My electricity bill has just tripled: how about yours? Alternative suppliers?

[CH1]

Still thinking of buying a socialist kettle. This is in Argos for £18. One reviewer said "sturdy kettle, unlike some.." another "the handle gets too hot to handle, it boils water...that's it really" another "good whistle but takes longer to boil than an electric kettle"

There is a competitor for £8.99 from OnBuy.com. I like the gay purple colour, but the spout looks like it's paid a visit to an American circumcision clinic

I feel a bit trepidacious about parting with £8.99 to an unknown internet vendor in Manchester - but there again I bought a Digiview remote control from a similar establishment "for a friend" and it worked! He was delighted.
Any views?

 

[teqniq]

Cross posted from the sewerage thread as it's relevant to both:

Oh look what a surprise:

Former government adviser calls for overhaul of UK utilities regulators

 

[two sheds]

Still thinking of buying a socialist kettle. This is in Argos for £18. One reviewer said "sturdy kettle, unlike some.." another "the handle gets too hot to handle, it boils water...that's it really" another "good whistle but takes longer to boil than an electric kettle"
View attachment 340145
There is a competitor for £8.99 from OnBuy.com. I like the gay purple colour, but the spout looks like it's paid a visit to an American circumcision clinic
View attachment 340146
I feel a bit trepidacious about parting with £8.99 to an unknown internet vendor in Manchester - but there again I bought a Digiview remote control from a similar establishment "for a friend" and it worked! He was delighted.
Any views?

gas hob?

 

[CH1]

gas hob?

Unfortunately I removed the remnants of the servant bell system and the gas lights when I moved into my 1868 Brixton home 38 years back. Would have come in handy for gaslighting!

 

[two sheds]

I was wondering because if you've got gas then it doesn't matter if there's a lip round the bottom of the kettle as there can be. Electric plates need a flat bottom arf arf.

I once had a copper ship's kettle which was lovely but leaked

 

[Puddy_Tat]

i'm not much of a scientist, but can't see that boiling a kettle on an electric hob is going to be more energy efficient than using an electric kettle, and possibly less so as you'll be heating the hob as well

 

[WouldBe]

For some strange reason installation of domestic solar panels has tripled recently.

 

[zora]

For some strange reason installation of domestic solar panels has tripled recently.

My dad got in there in spring, just before some crucial parts became unavailable. He just plonked them down on the balcony and plugged them into the socket with some sort of converter. And then proudly showed off to me how the electric meter was standing still when I visited in August, powering at the very least the fridge and the electricity for the heating system and whatever standby-modes of appliances (I can't remember if TV and/or PC were also on at the time). Apparently he has also seen it run backwards on occasion.

 

[CH1]

i'm not much of a scientist, but can't see that boiling a kettle on an electric hob is going to be more energy efficient than using an electric kettle, and possibly less so as you'll be heating the hob as well

I can't see anyone buying a hob kettle for electric - unless they have an induction hob which might be quite efficient.
The current range of Chinese electric kettles with concealed elements seem like a bad idea to me. But where is Russell Hobbs? China - that's where: Russell Hobbs Snowdon 1.7L Brushed Stainless Steel Kettle - country of origin and manufacturing locations | ProductFrom.com

 

[two sheds]

Hob kettle makes sense if the cooker's on for another reason - either space heating, cooking or both.

 

[moochedit]

For some strange reason installation of domestic solar panels has tripled recently.

Which they may regret later...

Homeowners trapped by 25-year solar panel contracts | Energy bills | The Guardian

Householders who lease their roofs to power firms find it hard or costly to move home

amp.theguardian.com

 

[two sheds]

Which they may regret later...

Homeowners trapped by 25-year solar panel contracts | Energy bills | The Guardian

Householders who lease their roofs to power firms find it hard or costly to move home

amp.theguardian.com

Yep that's always been a bad deal.

 

[emanymton]

Which they may regret later...

Homeowners trapped by 25-year solar panel contracts | Energy bills | The Guardian

Householders who lease their roofs to power firms find it hard or costly to move home

amp.theguardian.com

And not a option for many, in particular for people who rent or live in a flat. Who tend the be those struggling the most. It is the same with insulation. Anything to make these things easier and cheaper just favors those who are already better off.

 

[cupid_stunt]

And not a option for many, in particular for people who rent or live in a flat. Who tend the be those struggling the most. It is the same with insulation. Anything to make these things easier and cheaper just favors those who are already better off.

I am bloody lucky with my landlords, this place already had the walls & roof insulated, just after I moved in 8-9 years they had new double glazing fitted, and over tomorrow & Wed. my 30+ year old boiler is being replaced with a modern combi boiler, which should save 20-30% is usage according to the CH company, although one website seems to think it could be up to 40%.

 

[elbows]

Cross posted from the sewerage thread as it's relevant to both:

Oh look what a surprise:

Former government adviser calls for overhaul of UK utilities regulators

Part of that article mentions the need to decouple the electricity price from the gas price, and I note that such demands are growing much louder amongst EU leaders too:

EU faces awful winters without gas cap - minister

Calls mount for an EU-wide cap on the price of gas and for it not to dictate the price of electricity.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[magneze]

Why are they coupled?

 

[alex_]

Why are they coupled?

Because gas is used to generate a lot of electricity.

 

[stdP]

Because gas is used to generate a lot of electricity.

For those who don't know the site already, the excellent GridWatch gives a mostly-real-time picture of what's being used to generate however much electricity at any given moment. CCGT (Combined Cycle Gas Turbine) is currently generating ~15GW, approx. 50% of the total grid demand of ~30GW.

G. B. National Grid status

www.gridwatch.templar.co.uk

 

[WouldBe]

Part of that article mentions the need to decouple the electricity price from the gas price, and I note that such demands are growing much louder amongst EU leaders too:

EU faces awful winters without gas cap - minister

Calls mount for an EU-wide cap on the price of gas and for it not to dictate the price of electricity.

www.bbc.co.uk

Why can't the bright sparks in charge here do that?

Although if we had bright sparks in charge electric would be virtually free.

 

[alex_]

What I’m not totally clear on is why nuclear and renewable generators who have flat costs get paid the same rate as gas generators whose price is set by the price of gas.

I think this is what they mean by decouple

 

[two sheds]

Sounds reasonable? Renewables particularly have very low running costs.

 

[cupid_stunt]

For those who don't know the site already, the excellent GridWatch gives a mostly-real-time picture of what's being used to generate however much electricity at any given moment. CCGT (Combined Cycle Gas Turbine) is currently generating ~15GW, approx. 50% of the total grid demand of ~30GW.

G. B. National Grid status

www.gridwatch.templar.co.uk

I find this one more readable -

National Grid: Live

Shows the live status of Great Britain’s electric power transmission network

grid.iamkate.com

I see wind is just over 9% ATM, that's been around 3-4% over the few days, which doesn't help.

 

[alex_]

I find this one more readable -

National Grid: Live

Shows the live status of Great Britain’s electric power transmission network

grid.iamkate.com

I see wind is just over 9% ATM, that's been around 3-4% over the few days, which doesn't help.

recent auctions mean another 7gw of wind will come online over the next few year - apparently they are aiming for 50gw of wind by 2030.

Though it’ll be more like 25gw at any one time.

Interestingly this is probably the one thing the tories haven’t fucked up over the last few years.



The U.K. is now paying less for new renewables than it does for new nuclear (2.5x less) and it did for gas when gas was cheap.

 

[wow]

Not enough!

My advice, for what it’s worth.

Heat yourselves. Not your home. It’s a lot cheaper. Layer up. Jumpers, quilts, duvets. Wrap up indoors.

Also, you probably won’t die from a cold water wash in the bathroom with a sponge and some shower gel.

Then, buy cheap, nutritious food. Carrots, onions, potatoes, swede, broccoli, frozen fish fingers. You can feed 3 people for a quid with those things…and it’s healthy and hearty.

Finally, keep something left over for a treat. A pound is enough to get the kids some crayons and maybe some chocolate.

A small treat, once a week, will keep your spirits up. Don’t neglect yourself.

 

[bcuster]

Just got my electric bill for last month. One months usage, average size single family home; average temperature 81F: $178 or 152 British pounds

 

[High Voltage]

My electric bill for last month was £69 give or take. It was, somehow, a 32 day period. Two adults at home all the time and whilst AC would've been nice we don't have it so were hot

 

[platinumsage]

The U.K. is now paying less for new renewables than it does for new nuclear (2.5x less) and it did for gas when gas was cheap.

Not sure this is very significant. When it's not windy, other sources will be at a premium because with little wind there will be fewer generating resources. However wind generators don't get to auction their electricity at such advantageous times when there are deficits of other sources, so they will on average attract a lower price. If renewable generators could store their energy it would be a different matter of course...

 

[cupid_stunt]

Storage is certainly something that is needed, wind can be so unreliable, we've had a number of days where it was only producing 3-5% of electric, somwhat better this morning at 16.5%.

 

[CH1]

Just got my electric bill for last month. One months usage, average size single family home; average temperature 81F: $178 or 152 British pounds

You must be using air conditioning?

 

[teqniq]

Energy firms refusing to supply small UK businesses over bankruptcy fears