The Energy Crisis

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bonzosbeard
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Re: The Energy Crisis

Post by bonzosbeard »

Below is from the Daily Express. Don't shoot the messenger.

There is hope on the horizon for struggling families as wholesale gas prices fall to their lowest levels since June - although experts warned Express.co.uk that the energy markets are not out of the woods yet. Monday saw gas prices in the UK drop to 180p per therm - a drop of 72 percent from their peak. This has been described by experts as a knock-on effect of European costs falling below €100 per megawatt hour for the first time since June 14. However, economists have pointed to the continued impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on gas markets, as well as the lack of UK storage limiting the economy’s ability to take advantage of market shifts.
YorksHammer
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Re: The Energy Crisis

Post by YorksHammer »

Just shoved my monthly meter readings in to Octopus.

Electricity is holding pretty steady - I spent £40.16 in October, and have spent £42.92 in November. Given I'm a day late in submitting the readings, it's probably fairly consistent - plus nights are darker so lights going on earlier and so on.

Gas has jumped up though - the perils of central heating coming on. £36.38 in October, £56.60 in November. That's with minimal real change in use accepting that the central heating has been on for a couple of hours a day. My reading from October was 26 units where as November is up to 42.

Will make the total monthly bill £99.52 over my direct debit, but the total going into the account including the Government rebate will be more than that (£136.03) so there's still some surplus going into the account for the month.

I honestly don't know how I can further reduce my gas usage - the only real possibility I see is to stop using the hob on the cooker, which I use for my one coffee a day (Moka pot, if I'm only having one a day I'm making it good) and then cooking dinner. Given that most days there's a vegetable cooked for the kids and I, or just me if I'm on my own/with the new Mrs Yorks, I can't see a way around that use. Could ban the bath being used in favour of the shower, I guess, but short of either a) not cooking, or b) not washing I don't think there's much I can do except for pulling the plug on the heating.

To be clear, it's not bankrupting me (currently) at the above prices - would just be nice to reduce further if possible. I apparently can't reduce my boiler thermostat below the top whack as it is linked to the water tank thing in the bedroom and is less efficient if it's not up at the top.
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Re: The Energy Crisis

Post by EvilC »

bonzosbeard wrote: Fri Dec 02, 2022 9:59 am Below is from the Daily Express. Don't shoot the messenger.

There is hope on the horizon for struggling families as wholesale gas prices fall to their lowest levels since June - although experts warned Express.co.uk that the energy markets are not out of the woods yet. Monday saw gas prices in the UK drop to 180p per therm - a drop of 72 percent from their peak. This has been described by experts as a knock-on effect of European costs falling below €100 per megawatt hour for the first time since June 14. However, economists have pointed to the continued impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on gas markets, as well as the lack of UK storage limiting the economy’s ability to take advantage of market shifts.
The day ahead price is almost meaningless and the journalist either doesn't know what he is talking about or knows and is deliberately writing something misleading.

The below chart is a better proxy. It is using a different unit of measurement, but essentially this is a better guide to how prices have moved than what the guy was saying.

https://www.theice.com/products/910/UK- ... 524&span=3
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SammyLeeWasOffside
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Re: The Energy Crisis

Post by SammyLeeWasOffside »

We are lucky to be on a fixed until August (I finally got something right lol). Just looked at the numbers from last year and this.

Oct to Nov usage - Gas we are down 27% this year, Electric we are down 22%. The bill is only down 20% though, rates and standing charges are all the same.
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bonzosbeard
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Re: The Energy Crisis

Post by bonzosbeard »

EvilC wrote: Fri Dec 02, 2022 11:04 am The day ahead price is almost meaningless and the journalist either doesn't know what he is talking about or knows and is deliberately writing something misleading.

The below chart is a better proxy. It is using a different unit of measurement, but essentially this is a better guide to how prices have moved than what the guy was saying.

https://www.theice.com/products/910/UK- ... 524&span=3
That's a shame. And looking at a few other sites about hedging etc gas prices will remain high.

Now the trouble is the price of putting the central heating on in the evening for a few hours is expensive. Working from home now means putting a coat on and thick socks.

If I can't afford to heat the house like I used to without blinking and now finding myself cold at times I'm sure that lots of the elderly or poor and vulnerable are going to possibly die.

I have an A rated house but if central heating goes on for 3 hours my daily bill for gas is about £5.50/£6 a day. If I don't use heating it's about £1.50/£2.50 a day.

So if January is really cold it would cost me £180 a month on gas alone and not put the heating on in the day. The cap goes up in April but of course no heat needed. Key is next winters cap. It wouldn't suprise me to see my bills reach £500 per month.

Might pay to move to canary Islands and get a lower paid job.
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Hummer_I_mean_Hammer
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Re: The Energy Crisis

Post by Hummer_I_mean_Hammer »

https://www.engadget.com/fusion-power-m ... 00137.html

Hopefully soon we'll be able to have fussion power stations.
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Johnny Byrne's Boots
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Re: The Energy Crisis

Post by Johnny Byrne's Boots »

^^^^They're always twenty years away.
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mumbles87
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Re: The Energy Crisis

Post by mumbles87 »

Now the consumer unit has been upgraded I set my sights on my next projects

Long term (might be quicker if the gov do funding from April) solid wall insulation for the outside of the house . Could do with a re render anyways so would kill 2 birds

Short term dot and dab one wall in the living room with 4cm thick insulation backed plasterboard. It's the one bad outside wall that gets condensation on it, would really stop the black mold and not Cost the earth . Hopefully have that done by march

Been looking at insulation lining paper for a couple of walls in the bedroom aswell, not gonna make a massive difference but something better than nothing until those solid walls can be addressed
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SammyLeeWasOffside
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Re: The Energy Crisis

Post by SammyLeeWasOffside »

What's your EPC rating?
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mumbles87
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Re: The Energy Crisis

Post by mumbles87 »

SammyLeeWasOffside wrote: Sun Dec 04, 2022 8:57 am What's your EPC rating?
D when we bought the house

Obviously since then we have upgraded the bulbs to led
Had the loft converted which upgraded that insulation

I have potential to go to B however one step would be floor insulation, which won't be happening and a condensing boiler which I'm looking to see if the combi I installed in 2019 is or not

But bulbs and solid wall insulation are on there

Prob get me to a C

Crunching the numbers

Current rating d (61 points)

Add low energy lights (2 points) done
Add thermostat (1 point) done
Add boiler (2 points) done assuming it's correct
Solar (9 points) done

Now I dunno if I get more points for higher solar than the recommend so keep to those figures

14 points. Takes me to 75 which is a C

Solid wall insulation would get me to a nice B rating
Friend or Foé
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Re: The Energy Crisis

Post by Friend or Foé »

mumbles87 wrote: Sun Dec 04, 2022 9:08 am D when we bought the house

Obviously since then we have upgraded the bulbs to led
Had the loft converted which upgraded that insulation

I have potential to go to B however one step would be floor insulation, which won't be happening and a condensing boiler which I'm looking to see if the combi I installed in 2019 is or not

But bulbs and solid wall insulation are on there

Prob get me to a C

Crunching the numbers

Current rating d (61 points)

Add low energy lights (2 points) done
Add thermostat (1 point) done
Add boiler (2 points) done assuming it's correct
Solar (9 points) done

Now I dunno if I get more points for higher solar than the recommend so keep to those figures

14 points. Takes me to 75 which is a C

Solid wall insulation would get me to a nice B rating
You’re right to not go chasing band B by adding floor insulation. Yes it can save energy, but not by much. If you lose instantly lose generated heat through the ground, most of it will be recovered as latent heat as heat rises. The cost to carry it out would never be beneficial to you in energy savings.
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SammyLeeWasOffside
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Re: The Energy Crisis

Post by SammyLeeWasOffside »

mumbles87 wrote: Sun Dec 04, 2022 9:08 am D when we bought the house

Obviously since then we have upgraded the bulbs to led
Had the loft converted which upgraded that insulation

I have potential to go to B however one step would be floor insulation, which won't be happening and a condensing boiler which I'm looking to see if the combi I installed in 2019 is or not

But bulbs and solid wall insulation are on there

Prob get me to a C

Crunching the numbers

Current rating d (61 points)

Add low energy lights (2 points) done
Add thermostat (1 point) done
Add boiler (2 points) done assuming it's correct
Solar (9 points) done

Now I dunno if I get more points for higher solar than the recommend so keep to those figures

14 points. Takes me to 75 which is a C

Solid wall insulation would get me to a nice B rating
If it's a D for god's sake don't get it redone yet. The grants are only going to be available to D rated properties and below. You have to be band D council tax as well.
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mumbles87
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Re: The Energy Crisis

Post by mumbles87 »

SammyLeeWasOffside wrote: Sun Dec 04, 2022 9:44 am If it's a D for god's sake don't get it redone yet. The grants are only going to be available to D rated properties and below. You have to be band D council tax as well.
Are they tho? From what I've read it's council tax a-d properties

I won't get a new EPC until I have to , unfortunately it expires in 2024

But from what I've seen it's not solid wall insulation by looks


Edit, looks like EPC could be linked however they will want an updated one no doubt and I'm already above that just from the solar

So will just add it when I have saved up for it
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Re: The Energy Crisis

Post by SammyLeeWasOffside »

mumbles87 wrote: Sun Dec 04, 2022 10:07 am Are they tho? From what I've read it's council tax a-d properties

I won't get a new EPC until I have to , unfortunately it expires in 2024

But from what I've seen it's not solid wall insulation by looks


Edit, looks like EPC could be linked however they will want an updated one no doubt and I'm already above that just from the solar
Sorry wasn't clear on the council tax. D or below.

They might want it upgrading but when we were looking at the heat pump they just wanted a valid one. Got to be worth waiting to see though.
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mumbles87
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Re: The Energy Crisis

Post by mumbles87 »

SammyLeeWasOffside wrote: Sun Dec 04, 2022 10:21 am Sorry wasn't clear on the council tax. D or below.

They might want it upgrading but when we were looking at the heat pump they just wanted a valid one. Got to be worth waiting to see though.
It does depend ..

Council tax im D and does look like they want EPC d or below

Could be right about only valid epc.

If solid wall is on there it gives me a 15 month window to get done before the EPC would expire

So defo worth looking at as it expires sept 2024
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Re: The Energy Crisis

Post by YorksHammer »

I can't help but feel that the stone tiles downstairs in my rental are really impacting the heat retention of the hall where the thermostat is. It's gone down to 12.5 degrees on that over the weekend, but as well as that the heating then struggles to up the heat to 16 degrees - it's a medium sized radiator next to the front door that not only has to heat the hallway itself but also is the only thing heating the two sets of stairs and landings.

It's not convenient to have a carpeted hallway and I kind of get why not, but having stone tiles on top of concrete just seems to absolutely soak up any heat in the surrounding air.

I don't know if adding a long running rug down the hall would be helpful or not, but I'm quite tempted to go and grab something like that if I'm still here longer term (possibly have a house that I'll buy and move to in the new year).

I actually had the heating off yesterday instead of the two hours on, the kids weren't home and I went to the pub for the quiz as I do weekly. It'll be off tonight as I'm off out for dinner. I'm not sure if this is actually the most efficient way of doing it, but unless I'm home over the couple of hours it normally comes on I'm not going to be putting it on at all. Thermostat is at 10 degrees, at which point in time I think that it'll need to be on because it'll be bitter in the house itself.
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Re: The Energy Crisis

Post by Hummer_I_mean_Hammer »

YorksHammer wrote: Mon Dec 05, 2022 10:31 am I can't help but feel that the stone tiles downstairs in my rental are really impacting the heat retention of the hall where the thermostat is......
We've got a similar problem where the last person who extended the house decided against underfloor heating. One option is to fit vinyl, you can get some really decent types now, you'd possibly be able to replicate the existing stone effect if you wanted to (or at least near as possible).

Edit: to add, once you plan on moving out no harm done, just rip it out. That way your landlord shouldn't kick up about it.
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Re: The Energy Crisis

Post by smuts »

Temperatures dropping to about minus 3 by the weekend in the south :cried:
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Re: The Energy Crisis

Post by Denbighammer »

Yorks, if your not bothered about the look & if the hallway isn't yours, could you not cover the floor with old carpet off cuts? Put a couple of layers down would improve heat retention I would have thought?
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Re: The Energy Crisis

Post by alf git »

Heat rises. You're not really going to get any meaningful heat retention in an unheated, uninsulated floor. The best thing you can do is put something down so it feels warmer underfoot giving the impression of actual heat.
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