The cost of green policies ?

[youngmafbog]

British Gas have announced a rise twice the price of inflation. The industry has a £1 Bn bill to meet green programs. Looks like we are all going to pay for it dearly.

Perhaps all the lefties on this site would like to explain how we tell the poor OAP's they have to freeze this winter so that the hand wringers can bask in their self opinionated glory?

[Brenden]

I am deafened by the silence.

[Gromit]

Last year British Gas profits were down 30% on residential customers.

That was nothing to do with Green taxes, it was because they have lost customers to other providers.

There are two reasons for that.
1, They are expensive.
2, They have very poor customers relations. They were fined £2,500,000 last year by the regulator for ignoring complaints.

OAP will not freeze thanks to that nice Mr Major introducing the Winter Fuel Payment. And they can also switch to a better, cheaper provider.

[LazyGun]

Well, in justification for the latest round of price hikes, BG are saying that they are raising them because of the wholesale cost of gas, and the cost of upgrading the National Grid.

The impact of the costs associated with transitioning from fossil fuels was examined recently. the committee concluded;

"In its latest detailed review of consumer bills in December, the Committee on Climate Change made it clear that the 60% rise in consumer electricity bills that we have seen between 2004 and 2010 was primarily caused by an increase in wholesale prices, especially gas. In fact, of the average £430 consumer electricity bill for 2010, only £16 was attributable to direct support for renewable energy. This assessment is in line with the latest evidence provided by both the Department of Energy and Climate Change and Ofgem, the gas and electricity regulator."

It seems to me that an over-reliance on gas, insufficient investment and planning by private companies in their "stockpiles" of gas make them hostage to the huge fluctuations in the price of energy commodities. Little to do with green policies, per se....

[Old_Geezer]

One has to pay the real cost of a service or product. Whatever the excuse for rising prices we seem to get double figure increases announced every half year or so. I don't believe the reasons given any more, the companies don't seem to be going bust, healthy bottom lines and all that. I think the consumer is just being taken for a ride as far as they can be pushed, if you know what I mean. But if one squeezes them too much there will be nothing left to spend elsewhere and keep the economy going.

[pdq1]

Npower has just released its increased charges next month and for electricity its going up by 9%. Why don't they do what the yanks are now doing extracting shale gas. They have been so successful they now import far less gas they they did. We must have it in abundance so why don't they get their fingers out.

[LazyGun]

Extracting shale gas is being looked at. The US has truly massive reserves, which has apparently made a difference to the fuel price the consumers pay. There is more debate over exactly how large the UKs shale gas reserves are, and how easy they will be extract.

Witness the issues at Blackpool? recently - with a localised earth tremor linked to the nearby shale gas extraction.

http://www.guardian.c...potential-uk-ed-davey