XSeries-forum

I arrived at work this morning to find a very cheery email from British Gas - it starts like this...

"You may have seen in the news recently, world oil and gas prices are rising – an issue facing all energy suppliers. This means the cost of supplying gas and electricity to your home has increased in the last few months and may continue to rise.

Unfortunately, as a result, we have to increase our prices. I’m sorry we haven’t been able to hold this increase off any longer. Your new prices will come into effect on 18 August 2011."

Ok, I can understand, prices need to rise every now and again. BUT, this sweeping statement that it is down to the increase in World Oil & Gas prices is a load of crap! I work in the Oil & Gas Industry and this is just a very easy excuse for them to use as the industry is getting a lot of press at present - Petrol Prices etc (mainly down to fuel duty and not oil bbl prices)

There are many factors... exchange rates being one of them! Wholesale Oil & Gas is in USD ($) and peak Wholesale price was actually back in 2008! Since then, British Gas and others have done nothing but increase their prices, crippling cash strapped homes! Taking any liquid capital they might have had for spending in shops and businesses that some of us have!!

Last year British Gas reported record Profits - over £700m!! Yet they can't hold off any longer bla bla.

The increase? 19% Gas and 17% Electricity!! That isn't an increase in cost relative to Wholesale increase!! So WTF is going on? If we were to jump our prices in our businesses like that we would lose all trade!

Do we have a choice? Not really, they are all going to jump on this band wagon and all make healthy figures for 2011 as well. Again, the ones that it hurts is you and me!

What pisses me off more is that Electricity in the North West is supplied by Nuclear Power Stations - Two of which I live about 3 - 4 miles from... also a huge off-shore Wind Farm. How has the supply of that Electric increased by 17%??

Personally, I think it is criminal! This is going to send god knows how many hard working families under and then there is the knock on effect on small business etc.

Green Tax - We pay that too. Basically paying for all this Green Development ourselves... THEN, we will be charged for the electric it produces. Thats like saying to customers in my Chippy, bring in your own Cod and Potatoes, we'll fry them for you and charge you the same as we do now!

Sorry to rant, just flicks my switches!


Turks.

You are paying me basically

I am just buying a 10 KW solar system to put in my field, and the feed in tariff as guaranteed by the government is paid for by the Electricity providers.

The only thing I would say about the gas prices is that the increase is nothing compared to the heating oil prices that I have experienced over the last few years though. My annual bill has gone up to about 3k now from just over 1k about 3 years ago...

Might have been savvy to run a load of Piping in the field under the Solar Panels to install a Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) or an Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) later down the line. The pumps would be driven by the Solar Panels and the savings in your heating costs would be Huge!!


Turks.

Interesting, as the reviews for the heatsource pumps always shows it as being non productive, including luke warm water etc.

I put a 8 KW wood burning stove in as well to get some relief from the oil reliance. The tractor will be used to get the trees to the cutting areas

GSHP's work really well from what I know. They heat the water up to 35-40 degrees and then a boiler does the rest. Means that the hardest work is done for free by the Heat Pump. Its like putting 40 degree water into a kettle, would take half the time to boil so therefore saves you half the energy.

The stories about getting Luke warm water come from the Solar Water heating panels. They are great when the ambient temperature is good and the Sun is out but when it is cold then so is the water.

GSHP get their heat from below the frost level... about 1m down so its a constant 10-15 degrees no matter the temperature on the surface. Therefore they work efficiently all year round.

ASHP's are pretty efficient too and can work in temperatures down to as low as -20!


Something to consider when your heating bill is that high!!


Turks..

Unfortunately as a result, we have to increase our prices. I’m sorry we haven’t been able to hold this increase off any longer. Your new prices will come into effect on 18 August 2011.

There was a man from BG on the news last night saying that they needed a higher rate of return! That means to me that the larger investors are kicking them coz they aint getting a big enough divvie on the shares