Energy thread
Comments
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Makes little difference for us who are on oil fired, as no cap applies. I'll probably be quite diligent about turning lights off when not needed etc, that's my Yorkshire upbringing.kingstongraham said:I don't know if I'm representative, but I'm definitely less inclined to put myself through any minor discomfort to reduce my energy usage after the announcement. Which is nice for me, but not ideal overall.
"I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]0 -
A staggered tariff is definitely the way to go. It really does annoy me that the answer to the issue from Government seems to be side with those who find solar panels and wind turbines unsightly and go to ever more extreme measures to find new gas reserves rather than push harder to get to 100% renewables and find ways to reduce usage.0
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Are people simply misreading things? The cap is for usual usage. Over use and you will over pay?TheBigBean said:
This is my fear. Paying people's standing charges and a few units makes sense, this doesn't.kingstongraham said:I don't know if I'm representative, but I'm definitely less inclined to put myself through any minor discomfort to reduce my energy usage after the announcement. Which is nice for me, but not ideal overall.
The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
This isn't a winter for usual usage.pblakeney said:
Are people simply misreading things? The cap is for usual usage. Over use and you will over pay?TheBigBean said:
This is my fear. Paying people's standing charges and a few units makes sense, this doesn't.kingstongraham said:I don't know if I'm representative, but I'm definitely less inclined to put myself through any minor discomfort to reduce my energy usage after the announcement. Which is nice for me, but not ideal overall.
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Not misreading it at all. I'm less inclined to be cold in order to reduce my energy usage now that it is not going to cost an extra 80%.pblakeney said:
Are people simply misreading things? The cap is for usual usage. Over use and you will over pay?TheBigBean said:
This is my fear. Paying people's standing charges and a few units makes sense, this doesn't.kingstongraham said:I don't know if I'm representative, but I'm definitely less inclined to put myself through any minor discomfort to reduce my energy usage after the announcement. Which is nice for me, but not ideal overall.
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So if you use less you will pay less.TheBigBean said:
This isn't a winter for usual usage.pblakeney said:
Are people simply misreading things? The cap is for usual usage. Over use and you will over pay?TheBigBean said:
This is my fear. Paying people's standing charges and a few units makes sense, this doesn't.kingstongraham said:I don't know if I'm representative, but I'm definitely less inclined to put myself through any minor discomfort to reduce my energy usage after the announcement. Which is nice for me, but not ideal overall.
The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
We're on oil too - sure I heard yesterday (or probably Wednesday) that there was some kind of "support" being brought in but didn't catch the details. I suppose the thing with oil is that we've already paid for the coming winter's heating . . .Stevo_666 said:
Makes little difference for us who are on oil fired, as no cap applies. I'll probably be quite diligent about turning lights off when not needed etc, that's my Yorkshire upbringing.kingstongraham said:I don't know if I'm representative, but I'm definitely less inclined to put myself through any minor discomfort to reduce my energy usage after the announcement. Which is nice for me, but not ideal overall.
Wilier Izoard XP0 -
Perhaps I can point you to KingstonGraham as an example of why it doesn't work that well.pblakeney said:
So if you use less you will pay less.TheBigBean said:
This isn't a winter for usual usage.pblakeney said:
Are people simply misreading things? The cap is for usual usage. Over use and you will over pay?TheBigBean said:
This is my fear. Paying people's standing charges and a few units makes sense, this doesn't.kingstongraham said:I don't know if I'm representative, but I'm definitely less inclined to put myself through any minor discomfort to reduce my energy usage after the announcement. Which is nice for me, but not ideal overall.
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It's already gone up by 80% in the past two years, which is obviously a lot, and if money was tight, I'd already have been looking to reduce usage. If they'd gone ahead with the October increase, that would have been a 220% increase in total which would be quite the shock to the system for anyone, which is why it isn't happening.0
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Doesn’t help my understanding of the issue.TheBigBean said:
Perhaps I can point you to KingstonGraham as an example of why it doesn't work that well.pblakeney said:
So if you use less you will pay less.TheBigBean said:
This isn't a winter for usual usage.pblakeney said:
Are people simply misreading things? The cap is for usual usage. Over use and you will over pay?TheBigBean said:
This is my fear. Paying people's standing charges and a few units makes sense, this doesn't.kingstongraham said:I don't know if I'm representative, but I'm definitely less inclined to put myself through any minor discomfort to reduce my energy usage after the announcement. Which is nice for me, but not ideal overall.
Use less, pay less; use more, pay more. The choice is yours.The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
Sure, but I vote for you wearing a jumper, being a bit cold and wishing the country weaned itself off gas.kingstongraham said:It's already gone up by 80% in the past two years, which is obviously a lot, and if money was tight, I'd already have been looking to reduce usage. If they'd gone ahead with the October increase, that would have been a 220% increase in total which would be quite the shock to the system for anyone, which is why it isn't happening.
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I was trying to work out if I could live off grid if I were single. I have done it for a few months before, but times change. I think I would miss a fridge, hot food and warm showers. Plus I'm assuming I have 5G and I'm charging devices at work. Perhaps I can shower at work too.0
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Gym membership perhapsTheBigBean said:I was trying to work out if I could live off grid if I were single. I have done it for a few months before, but times change. I think I would miss a fridge, hot food and warm showers. Plus I'm assuming I have 5G and I'm charging devices at work. Perhaps I can shower at work too.
- Genesis Croix de Fer
- Dolan Tuono0 -
Yes, but I'm assuming I'm sufficiently poor and can't afford that.pangolin said:
Gym membership perhapsTheBigBean said:I was trying to work out if I could live off grid if I were single. I have done it for a few months before, but times change. I think I would miss a fridge, hot food and warm showers. Plus I'm assuming I have 5G and I'm charging devices at work. Perhaps I can shower at work too.
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Not really living off grid if you are going into work. You might as well go to the pub for a hot meal.0
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Not really wanting to speak for KG but my understanding of what he was saying is that now the rate is being capped he is less inclined to suffer the discomfort of having the heating set lower as the cost of turning the thermostat up the extra degree or two is no longer a deterrent. I suspect we all have that cut off point where using energy for improved convenience / comfort gets outweighed by the price we are prepared to pay for that. Much like there will be a cost of petrol at which point people will drive less.pblakeney said:
Doesn’t help my understanding of the issue.TheBigBean said:
Perhaps I can point you to KingstonGraham as an example of why it doesn't work that well.pblakeney said:
So if you use less you will pay less.TheBigBean said:
This isn't a winter for usual usage.pblakeney said:
Are people simply misreading things? The cap is for usual usage. Over use and you will over pay?TheBigBean said:
This is my fear. Paying people's standing charges and a few units makes sense, this doesn't.kingstongraham said:I don't know if I'm representative, but I'm definitely less inclined to put myself through any minor discomfort to reduce my energy usage after the announcement. Which is nice for me, but not ideal overall.
Use less, pay less; use more, pay more. The choice is yours.0 -
I don't think living off grid means not working, especially with a literal interpretation. Plus how many jobs prevent you from charging devices - I could do it in a tractor for example. That job probably wouldn't be providing me with a shower which is definitely a problem as I'm really not a fan of cold ones.kingstongraham said:Not really living off grid if you are going into work. You might as well go to the pub for a hot meal.
When I did it before, I was working.0 -
New price cap is going to work out at £290 a month for me if I do nothing. It’s definitely enough to consider making changes.0
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Living off grid doesn't mean you would have to go without hot food or hot water but surely if you wouldn't be off grid if you continue to travel into work (or is this like a SC version of off grid?).TheBigBean said:I was trying to work out if I could live off grid if I were single. I have done it for a few months before, but times change. I think I would miss a fridge, hot food and warm showers. Plus I'm assuming I have 5G and I'm charging devices at work. Perhaps I can shower at work too.
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I'm hoping that as my energy supplier has been over-charging me for the last year or so my bills aren't going to need to rise at all (and with my daughter going to Uni they may even fall).0
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Surely if you don't have a smart meter you just submit a ridiculously high over-read come end of September0
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Hmmm might try that.shirley_basso said:Surely if you don't have a smart meter you just submit a ridiculously high over-read come end of September
They do send people round to check periodically.0 -
I didn't even need to do that last time - British Gas always massively overestimate my meter readings so I just 'forgot' to correct them until the prices had gone up.0
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I'm assuming I don't also have a wood burning stove, oil heating, solar panels, wind turbines, portable gas etc. Imagine a tent if it helps.Pross said:
Living off grid doesn't mean you would have to go without hot food or hot water but surely if you wouldn't be off grid if you continue to travel into work (or is this like a SC version of off grid?).TheBigBean said:I was trying to work out if I could live off grid if I were single. I have done it for a few months before, but times change. I think I would miss a fridge, hot food and warm showers. Plus I'm assuming I have 5G and I'm charging devices at work. Perhaps I can shower at work too.
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When you do this are you effectively buying energy at the old rate, or does the extra just sit as cash in your energy provider account until needed then is spent at whatever the current rate is?- Genesis Croix de Fer
- Dolan Tuono0 -
Have you gone full lefty on us?Stevo_666 said:
I think you're right. Cut down on booze, crushed avocado on toast etc. Shower at work etc.surrey_commuter said:
you won't get a woodburner before Spring.pangolin said:
Is there anything an average punter can do about that worry?rick_chasey said:
Everyone's heating and financial situation is different so there isn't a one-size fits all model and I'm not really here to judge people's individual choices as there's more that goes into it than is worth sharing tbh.blazing_saddles said:
Judging from the lack of response to your various "global scale"posts, Rick, I think most folks are still far more concerned with their costs of keeping warm, this winter.rick_chasey said:Govt support or price caps don't address the underlying issue which is scarcity of gas.
So if you're not using the market price to signal people to use less, as you're capping the price (or giving equivalent support via other means), how do you make people use less?
Even with a cap of around £2500, the poor are still going to be faced with either keeping the kids warm, or fed. Global shortages aren't going to mean much to the folks who can't afford to use it in the first place.
Not until they can't access the internet or steaming services, at least....
My worry is that this energy crisis is the catalyst for a much wider economic problem across Europe. The sheer amount of GDP that Europe, UK included, is going to spend on energy vs normal is so big it's hard not to see a massive catastrophe.
Even if everyone is bailed out, firms and households, then there's a decent chance we just run out of energy anyway and we're all forced to go without power regardless (if it's a cold winter)
Install a wood burner I guess...
My theory is that whatever you do you won't shave more than 10% off your bill so you may as well look for savings elsewhere (or earn more)1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
Pinnacle Monzonite
Part of the anti-growth coalition0 -
You then need to carefully manage your meter-reads over the winter, or not submit anything until it finally ticks over. Also might look suspicious having a huge energy bill in Sept.rick_chasey said:
Hmmm might try that.shirley_basso said:Surely if you don't have a smart meter you just submit a ridiculously high over-read come end of September
They do send people round to check periodically.0 -
I have always found the system of the energy company "suggesting" a monthly amount and then you randomly get hit by a "oh you owe us / we owe you x amount" because they didn't get it right very weird.
Had to really fight for them to just charge me for exactly what i used that month.0 -
Well it is, because the value I place on being in a home at a temperature I deem comfortable is higher than the price that is currently being charged for gas. If the price were considerably higher, that would change.pblakeney said:
Doesn’t help my understanding of the issue.TheBigBean said:
Perhaps I can point you to KingstonGraham as an example of why it doesn't work that well.pblakeney said:
So if you use less you will pay less.TheBigBean said:
This isn't a winter for usual usage.pblakeney said:
Are people simply misreading things? The cap is for usual usage. Over use and you will over pay?TheBigBean said:
This is my fear. Paying people's standing charges and a few units makes sense, this doesn't.kingstongraham said:I don't know if I'm representative, but I'm definitely less inclined to put myself through any minor discomfort to reduce my energy usage after the announcement. Which is nice for me, but not ideal overall.
Use less, pay less; use more, pay more. The choice is yours.
This price will be different for people in different circumstances, either financial or personal.
The example of petrol is a good one - if, having been 110p, they rose to 180p, you might just grumble but swallow it and make other adjustments if you need to. If it then suddenly went up to 320p per litre, you might start thinking whether journeys are really worth it. At all of those price points, if you drive less, you pay less.0 -
Think it would count as fraud if you deliberately submitted an inaccurate reading.2