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Ultimate guide to dual fuel...

Dual fuel is a term coined by energy suppliers that means you receive both your gas and electricity from the same energy supplier.

For example if you receive your gas from one company and electricity from another then you are not on a dual fuel tariff.

What’s the big difference?

Well as far as you and your home is concerned there is relatively little difference between having dual fuel and single fuel contracts. But the reason dual fuel contracts are so popular is that there are a number of benefits associated with them.

OK then, so what are the benefits of dual fuel?

Well depending on the supplier there are usually some decent benefits to being on a dual fuel tariff.
•    It is usually quite a bit cheaper than the other payment methods as in fact it has been shown that you could save as much as £91 a year by going dual fuel.
•    Convenience. It is far more convenient to know that the right amount of money is going to come out of your account every month, you only receive bills from one company and it can all be on the same bill.
•    You only need to deal with one company so for problems or enquiries etc you only need to deal with one company.

Is switching to dual fuel easy?

Switching to a duel fuel tariff is relatively straightforward. Firstly you shop around to make sure you are getting the best deal, then once you have established the tariff that can save you the most money you simply contact them and they will sort everything out for you.

There’s no complicated paperwork or anything and the whole thing is really simple the only thing you’ll notice about the change is that your bills will be cheaper.

Is dual fuel always the cheapest option?

Dual fuel discounts should always lower the cost of your energy bills and when you couple that with the benefits of only having to deal with one supplier it is often a great deal. However it isn’t always the cheapest option so if that’s the only factor for you then it would be worth doing some in depth shopping around.

How to reduce your gas bills....

January.... It's not a fun month, most of us are detoxing and trying to make Decembers wage last until the end of the month, not to mention the fact that the weather is still miserable.

Which only seems to compound our financial issues. However whilst I was having a snoop around videojug.com the other day I found this great video about cutting down your gas bills. Now the video itself is from 2009 but given the current energy rates i actually found it to be quite timely.

My only complaint is that it makes no mention about how you could switch electricity and gas supplier which I think is a quick and easy way to potentially save over £100.

Anyway here is the video guys, let me know what you think.

5 top energy blogs you should be reading...

Green energy blogs aren't always the most popular choice for some light reading, and it's even worse if you pick a bad one. We've compiled a list of our favourite 5.

We feel these blogs provide all the relevant information with a minimum of fuss and jargon. In short they're informative and easy to read. Sooooo in no particular order....

1. The YouGen Blog

One of the best known blogs on the list YouGen has a great selection of posts and has a treasure chest full of information from the world of renewable energy.

2. The Renewable Energy Law Blog 

NOT FOR BEGINNERS: This is a particularly technical blog that focuses on the development of renewable energy and is a fantastic resource to learn more about the ever changing laws that govern renewable energy.

3. The Green Energy Blog

This is a great blog for a quick energy catchup, it features a lot of top 10's and is always showcasing the latest energy saving gadgets. 

4. The Green Energy Net Blog

The academic of the bunch, this site is choc-full of in depth quality articles and isn't afraid to share its opinions. This is definitely best reserved for when you have a couple of hours to kill, so you can get the most from their in depth analysis and commentary.

5. Green Electricity Blog

A great blog written by energy enthusiasts lacks the polish of some of the others on the list but has some great content and often provides well thought out insights and information. Best of all it's easy to read and is updated regularly.

Hopefully we've managed to include a little something for everyone with these blogs, but chances are we've missed out some great blogs so please feel free to get in touch and lets start a top energy blogs list .

7 Easy ways to save money and stay warm this winter.

1. Machines are better at this than you:
In most areas of electrical goods the new models are more than capable of self-regulating. So don’t be scared turn on your TV’s power management options, and start to select any of the energy saving options your other appliances have. 

2. Clean is clean
I know this one will sound a bit counter-intuitive but, try washing your clothes in a cool wash and with the advancements in detergents your clothes are still going to come out just as clean. Oh and your colours are far less likely to run.

3. Invest in a power monitor:
Well I say invest but they’re actually relatively cheap and are a great way to keep track of how much energy you use at home and also what products are using the most energy. Believe me when start to add it up all of a sudden that 50” plasma you have on the wall isn’t such a good idea.

4. Start using power strips for your appliances:
This ties in well with the tip above a power strip is a multi-plug adapter but the new ones tend to have switches on them so you can turn all appliances plugged into it off with one switch.

5. Don’t charge your gadgets longer than necessary:
If your home is anything like mine it will have a ton of chargers throughout and most of them will be plugged in and charging the relevant device. But are you keeping track of when that device is charged or do you just leave it on overnight or all day. Not only will this cost you more money but it will also affect the battery life of your gadget. Its best to drain the battery completely before recharging. 

6. And then there was light:
If you’re still using old school incandescent light bulbs STOP! You can get relatively cheap LED bulbs now that are cheap to buy and consume far less energy.

7. Turn all appliances off at the switch:
If something’s not in use make sure you turn it off at the switch or unplug it because if you don’t it will still drain power thus costing you more money. So, that means no more standby mode etc.
Hopefully these tips will help you save some money over the winter with too much sacrifice, and if you still find things are a bit cold – I find mulled wine is great for heating you up.

Are SNP renewable energy targets unrealistic?

The BBC recently reported that the SNP’s targets to have 100% of renewable energy used for electricity in Scotland by 2020 have been disputed by the opposition.

The country’s Labour leader, Iain Gray, dubbed the plans ‘overambitious’ and ‘technically undeliverable’. Speaking at prime ministers questions, Mr Gray also quoted from the The Institution of Mechanical Engineers report, which said that this strategy could increase the chances of fuel poverty, as Scotland has to import more energy.

The report also suggested that the government should be looking to reduce consumption in the heat and transport industry, more than electricity – as by 20% it is predicted that electricity will account for just 21% of Scottish energy usage.

So should energy suppliers be looking for environmentally friendly options when it comes to heat and transport more than electricity? Probably. But there’s no doubt that electricity plays its part, and everyone should try to reduce their consumption levels, regardless of whether or not these targets will be met. What is worrying, however, is the threat of fuel poverty. What do you think of this debate?

One Trillion Euros.... That's quite the electricity bill

I have been reading recently about the Energy summit that took place back in July(yes I am quite a bit behind, but I like to be thorough) and about Europe's energy situation. 

It would seem that according to certain parties in the European government, it's going to take around a trillion euros of energy investment over the next decade just to keep us in the energy based lifestyle we're accustomed to.

Here is a video of Philip Lowe, Head of the European Commission's Energy Department, explaining where your money's going to be going.

 

 

 

 

Energy Secretary to get tough with "Big Six"

UK Energy Secretary Chris Huhne has said he wants to help people save money by making it easier to spot cheap dual fuel deals or switch providers.

This is believed to be in response to Labour’s accusation that Mr Huhne stood idly by whilst the energy companies raised their prices way above inflation.

The Energy Secretary has declared that he wants to see a simpler system in place; where by firms are required “to tell you whether you could buy more cheaply on another tariff.” And whilst there was no talk of specifics he did discuss toughening up Ofgem’s powers.

Along with making promises to tackle the big six Mr Huhne has also said that he intends to encourage new and smaller firms to enter the market place.

It seems that the main takeaways for the consumer are that you must always shop around and good savings can be made by insulating your home.

On a business note, they have asked for clarity from ministers regarding the actual energy policy as it is becoming increasingly difficult to generate investment especially if there is uncertainty over the direction of the market.

Some energy campaigners believe that the big energy companies are trying to tie the UK up with expensive gas power plants for the next 20 years as opposed to investing in home grown renewables that would keep peoples bills stable and cheaper.

A little about fixed price tariffs...

In light of the recent price increases and the fact that there appears to be no relief coming any time soon, those in the know are talking about fixed price energy deals. But what is a fixed price tariff?

Fixed price gas and electricity tends to be most attractive when wholesale prices are on the rise. And as we all know it’s normally only a matter of time before the energy suppliers start to pass these rises on to customers. So really once the prices start to move in the wrong direction you should be looking at getting onto fixed gas and electricity prices as quickly as possible.

Now once you’re on a capped tariff your energy prices will remain the same from the date when your supply is switched, up to an end date specified by your package. The reason fixed price energy is better in the current climate is that un-capped tariffs leave you at the mercy of any future price changes in the energy market. Whereas if you switch to a capped tariff then you’re protecting yourself against any increases energy unit rates.  A lot of people genuinely prefer to be on fixed price gas and electricity as it means that they can forget about the price of their energy until the end of the contract.

As with anything there are issues that can arise when switching to a fixed or capped price plan, for instance you may have to pay a cancellation fee if you switch. The fee will be dependent on the contractual terms of your current energy tariff. Yet despite any charge involved, you might still end up saving money by switching energy supplier. However to be on the safe side you should refer to your energy contract as it will give any details of cancellation fees etc. We would thoroughly recommend calculating any cancellation fees into your costs when doing a price comparison.

As a final (and rather optimistic note) when the wholesale energy prices start falling, we would suggest that you consider different tariffs so that they will get the benefit when gas and electricity savings are passed on by the suppliers.

Welsh Unhappy at Lack of Power...

It was all rather exciting last Monday, when the UK government fully denied any ongoing discussion’s regarding devolving big energy schemes.What makes it interesting is that this comes after First Minister Carwyn Jones had stated the UK Energy Minister Charles Hendry, confirmed to him that calls for greater powers would be considered.

A spokesman for the Energy Minister admitted it had been discussed last year and after consideration the idea of any further devolution of power had essentially been ruled out. Mr Jones had initially raised the issue at the British-Irish Council summit.

The First Minister was said to have felt particularly aggrieved about the idea that planning decisions on wind farm sites were being made in London. Mr Jones said it was unacceptable that planning decisions on wind farms in Wales were being taken in London.

However given the results of the of the power referendum in March UK ministers declared there were no further plans to make any changes to the current Welsh devolution settlement.  UK Minister Mr Hendry stated that having set his position in November "The policy on devolving energy powers to the assembly remains the same as it did under the previous Westminster government.”

Although talks between the parties were said to have been positive, the UK ministers had opted to remain responsible for any large scale energy decisions to be made in Wales. The decision was taken in order to maintain a streamlined process and minimise delays.

A spokesperson for the Welsh First Minister was quoted: "The statement by DECC (Department of Energy and Climate Change) is a slap in the face for the people of Wales.”

However a final twist was added when the spokesperson went on to point out that during a press conference on Monday the Deputy Prime Minister didn’t rule out possible further devolution on energy.

I seriously doubt that’ll be the last we hear on this. I’d love to know what the general consensus is on the topic so feel free to leave a comment or send us an email with your views.

Energy News: renewables and the future

 

Some energy news from abroad hits the wires this week, with Angela Merkel continuing her stance on taking Germany forward towards a post-nuclear age.

In some ways this is uncharacteristically direct for an incumbent premier, a job in any democracy so much of whose existence is bound up in expediency.

I mean, I'd bet that if you were to ask the current UK Prime Minister, his assistant or the head of the opposition a question about the immediate power mix for the UK they'd talk about renewables in positive terms but be unable to give an anwer about the future of nuclear.

Meanwhile, closer to home , renewables continue make the news on a daily basis as wind turbines look set to become  a more and more familiar sight in the UK. 

Who knows, maybe one day wind turbines will  domestic items (albeit rare as they're not average garden-sized), with the conventional energy company owning the majority of turbines in wind farms.