2014: What's On The Menu?

2013 has been a instruct by in addition to it is ending amongst a bang. Clashes over unloose energy policies, unloose energy firms increasing prices, fracking protests in addition to diverse other topical debates have got taken over our twenty-four threescore minutes catamenia to twenty-four threescore minutes catamenia life. As 2013 draws to a closed what tin sack nosotros await from 2014?

Will it move direct forwards or volition nosotros regard some unexpected bumps along the way?

Green Levy Roll Back

The 6^th Dec was a real of import day, equally the Chancellor George Osbourne announced his spill statement. This agency that he could confirm what some people may fear, which is the rollback of greenish levies. This rollback volition brand bills cheaper inwards the brusque term, simply its long term repercussions are nevertheless undetermined.

Without greenish levies y'all may regard governmental investment inwards our unloose energy infrastructure dwindle, besides equally fellowship investment. Therefore, this could hateful that nosotros may have got to rely farther on the North Sea in addition to fracking to encounter our growing unloose energy demands.

Figure 1: Typical Energy Cost Breakdown (Source: BBC)

This breakdown of costs demonstrates how much greenish levies add together  to the cost of energy. This would hateful that in i lawsuit the greenish levies ringlet back, y'all should regard a slight decrease inwards your unloose energy bill.

According to some newspapers this agency that your bills would move reduced past times around £50. It is non a lavish saving, considering the recent cost rises simply pennies brand pounds.

Price Rise Deliverance in addition to Price Freeze

Five out of the ‘Big Six’ have got increased their prices due to Miliband’s annunciation of a cost freeze if his political party wins the full general election inwards 2015. This is why unloose energy firms are roofing their costs past times introducing a cost rise.

This agency that inwards the kickoff few months of 2014 y'all may regard enforcement of the unloose energy firms cost rise. This would hateful that unloose energy efficiency would move of the highest priority for some domestic households. Each of the Big Six volition have got dissimilar delivery times for their cost rise, simply most of them should move inwards the kickoff few months of 2014.

Therefore locking inwards prices straight off may avoid this cost rising inwards 2014, which could move locked until 2015.

Some unloose energy firms have got begun locking their prices until 2015. This was undertaken to restore confidence inside the market, afterwards they have got scheduled a cost rise. Therefore, afterwards the cost rising inwards early on 2014, await to pay that amount for the repose of the year. However, if y'all desire to lock inwards your prices earlier mitt y'all can, if y'all are on a suitable tariff. The best sentiment is to banking concern check amongst your supplier, consultant or broker to regard if y'all tin sack lock inwards your tariff.

EMR (Electricity Market Reform)

The EMR programme is looking at existence delivered inwards 2014, amongst its actual charges applied inwards 2015. However, the delivery of the EMR programme volition hateful that RO volition shortly move outdated in addition to move replaced inwards 2017.

This programme volition milkshake upward the manufacture past times reforming it completely. This is to ensure that demand meets supply, particularly inwards bleak months. The argue for this reform, is due to the looming unloose energy crisis in addition to increasing fuel poverty stricken population.

Expect to regard pilots of this reform, that volition examination its capability besides equally the total scale integration inside our society. This may occur one-half way through the year, in addition to then await a real large change.

Nuclear Power

The Hinkley nuclear constitute received the greenish calorie-free for construction, simply the European Commission may delay its undertaken for farther investigation into province aid. This may increment the give away of investments inwards Nuclear power, since the Hinkley constitute was given the go-ahead. This could hateful that y'all may regard to a greater extent than protests over nuclear powerfulness in addition to diverse political talks close the side past times side possible site.

The Hinkley constitute volition accept years to build in addition to is hoping to move operational past times the latter terminate of this decade. During this time, nuclear fission could piece of occupation to a greater extent than popular. However, the hereafter is nevertheless undetermined in addition to anything could happen.

At this electrical current betoken inwards fourth dimension the alone involvement inwards nuclear powerfulness is at Hinkley betoken C. However, nosotros should non dominion out the hereafter of nuclear power.

Fracking

Fracking volition move dorsum inwards 2014 equally unloose energy firms in addition to the UK of Britain in addition to Northern Republic of Ireland authorities volition desire to exploit this resource. This is because of the American shale gas nail that has erupted in addition to spread nationally to practise cheaper energy.

Fracking may have got died downwardly slightly afterwards the Balcombe protests simply companies are looking at novel sites that may have got adequate resources. Therefore, await to regard large protests in addition to companies gaining permission to extract shale gas. Fracking has taken the globe past times tempest equally to a greater extent than in addition to to a greater extent than countries are using this method to obtain cheaper energy.

However, it is nevertheless unforeseen equally to how it volition shape the UK of Britain in addition to Northern Republic of Ireland in addition to if it volition move a feasible solution to the unloose energy crisis. The recommendation would move to laid upward for companies to start extracting shale gas equally the authorities is inwards favour of this project.

Immigration

Recently inwards the tidings it’s announced that the UKs doors are opened upward for Romanian’s in addition to Bulgarian’s to freely come inwards our country. This may provide many benefits to the UK of Britain in addition to Northern Republic of Ireland inwards terms of production. However, this may drive problems for our unloose energy supply.

At this electrical current betoken inwards time, nosotros are inwards an unloose energy crisis, amongst an increment of fuel poverty families across the UK. Therefore, amongst an influx inwards immigration this could hateful that our demand is greater than our supply. This could incur higher costs due to to a greater extent than people needing energy.

This is alone a prediction on what could occur based on furnish in addition to demand, simply nosotros could regard a surge of investment inwards renewable which could residue our furnish in addition to the demand for energy. It is nevertheless uncertain how an opened upward edge volition shape our unloose energy market.

Overall, 2014 perchance a real tough twelvemonth for the unloose energy sector in addition to a listing of uncertainties that powerfulness touching the marketplace position dramatically. Remember every cloud has a silvery lining. The EMR programme for instance, could regard a huge moving ridge of investment hit our shores, which position us on the route to sustainable development.