As customers face an ongoing energy crisis there is an urgent need for targeted financial support. But the crisis has also underlined the need for wider energy savings and efficiency including a push for home insulation. This would not only help households struggling this winter but is essential in tackling the pressing challenge of climate change and the net zero transition.
This technical paper is a welcome expert contribution and 'explainer' from Dr Chris Harris. It sets out basic economic considerations in energy supplier hedging and discusses how these may interact with energy volumes, wholesale prices and the price-cap in a period of major uncertainty. He raises important questions about our near-term readiness and resilience for a cold winter and he stresses the short and longer-term imperative for energy saving.
This Briefing Paper aims to stimulate discussion about the principles that should underpin decision making by policy makers, regulators, companies, investors and others in essential services to support the transformational shift taking place towards sustainability.
This Briefing Paper explains why a principles-based approach is important to support the transformational shift taking place towards sustainability. It establishes the needs case for our Sustainability Principles Project and how this work will tackle this issue in essential services.
To get change at the scale and pace needed to deliver on our net zero commitments, and to enable the more fundamental systems change needed to ensure the wellbeing of people and planet, competition and consumer protection laws will need to reorientate to give far greater weight to net zero and resilience. Delivering sustainability often requires a difficult balancing act, trade-offs and identification of win-wins which can be complex and challenging.
All the electricity distribution networks have now published drafts of their RIIO2 Business Plans (with the exception of UK Power Networks who have produced a 20-page summary).