Shuffling in like naughty schoolboys before the headmaster, the bosses of the Big 5 price comparison websites were last week called before the energy and climate change select committee in order to be grilled on widespread concerns about alleged profiteering and partiality. The change in mood around price comparison websites began in late 2014 with […]
The 2015 General Election: A Warning from history
David Cameron speaking to the British Chambers of Commerce on 10th February 2015: “I’ve sat in Parliament from 2001 to 2015. “For the first 9 years of that I had opposite me on those green benches Tony Blair and Gordon Brown and whatever else we disagreed on, we agreed that business is the generator of […]
The 2015 General Election: Energy & Business Part I
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this series are entirely those of your correspondent. Your correspondent believes that the two party system adopted in the UK needs and deserves two strong parties with polarised views on key issues so as to create a working, and healthy political dynamic. We may not be back in the days […]
January’s wind cancels out the hot air
It was windy in January, and after the debacle of the day of highest demand when wind was found wanting and it was revealed that the UKs wind farms have an efficiency rate of just 28%, much needed positive news was welcomed enthusiastically by the wind lobby. Whilst the heavily subsidised developers and operators might not […]
Nolan nobbles National Grid
There was an unwelcome pause in the services from Xoserve this week, the publicly unheard of business that operates as a key conduit to the smooth running of the gas industry. Xoserve, borne out of the separation of the old British Gas (now Centrica) and its pipes and networks business (nee Transco) has for 20 […]
Saudi’s oil game portents high energy prices
Saudi Arabia’s high stakes game of over-production in an already saturated (relatively) low demand market has intensified with the revelation that they have increased oil production to 9.8m bpd, its highest level since last Autumn. Saudi’s latest market making action holds out the potential for increased periods of low prices with Khalid al-Falih, chief executive […]
Which? claims energy price falls too little
Another day, another round of energy attacks from our politicians. Thank the good lord we are not a high street chemist. The latest lambasting of the Big 6 energy suppliers came from price comparison website (or consumer champion depending on who you listen to) Which? Which? have done an Ofgem and collated their ‘own’ SMI. […]
Local Business Shares Profits with Advent Charity Acorns Children’s Hospice
Business Juice is a name you might not have heard of but they’re slowly making waves in the Midlands area as a business-to-business energy broker. Their proposition is unique – offering businesses the most competitive energy deals and letting them in on the secrets behind the deal – how much they earn from it. So […]
SMEs still suffering from FTSE payment terms
With about as much use as the proverbial confectionary based fireguard, the Prompt Payment Code has come under fire from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). The voluntary and non-binding nature of the code means that at best its participants – estimated to include up to ¾ of the companies listed on the FTSE 100 – […]
January 2015 SMI from Ofgem
Supply Market Indicators In our regular monthly review of Ofgem’s Supply Market Indicators we focus on January 2015’s release from the energy regulator. Quite why is unclear, but Ofgem didn’t bother to publish their Supply Market Indicator in December 2014. That it was produced is known but it certainly is a little curious that something the regulator places so much stall in […]