a 'the lights will not go out' message which is a nice diversion.

[Gone West]

15 hours ago, Ferdinand said:

 

Pendant mode, but original FIT was 25 years, which then became 20.

Yes, apparently mine were installed in 2011 and have a 25 year payment period.

[LSB]

13 hours ago, Dave Jones said:

I do like the look of the bladeless wind powered gens. Should be more productive than solar as it has the possibility to generate 24x7

 

https://vortexbladeless.com/

 

 

I wonder when this will be available and how much it will cost, and more importantly how reliable it will be

I love the idea of having this, but looking at their site it doesn't look like it is going to be any time soon.

 

[ProDave]

11 minutes ago, LSB said:

I wonder when this will be available and how much it will cost, and more importantly how reliable it will be

I love the idea of having this, but looking at their site it doesn't look like it is going to be any time soon.

 

I suspect it will disappoint.  A bit like vertical axis wind turbines look an attractive idea until you look at the details and they are not as efficient as a conventional turbine.

[epsilonGreedy]

11 hours ago, AliG said:

It is worth noting that installed capacity is very misleading figure to use when talking about wind power.

...

The expected cost of wind energy is based on these capacity factors and the headline capacity is somewhat irrelevant. It is just the maximum output.

 

 

Which is the point I have been trying to make for months if not years. The problem is there is a collusion between climate change activist organizations like the BBC and the wind industry to fool the general public into thinking we are making more progress with renewables than is the case. I am fed up with BBC journalists claiming that a new windfarm will supply all the electricity for a city like Edinburgh when the truth is that on a few days each year when there is half a gale blowing across Scotland the new wind farm will briefly provide the city with all its electricity.

 

11 hours ago, AliG said:

Thus wind turbines recently have been maybe producing around 50% of their expected output, not the 10% number that the media will use to make things sound worse (which they love to do)

 

 

This is another trap people fall into. Perhaps there is a glossy brochure from a wind turbine manufacturer that claims their latest mega turbine operates at 50% capacity at a choice spot in the north sea, however the renewables industry has been operating long enough for it to be assessed on what it delivers today. Today those figures are something like 27% availability for onshore and 38% offshore. On any day or week the actual figure can drop to 5% or 10% as the current crisis illustrates.

 

When Mrs Jones of Trawsfynydd lights her candle in the middle of a blackout this winter is offers no comfort to tell her "don't worry dear, in 30 years times when all the existing turbines have been replaced availability to have climbed to 50%.

 

[epsilonGreedy]

14 hours ago, Dave Jones said:

I do like the look of the bladeless wind powered gens. Should be more productive than solar as it has the possibility to generate 24x7

 

https://vortexbladeless.com/

 

 

I had one of those for years, the mast on my yacht would vibrate for hours in some wind directions.

[bgmill]

Those vibrating blades are a nice idea but I think they would draw your attention too much unless placed somewhere inconspicuous (which defeats the object somewhat). I've been keeping an eye on this project:

 

https://www.halcium.com/

[Ferdinand]

1 hour ago, bgmill said:

Those vibrating blades are a nice idea but I think they would draw your attention too much unless placed somewhere inconspicuous (which defeats the object somewhat). I've been keeping an eye on this project:

 

https://www.halcium.com/

 

To me at present this is no 48 in the parade of microwind red herrings.

 

I have seen nothing so far that suggests it will be practical.