Energy Prices (Strictly NO referrals!)
- Thread starter DXP55
- Start date
We’ve been regularly importing 5% or more of our electricity from France so we’re very reliant on their “gold standard” so I wouldn’t mock.These have been stood down…
I thought we were told that France was the gold standard for national energy resilience…
France requests emergency cut in electricity exports to UK as nuclear crisis deepens
France's electricity network operator requested emergency help from Britain as the cold snap caused demand to surge across Europe.www.telegraph.co.uk
See here - https://grid.iamkate.com/
Associate
- Joined
- 20 Jul 2007
- Posts
- 2,151
- Location
- A sunnier or damper area than Ron-ski....
Yes that's fair - although the ROI breakeven for mine was a few years, even at the higher prices (ie paying 7.5p for 19.5kw Vs the 30-45p people are paying reduces the cost significantly)
But definitely prices will drop - that's the end state of demand after all!
The point is you have a much bigger array than the majority of solar owners. So the returns you’re getting are not what others will be seeing. You also have a large battery setup, others won’t have.
Prices will inevitably drop, not sure when though especially if demand for EV’s stays as it is.
I doubt there'll be a significant drop in battery prices now, with increasing demand for EVs, home batteries and the building of large industrial energy storage systems popping up all over, none of these are likely to go away. On top of that raw material supply is likely to remain constrained for years.
Soldato
- Joined
- 10 Sep 2003
- Posts
- 5,017
- Location
- Midlands
Why when we have 2 drax coal power plants on hand ready to go do we choose to burn expensive gas supplies and import electricity at market price. Please tell me it's not to appease environmentalists
Last edited:
Why else?
They shouldn’t agree exports if they cant maintain their own supply reliably.
I can't speak specifically about today but they are normally fired up in the order of cost and not CO2.
Associate
- Joined
- 20 Jul 2007
- Posts
- 2,151
- Location
- A sunnier or damper area than Ron-ski....
Oh yes, I totally agree here (although our energy use is also significantly above average, so it balances to a degree!).
I'm just articulating where it could go in next 3-5 years - I think battery prices and solar will inevitably drop (or more precisely prices won't drop, but capacity/generation will increase) as it has done for the last ~50 years or so, so this will start to open it up to more households.
Soldato
- Joined
- 2 Apr 2006
- Posts
- 3,744
I know it's he way the world works but it's typical that those who don't really need it can afford to buy equipment that brings down their energy costs. Most people I know with solar and batteries etc are doing it for the fun of it, the energy savings are a bonus. There are houses near me that are lit up like Times Square and I know there'll be others who can barely afford to turn on the heating for an hour. 
Forgot to add, yes I am envious. 
Forgot to add, yes I am envious.
Last edited:
Associate
- Joined
- 20 Jul 2007
- Posts
- 2,151
- Location
- A sunnier or damper area than Ron-ski....
Yeah totally agree - although we should remember the long range change - ie average house temps were 10-12C 80 years ago, no one had a car as they were so expensive etc and we've gradually raised our standard.I know it's he way the world works but it's typical that those who don't really need it can afford to buy equipment that brings down their energy costs. Most people I know with solar and batteries etc are doing it for the fun of it, the energy savings are a bonus. There are houses near me that are lit up like Times Square and I know there'll be others who can barely afford to turn on the heating for an hour.
I'm not sure it's quite right to say 'its for the fun of it', but your essence is right - ie those who can afford it, can afford to think long term - eg my setup cost £14k, but will pay back £65k in 15 years through savings (woefully pessimistic given current costs) so it does allow smart investment whereas those who can't afford will have fewer choices to 'invest' out of challenges.
My point is that as people buy these, it'll drive them towards ubiquity which will drop prices (as per cars, telephone, PCs, mobiles etc etc) which are all accessible to pretty much all these days.
The other aspect is these people are able to shoulder the risk - ie solar, batteries, wind, inverters etc all will have teething issues as any new tech will, so IMO it's better to allow people for whom it's not a life changing risk to drive these things forward.
cost - we have UK gas supplies as full as they can be with waiting LNG re-supply, drax is there for emergencies not really a quick evening power up
Six-month extension of coal operations at request of UK Government - Drax Global
RNS Number : 5919R Drax Group plc (“Drax” or the “Group”; Symbol:DRX) In response to increased pressure on European gas markets and associated concerns about electricity security of supply in the UK this winter, the UK Government has asked owners of legacy coal-fired generation assets, including...
www.drax.com
--
Unless we have UK/eu battery production (is british volt back in the game?) don't see battery price dropping - china will be handing batteries out like Putin with gas,
similarly for pv's they have monopolised the market, undercuttimg/destroying other suppliers, not by accident.
cost - we have UK gas supplies as full as they can be with waiting LNG re-supply, drax is there for emergencies not really a quick evening power up
Six-month extension of coal operations at request of UK Government - Drax Global
RNS Number : 5919R Drax Group plc (“Drax” or the “Group”; Symbol:DRX) In response to increased pressure on European gas markets and associated concerns about electricity security of supply in the UK this winter, the UK Government has asked owners of legacy coal-fired generation assets, including...
--
Unless we have UK/eu battery production (is british volt back in the game?) don't see battery price dropping - china will be handing batteries out like Putin with gas,
similarly for pv's they have monopolised the market, undercuttimg/destroying other suppliers, not by accident.
Which is why we need to get ahead now. Need to be building battery storage en masse
Permabanned
- Joined
- 7 Aug 2017
- Posts
- 2,141
- Location
- by the tower the one up north ..
makes you wonder why they said yes to the new coal field .. drax will keep at least those two in play for a couple of yrs .. by then the greenies will be to cold to say no ..
Soldato
- Joined
- 13 Jul 2004
- Posts
- 20,341
- Location
- Stanley Hotel, Colorado
That type of coal is for steel apparently, they need Welsh coal for heating but thats been banned as of this year start in favour of coal imports instead.
Soldato
- Joined
- 18 Jul 2021
- Posts
- 4,594
- Location
- Land of Gin (I wish)
Hopefully my friend’s sister who has heating on at 25c so walk around in her shorts and t-shirts at home has turned down the heating!
How much will she save if she turns heating down to 18-20c? Three bed semi built in 1979
How much will she save if she turns heating down to 18-20c? Three bed semi built in 1979
Based on current prices, somewhere in the region of 2, maybe 3.. million a year?
Coincidentally £1,979.
Thermometers arrived yesterday and I now have to eat humble pie. Thought we were soft but the lounge reached max 15C yesterday and this morning the house is between 9C and 10C. Maybe my wife has a point when she says it's cold.
And that was burning over a tenner of gas.
Today we shall see how much it costs to take the house to 18C and keep it there for a few hours (with 16C in between)
And that was burning over a tenner of gas.
Today we shall see how much it costs to take the house to 18C and keep it there for a few hours (with 16C in between)
Last edited: