Is anyone else doing all their hoovering today before the prices go up tomorrow? Probably just me I'm hoping if I hoover hard enough it will last all winter. That and brushing the dog outside twice a week.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
I fixed last April,2 years with octopus, economy 7,21p day 12p night,and as you know had solar panels in March, with "green" local authority deal,BUT octopus still haven't sorted the export tarrif. Smart meter and inverter app show different amounts. I know I will get a nasty shock next April!
This is a talk from my neighbourhood tonight. An energy bod form UCL. It didn't set the room a light (the audio is dismal) but there might be something useful here to garner. Big slides with clearer graphics and keys would have been useful. View from Min 7 to min 50.
I would say that in a nutshell, the talk says - our energy sources are globalised and so we in the Uk have little control over them. Wind is the most reliable and stable source for the UK. Gas sources and prices are hostage to market vagueries, wars, crises, traders trying to make a killing. Nuclear crises/maintenance can suddenly pull sources out for years without notice.
He seems to suggest that UK lec use is falling. Coal is obsolete and not really relevant to forecasts any more. Interesting that he says high level house insulation generally makes a house harder to cool in the summer. I thought the opposite was true.
@raisingirl@wild edges - I can imagine Mr WE and RG might disagree with most of the talk.
The reporting is suggesting that the cost of the energy caps will be anywhere between £72bn to £140bn (£1000 per household this year and £2000 next year), and all of that will be ultimately paid for out of our taxes rather than from windfall taxes on the energy firms who are just pocketing all that money. If they gave me my £3000 up front plus the £5000 heat pump grant I could be gas-free by Christmas with the option to add some solar PV as well.
Summer cooling is a big topic and a lot depends on where you are because of local air quality, security and huge number of factors about building construction and orientation. Even at a basic level our houses often aren't designed for adding things like external shutters just because we generally have windows that open outwards. Reducing solar heat gain permanently is also not a good idea as we need that more throughout the year for the free heat.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
Did anyone watch the BBC documentary this week regarding Drax power station? We live in a windy area,I can see a giant windfarm from the front garden,many many times,they aren't moving.
Overheating is a significant issue as heatwaves become more common and more severe. Insulation is not the issue. Better airtightness has a bigger impact, but it would be really stupid to suggest we should build houses to be draughty rather putting in a proper ventilation system. Only someone with a vested interest in building shoddy housing would advocate that. Building regulations have just (only just) addressed it - first attempt. It will develop as we learn more about it
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
You may or may not be interested, but the French Govt. have asked the nationals this: (As seen in The Connexion)
France sets out winter energy saving plan for residents and businesses
Brief cuts to electric radiators at peak times, money for car-sharing and added financial incentives for home working – we outline the key proposals being announced this afternoon
6 October 2022 17:05
France’s plan de sobriété énergétique aims to reduce the country’s energy consumption by 10% Pic: F8 studio / Shutterstock
By Thomas Brent
An €800million plan to save energy this winter in France so as to avoid power cuts or gas shortages is being outlined by the government this afternoon (October 6).
The announcement of the plan de sobriété énergétique is being made by nine different ministers as well as the prime minister, Élisabeth Borne, in a series of speeches.
Ms Borne is then due to give a roundup of the announcements early this evening.
Dozens of different measures are being set out across several sectors including energy, transport, housing, business, public services, sports and tourism.
France’s Energy Transition Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher said that she was looking for companies, public services and local authorities to take responsibility for saving energy. She said that “there will be no temperature police” checking homes and businesses but asked for responsible action by all.
Several key measures have already been announced, others are expected later today. These include:
Asking residents to reduce electricity waste at home by turning off appliances that are not used and limiting heating to 19C in main rooms or 17C in bedrooms. A major public information campaign to provide details is to launch on October 10
Very short cuts (around 10 minutes) to electric radiators during peak electricity periods
Cutting or reducing public lighting at certain hours
Offering people a €100 bonus for using car-sharing services (the final amount has not yet been confirmed). Specific car-pooling lanes on French roads are also being considered, along with the possibility of free car parks near motorways.
Encouraging people to work from home and increasing the daily work-from-home compensation rate by 15% (the precise increase is yet to be confirmed)
Switching off neon shop signs and advertisements during the night or after the shop or venue closes
Lowering the temperatures in public buildings
Carrying out rapid small renovations on public buildings to make them more energy efficient – a budget of €150million has been set aside for this
A 30-step plan to reduce energy consumption in the public sector in four areas: buildings, travel and transport, purchasing and digital technology
France is at risk of electricity shortages this winter due to a combination of factors, including the war in Ukraine and the fact that over half of the country’s nuclear reactors are currently offline.
This was inevitable in the UK, the greens getting their way, no fracking,no sea oil, no nuclear, on another forum, folk don't realise gas used to make electricity. We have a wind farm near us, if its very windy, they are turned off, and on still days........Watched the documentary on BBC this week regarding Drax power station, buying (and lying) regarding wood pelletts, stripping forests in Canada, and pumping out far more CO2 than the gas did.Because its NIMBY, it doesn't count on our table.Fire, we have cavity wall insulation, (it was already here) it does help keep the place cool in summer Disagree that wind is the most sustainable here, what about tidal!Tui34, we carry out these measures anyway, to save our dosh, but you will always get the folk, who don't give a monkeys!
Posts
Lec
27.84p/kWh
standing charge 35.86p/day
6.99p/kWh
Standing charge 25.92p/day
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
(As seen in The Connexion)
France sets out winter energy saving plan for residents and businesses
Brief cuts to electric radiators at peak times, money for car-sharing and added financial incentives for home working – we outline the key proposals being announced this afternoon
An €800million plan to save energy this winter in France so as to avoid power cuts or gas shortages is being outlined by the government this afternoon (October 6).
The announcement of the plan de sobriété énergétique is being made by nine different ministers as well as the prime minister, Élisabeth Borne, in a series of speeches.
Ms Borne is then due to give a roundup of the announcements early this evening.
Dozens of different measures are being set out across several sectors including energy, transport, housing, business, public services, sports and tourism.
France’s Energy Transition Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher said that she was looking for companies, public services and local authorities to take responsibility for saving energy. She said that “there will be no temperature police” checking homes and businesses but asked for responsible action by all.
Several key measures have already been announced, others are expected later today. These include:
France is at risk of electricity shortages this winter due to a combination of factors, including the war in Ukraine and the fact that over half of the country’s nuclear reactors are currently offline.