Spark Energy Supply Switch To Ovo Energy Going ‘Smoothly’
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
If the article is true, which as it is on the BBC, I feel there is a high chance that it is, I think that this means, that OFGEM has now got a backstop for those customers, who choose an energy company that fails.
It probably means that there is less risk in changing to an energy company, that you don’t know, but was recommended by a trusted friend or a reputable consumer affairs program or magazine.
As to OVO, I have used them for several years now, as have several of my friends.
Economy Energy Customers Moved To Ovo Days After Ninth Bankruptcy In A Year
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on City AM.
These are two paragraphs from the article.
Ovo has already established itself as a so-called supplier of last resort, willing to take on customers of companies which are unable to keep trading.
In November it started serving almost 300,000 customers who were left without an energy supplier when Spark Energy went bankrupt.
Ovo is certainly growing its customer base from bankrupt suppliers and I hope it has got its sums correct and doesn’t overstretch itself.
It must be getting very practised at handling customers worried about their energy supply and costs.
In addition, it is showing itself to be an innovative supplier and is venturing into new markets.
Funding Injection For Smart Central Heating Project
The title of this article is the same as that of this article in The Scotsman.
This is the first two paragraphs.
East Lothian-based thermal energy storage specialist Sunamp and energy supplier OVO have secured seven-figure funding to develop a commercially viable smart central heating system.
The project brings together OVO’s intelligent energy management platform, called VCharge, with Sunamp’s super compact “heat batteries” which are said to store four times more heat than hot water tanks of a similar size.
This sounds like an interesting concept from Sunamp and OVO.
This video from Fully Charged, shows Sunamp’s thermal batteries in action.
I believe we’ll be seeing more of thermal batteries!
Spark Energy Supply Ceases Trading
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
The important thing in the BBC’s post is this section.
Ovo Energy has confirmed it has entered into a conditional agreement to buy the company and take on its customers.
Ofgem said the energy supply for Spark’s 290,000 customers would continue as normal.
It advised customers to take meter readings, and said outstanding credit balances would be protected.
It appears that the safety-net is working.
Incidentally, I am a customer of OVO and I have had no problems, except with getting my smart meter installed.
I also have several friends, who chose OVO independently of me, who don’t seem to be having problems.
So hopefully, Spark Energy Supply’s customers will be looked after professionally.
Conclusion
My advice to anybody affected by the failure of Spark Energy or any other energy company, is make sure you have all your information with the meter numbers together.
Then sit tight for a few weeks and see how it all goes, before choosing a new supplier if you feel you need one.
It might also be a good idea to listen to Paul Lewis on Radio 4’s Moneybox today.
OVO Energy Drops 4 Product Bombshells, Including New Vehicle-to-Grid Charger
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Clean Technica.
This is the first paragraph.
n London yesterday, OVO Energy took to the stage and dropped not one new product but four product bombshells that are aimed at creating a new energy ecosystem that is accessible to residential energy consumers.
The products are.
- A Vehicle-to-Grid Charger for the Masses
- 7kW Smart Charger
- One Ring To Rule Them All
- Residential Energy Stoage
The article discusses them in detail.
If I still drove, I’d be very interested in the vehicle-to-grid charger, as I’d fit one in my garage.
The amount of car use, I would have would probably be fairly minimal, so most of the time the car would be sitting in the garage, acting as a storage battery for the National Grid.
Suppose ten million homes in the UK, had a vehicle-to-grid charger and an electric car with a 30 kWh battery. that would be 300 MWh of energy storage, which would be ideal for storing wind energy generated at night.
Is A Cap On Energy Prices A Good Idea?
All political parties including the Motherhood and Apple Pie Tendency think this is a good idea, but I’m not sure.
I changed to OVO Energy, one of the smaller companies a couple of years ago, so I looked up on a comparison site to see if I could make a big saving by changing supplier.
Sixty-three suppliers would give me a saving of up to four pounds a month.
As my solar panels haven’t been installed for a year and I don’t know the full affect on my bill yet and I would be changing with solar panels, I shall not be changing my supplier now.
But the interesting figure is that sixty-three different deals were offered. That says to me that competition is working in the energy field.
An Ideal Energy Market
Most consumers would prefer a fixed low price.
But surely, that is impossible as there has to be an equilibrium between the price energy companies pay for their energy and the price they charge consumers.
What happens if there is a global crisis and energy prices are universally high?
The other problem with a low energy price, is that doesn’t encourage consumers to save energy.
The UK’s Energy System
The energy system and market is a constantly changing dynamic system and since energy privatisation in the UK, there have been massive changes to the generation, supply and use of electricity.
- A nnetwork of interconnectors is starting to stretch over Western Europe to allow interchange of electricity.
- Wind and solar power generation are increasing dramatically.
- Coal is dead for generating electricity.
- Consumers have invested in low-energy appliances.
There will be more developments in the next few years.
- A planned interconnector to Iceland could be a game changer.
- Solar panels and energy storage will increasingly be fitted to homes.
- Millions of electric cars will be sold.
- Some high-priced nuclear energy will come on stream.
All of these developments have and will continue to move the energy price up and down.
As a Control Engineer, I know that the best way to get a dynamic system like this to a stable point acceptable to all parties, is to apply as few restrictions as possible.
An energy price cap will impose a condition, that will distort the equilibrium and it might not be in the way that politicians want.
Politicians would be better to concentrate on actions that helped the current system find an equilibrium acceptable to all.
- Make it as easy as possible for consumers to change energy supplier.
- Avoid backing high-priced energy generation like Hinckley Point C.
- Promote lower-cost generation and energy storage systems.
- Fund energy research at universities.
- Build more interconnectors.
But above all they should not distort the market.
As an aside here, I don’t object to Nicola Sturgeon setting up a tax-payer funded energy company in Scotland. In a free market, it will only promote more competition and possibly lower prices.
But it might lose Scotland a lot of money!
OVO Offers Solar Panels And A Battery
There are a couple of reports on the Internet, that the smaller energy supplier; Ovo Energy, is now offering deals on solar panels and a battery.
I have been thinking of adding a battery for some time, but I don’t think the time is quite right yet, as the price of batteries is becoming more affordable.
However, I do think that Ovo’s move is the first of many we will see in the next few months and years.
This march towards solar and batteries could have various consequences for the UK.
- Many house builders will add solar panels and a battery to new houses.
- Domestic electricity needs will reduce.
- Solar panels and batteries may have some interesting effects on the property market.
Battery owners could also charge up overnight on low-price electricity, so the daily operation could be something like.
- Overnight the battery is charged on low-price electricity.
- Morning ablutions and breakfast, thus uses low-price electricity.
- Hopefully, the sun charges the battery during the day.
- Evening electricity would in part be what has been stored during the day.
One overall effect of the battery is to smooth the energy needs of a property.
So as the proportion of houses with batteries increases, the National Grid will see a reduction in the spikes of electricity demand, as evetybody makes a cup of tea in the advert breaks.
But the biggest effect will be on how the UK would generate its electricity.
I am not against nuclear power for any technical or environmental reasons, but I do think that the cost of new nuclear power stations like Hinckley Point C are not good value for money compared with other methods of generation. On the other hand, if we are going to have much smoother electricity needs, then we do need the nuclear power station’s ability to produce a steady baseload of power.
I am against inappropriate on-shore wind in many locations, but I am not against off-shore wind or perhaps a few large turbines in an industrial estate.
I feel that solar, batteries and off-shore wind could give the UK very affordable electricity, but they need to be backed by some form of baseload power stations, which at the moment can only be nuclear.
Conclusion
Following my logic, I believe, that as more batteries are installed in the UK, the following will happen.
- Those who install a battery will save money whether they have solar panels or not!
- Batteries will be allowed to be charged on low-cost overnight electricity.
- As more batteries are installed in the UK, the UK power needs will be smoother.
- Overnight off-shore wind could be used to charge all these batteries.
This leads me to the conclusion, that the Government should create incentives for homes to install batteries, which would be charged with low-cost overnight electricity or solar panels.
Checking My Electricity Direct Debit
With the news this morning, that there is going to be a price cap on energy tariffs, I thought I’d look at mine.
I was paying £114 a month, but my supplier; OVO were recommended that I pay just £89.
The difference, is probably explained, as this has just been the first summer, when my solar panels have been installed.
So their charge calculating algorithm has only just caught up and I am now saving money.
Do you trust, your energy supplier to give you a an accurate estimate about what you should pay?
Interestingly, this morning, I’ve just found this web page detailing a link-up between OVO and Nissan concening the charging of electric cars.
The electricity market is changing very much for the better.
Why People Don’t Change To Cheaper And Smaller Energy Suppliers
This news item on the Money Saving Expert web site is entitled Energy users don’t switch because they haven’t heard of cheapest firms, MSE poll finds.
If you’re thinking of changing read it and you might learn something to guide you to a more affordable supplier.
I swapped to OVO Energy a couple of years ago, and I’ve had no serious issues and they now have allowed me to connect my solar panels to the electrocity network.
The only problem, I had with swapping was getting nPower to pay me the money they owed.
Conn By Name, Con Artist By Nature
I have just seen the Chief Executive of Centrica; Ian Conn, giving the most unfeasible explanation, why despite the fact that electricity prices are going down, British Gas will be putting them up by 12.5% from September 11th.
This article on the BBC gives more details.
Now is the time to give British Gas a good kicking by moving to an alternative smaller supplier.
I moved to OVO over two years ago and have had no trouble except.
- Changing from my old Bog Six supplier was a pain, due to the original company’s incompetence. Was that real or deliberate?
- OVO have still not fitted me with a smart meter. But I’m not sure I need one!
OVO have also handled my solar panels without trouble.
The Anonymous Widower 