This month the UK experienced the coldest January night in the last 15 years. This might pass by as only an interesting occurrence, but the state of the UK’s energy networks, in particular gas reserves, means this event triggered the need for £2m per hour energy production.
2 million pounds.
Per hour.
From some of the oldest, dirtiest power stations in the country.
That is money the energy companies will need to get back, from the only source they have: their customers.
A lot of the news headlines have focused on the gas shortage issue, which is dramatic, and a serious problem in it’s own right. But only if we need more gas than the UK produces (and that gas is all kept in the UK).
Enter the most efficient electric heating source current available for residential use… the heat pump!
Houses able to convert to a fully electric system, with the support of solar panels, are a huge part of the solution. This is 3 fold:
– you are generating your own power
– your excess is fed back to the grid
– you can remove gas from your house all together.
Whether you are on main gas with a crappy old boiler, using LPG or maybe oil, prices are not going to drop. Electricity prices in the UK are the highest of any first world country. The absolute highest. We spend over £3Bn (yep, billion!) a year importing electricity from Europe.
If I was a betting person, I wouldn’t expect these figures to improve any time soon. The investment in new infrastructure is too great, and the system has been broken for too long. I would want to take matters into my hands, and reduce the risk of bill increases myself.
If you qualify for ECO4, that is exactly what you are doing – de-risking your future savings, health, and comfort.