Gas Prices, Supply Issues and Collapsing Suppliers

[bramblerose]

Oh, thanks for that Hobbes. I thought that the variable standard rate was just that, variable and would go up or down with wholesale costs.

I'll read more from MSE and have a mooch on the Octopus site

[Lily]

Bloody hell, Bramble, that's obscene. Will another supplier offer you a better tariff?

[bramblerose]

Looking at the advice from MSE, I'd say no.

I'll stay on their standard rate when my fixed comes to an end and see how that goes.

[smalex]

Most energy firms are actively trying to dissuade new customers atm Lils, I'd be very wary of any company that appeared to have preferential deals atm (not that I think there are any). In fact I'd be wary of any small energy companies at all.

[smalex]

Still, we can all get £5k off an air source heat pump. Just the other 5-10k to find

[Edith Bacon]

I wonder which of Boris’ buddies owns an air source heat pump manufacturing company

[Ella77]

Quite, Edith.

[smalex]

I don't think its a bad idea per se, its not any kind of solution to the immediate problem.

[Marth]

I've just been listening to something on that. They were saying one would also probably need to have all radiators replaced and pipes upgraded. Average cost they said for the pump is 12k

[smalex]

Yeah, apparently most peoples houses aren't insulated well enough for them either so better get that sorted too...

I mean we DO need to do all this stuff sooner rather than later but £5k off isn't really here nor there if you can't afford your gas hike in the first place.

[bramblerose]

I was reading about that. We wouldn't have the room at this house. Our yard isn't big enough and the house would never be able to be sufficiently insulated.

Not everyone lives in a semi/detached house with garden space!

I wonder which of Boris’ buddies owns an air source heat pump manufacturing company

These were my thoughts.

[smalex]

Its like how we're meant to be banning the sale of petrol cars in... 2030? so presumably we're starting a massive programme of fitting in-street charging points any day now (for people like me without a drive).

[Lily]

And making them affordable for people...

[ParisGal]

We were just talking about this. They keep doing similar schemes here to encourage people to invest in insulation and efficient equipment, but whilst I don't see exactly how else it could be done, everything I've heard anecdotally and on the news is that the work done is either very shoddy or that companies exist whose sole purpose is to rip (elderly) people off by selling them things that aren't in their best interests (15 years ago it was solar panels, 5 years ago loft insulation, now it's heat pumps).

Also air source is the least efficient heat pump. I think what really works is larger-scale deep ground heat pumps that would serve whole villages etc.

And I think we have to accept that nuclear power is going to be the majority of the solution.

[Lily]

I don't actually have a problem with nuclear power, which makes me think I must be very thick because there's great antipathy towards it. Or maybe that's nuclear weapons...

[smalex]

I think the objection to nuclear is that you leave waste that takes 10s of thousands of years to become harmless. And when it goes wrong its pretty spectacular....

[Flora Poste]

I was reading about that. We wouldn't have the room at this house. Our yard isn't big enough and the house would never be able to be sufficiently insulated.

Not everyone lives in a semi/detached house with garden space!

We live in a Victorian conversion flat so absolutely no idea how either of the current options would actually work as the garden isn't big enough so ground source is no good, and god knows where the hot water tanks/ air source pumps would actually go.

I too think it is a good idea in principle, but the practicalities just aren't there at the moment. Plus, most people unless they are remodelling tend to replace a boiler because their old one has broken down, so aren't going to want to have to apply for the grant when they want one fitted that week for obvious reasons.

[ParisGal]

There are a lot of issues with nuclear! But if you take proper, serious, precautions, the only issue we haven't solved is the waste treatment, and they're starting to move forward with that a little bit I think. But the need for all the precautions mean it's not viable for a lot of countries.

[Topcat]

M&S have cancelled Christmas online Christmas food orders in Ireland.

https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-sty ... -1.4703467

[Derek Nimmo]

So Bulb is in "special administration" as they're too big just to transfer all users I guess. I know lots of us are with them, I wonder what happens next?