The debate over energy pricing has become very political – and yet it has been pointed out many a time that it is expensive gas – not net-zero – which is keeping UK electricity prices so high:
Dhara Vyas, chief executive of industry body Energy UK tells Carbon Brief that it is “crystal clear what has driven electricity bills up in the UK…it’s the wholesale costs, driven by the price of gas”. This article looks at how electricity prices could be reduced in the short- to medium term and why the transition to clean power is, ultimately, expected to result in lower energy bills overall….
This evening, the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero was interviewed and the question asked: Can Miliband clean up UK energy AND lower bills, Or is Net Zero over?
In this episode of the Fully Charged Show Podcast, Imogen Bhogal sits down with Ed Miliband… on a mission to transform Britain into a clean energy superpower by 2030, aiming to cut bills, create jobs, and enhance energy security through zero-carbon electricity – despite being dubbed a “net zero zealot” by some newspapers…
They delve into the ambitious target of 95% clean energy by 2030 and explore the huge challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Ed discusses the government’s current actions, the politicisation of climate action, and how they plan to bridge the gap between long-term goals and immediate benefits for households. When will those bills really start to come down?!
And with the government currently wracked with arguments over welfare reform, perhaps it’s time to consider Universal Basic Services – UBS – including basic energy costs provided for free or at radically reduced prices
The idea was being pushed a decade ago with the idea of ending austerity forever – with new thinking for the British economy and since then the likes of the NEF have come up with The National Energy Guarantee following the cost of living crisis.
Now this seems not only viable but necessary.
Firstly, the technology is making energy cheaper. One example reported on in this blog looked to “a future where semiconductors are so energy efficient” that the price of energy use for computing and AI data centres could be cut by over 90pc. And generally speaking it is clear that the rapid rollout of clean technologies is making energy cheaper, not more costly.
Secondly, it is essential that we make electricity cheaper for consumers, says the Climate Change Committee‘s chair:
“The Government needs to do more to ensure people see the benefits of climate action in their bills. Given increasingly unstable geopolitics, it is also important to get off unreliable fossil fuels and onto homegrown, renewable energy as quickly as possible.
“The fossil fuel era is over – cheap, clean electricity is our future.”
“Making electricity cheaper will help people feel the benefits of the transition and speed up the uptake of clean electric technologies, such as heat pumps and electric vehicles.”
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