UK Energy

Ofgem said: “By raising the EBIT allowance, Ofgem is taking the next step in its drive to make the retail energy sector more resilient, as we move into another difficult winter when price volatility remains a risk.

“At the height of the energy crisis around 30 suppliers failed because they did not have enough capital in the reserve to stay in business – and the cost was shared among all energy consumers, adding £83 to bills.

“With suppliers only now starting to recoup a portion of their multi-billion pound losses over the past four years, a small increase in permitted profit margins will allow companies to better cover their costs, attract investment and retain financial stability protecting consumers into the future.”

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Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, commented on the matter, expressing his concerns.

Mr Francis said: “When you look at the details of this price cap, the reality is that every unit of energy a customer uses costs double what it did a few years ago. The daily standing charges customers pay have also increased – doubling in the case of electricity.

“The Energy Bills Support Scheme has also been taken away this winter, while energy firms have been allowed to increase the profits they make per customer and vulnerable households have been left wondering what will happen this winter and beyond.

“Ministers had promised to consult on tariff reform to help the households most in need and who most rely on energy to keep themselves safe. Sadly, they have abandoned plans for a social tariff consultation.

“The government seems to be running out of enthusiasm to help people get through the energy bills crisis, and it is also now running out of time to act to keep people warm this winter.”

Researchers from Imperial College London have engineered a leaf-like solar design for heightened efficiency.

This photovoltaic leaf (PV-leaf) innovation employs budget-friendly materials, igniting the potential for next-gen renewable solutions.

Experiments reveal PV-leaves generate over 10% extra electricity compared to standard solar panels, which dissipate 70% of solar energy.

I didn't know Wales had 75MW of sunlight across the whole country tbh

"Sir John Rose, the chief executive of Rolls to 2011, said that any risk that the Rolls design might not be 'best in class' would be outweighed by the overall gains that could be made by backing Rolls."

cross-posted from: https://kbin.social/m/climate/t/295076

UK gov 2013: Offshore wind? That'll cost \ £150/MWh in 2025

UK gov 2016: OK, maybe only, ooh, £115/MWh in 2025?

UK gov 2020: Er, um, yeah it's pretty cheap…call it £62/MWh in 2025?

UK gov today: Did you see HOW CHEAP offshore wind is?!? Yeah, ikr? £44/MWh in 2025

Ref https://twitter.com/DrSimEvans/status/1687500048622395396

Oil and gas supermajors including Shell and BP are using UK influencers to push false solutions to the climate crisis and manufacture a more family friendly image, DeSmog can reveal.

The influencers have included a popular former BBC presenter, a polar explorer, and an exasperated father of five who needs a break and finds it in the form of BP’s rewards app.

The campaigns have been deployed across a number of social media platforms and are part of a global effort to give “millennials a reason to connect emotionally” with oil and gas firms, and to tackle their perception as “the bad guys”.

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Our analysis uncovered promotional material from two PR firms representing Shell, boasting of the success of their online advertising. One of the PR companies claimed that content fronted by UK inventor Colin Furze reached nearly a billion people, while another claimed that a campaign with explorer Robert Swan OBE made Shell’s audience “31 percent more likely to believe” that the oil company is “committed to cleaner fuels”.

Demand is 27.1 GW at the time of this post. 3.6 GW (13%) is coming from gas; 2.7GW (10%) from nuclear; a net 1.6% is coming from imports.

Source: https://grid.iamkate.com/

Summary generated by AI:

• Decision day for two major solar farm projects in Lincolnshire.
• Developers Green Switch proposes a 63-acre site near Folkingham, Lightsource SPV 217 Limited proposes a 173-acre site near Gonerby Moor.
• Both projects planned to operate for 40 years, generating renewable energy for thousands of homes.
• Concerns raised about the impact on the local environment and community for the Washdyke Farm project.
• Council officers recommend refusing planning permission for the Washdyke Farm due to its significant adverse impact on the open countryside.
• Gonerby Moor project recommended for planning permission, highlighting its contribution to reducing reliance on fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions.
• Lincolnshire has seen multiple solar farm proposals, raising concerns that the region is being used as a dumping ground for green energy projects benefiting other parts of the country.

I initially posted a news article, but then found the primary source so deleted the article and posted the source instead. Sorry if you saw both!

I'm not sure exactly when it is scheduled to open, I was expecting it to be about now but I can't see a date so I presume it's behind schedule.