COVID-19

  • Home supply and services

    Domestic switching falls as the savings gap is squeezed

    With day-ahead gas reaching an all-time high of 187.50p/th as of 15 September, it has been a record-breaking summer for wholesale energy prices. This Chart of the Week explores the impact these high prices are having on domestic tariffs and consumer switching behaviour.

  • Low carbon generation

    A podium finish: ROC banking in CP19

    The Renewables Obligation (RO) Compliance Period (CP) 19 (2020-21) has been unusual in the scheme’s history in light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. As we are in the so-called “compliance season” for CP19, we reflect on the last year and the importance that Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROC) “banking”...

  • Commercial and market outlook

    Chart of the week | Green recovery in Italy?

    Issue 229 of ‘Chart of the week’ showcases Italian prime minister Mario Draghi’s economic recovery plan which was presented to the country’s parliament. The appointment of Mario Draghi, former head of the European Central Bank, as prime minister on 13 February has provided the country with a unique opportunity to...

  • Low carbon generation

    Chart of the week | Higher or lower? Transitioning to the UK ETS

    Carbon prices, especially the EU Emission Trading System (ETS), have experienced considerable volatility over the last year, influenced first by COVID-19, which saw prices crash, and more recently by expectations of increased EU climate ambitions, driving prices to record highs. In this Chart of the Week, we consider the potential...

  • Commercial and market outlook

    Chart of the week | UK carbon emissions were down 10% in 2020

    BEIS published its provisional 2020 UK greenhouse gas emissions figures on 25 March. In this 'Chart of the week', we consider the significant impact of COVID-19 and the resulting lockdowns in the UK on carbon emissions last year. Carbon emissions in the UK are provisionally estimated to have fallen by...

  • Low carbon generation

    Chart of the week | REGO rebound: Prices to rise on COVID recovery

    We recently published the findings from the January 2021 edition of our Green Certificates Survey. The survey, which had 62 respondents from 59 distinct organisations, is designed to provide greater market transparency for Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGO), Continental Guarantees of Origin (GoOs) and Renewable Gas Guarantees of Origin...

  • Power and gas networks

    Lower prices but a similar story for those setting the price

    2020 was one for the books with plenty of interesting events happening worldwide and also in the energy markets. For the NEM specifically, it was a time of significant changes in price outcomes compared to the previous years of comparatively higher prices. However, now comes the question of whether NEM...

  • Commercial and market outlook

    Chart of the week | Saying goodbye to 2020

    While lockdown may have been the most used word overall in 2020, in the energy sector net zero would certainly give it a run for its money. The raft of policy announcements, particularly in the last few weeks, will lead to a dramatic change in sector especially with moves to...

  • Business supply and services

    Chart of the week | TPIs hit by the COVID-19 pandemic

    Third Party Intermediaries (TPIs) operating in the business market in 2020 have experienced significant changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Cornwall Insight’s 2020 Annual TPI report published earlier this week found that when negotiating business energy contracts in 2020, TPIs could target a £335mn/year revenue pool, an 18% decrease on...

  • Home supply and services

    Chart of the week | COVID-19 research findings published ahead of strengthened consumer protections

    This 'Chart of the week' comes from Ofgem’s latest research on the impacts of COVID-19 measures on energy consumption and customer’s financial wellbeing. Published on 6 November, the findings presented come from the third wave of this research, with fieldwork being conducted in April, May, and October. While those reporting...

  • E-mobility and low carbon

    Chart of the week | Every breath you take: Clean Air Day and Electric Vehicle uptake

    On Clean Air Day 2020, we reflect on the increasing uptake of electric vehicles (EVs), with record battery EV (BEV) sales in September despite overall car sales going down. This week's 'Chart of the week' explores drivers behind these trends and considers potential longer-term impacts of COVID-19 on EV sales.

  • Business supply and services

    Chart of the week | COVID-19 costs energy suppliers over £1bn

    The impact of COVID-19 is starting to be reported by listed energy companies. Centrica, Iberdrola, E.ON Group, Drax Group and ENGIE Group have all commented on the impact of COVID-19, including the costs of selling back overhedged volumes caused by the pandemic. These suppliers collectively are important competitors in the...

  • Energy storage and flexibility

    Chart of the week | New to the party: Recent changes in Balancing Mechanism activity

    The Balancing Mechanism (BM), one of National Grid Electricity System Operator’s key tools to balance supply and demand in real time, has experienced a notable increase in activity in 2020, especially in light of the heightened challenges that have come from COVID-19. In the BM parties submit bids and offers...

  • Commercial and market outlook

    Chart of the week | Ramping up: demand levels, power prices and the outlook ahead

    With the recent easing of lockdown measures allowing the re-opening of many parts of the economy, in this Chart of the Week, we take a look at how his has impacted electricity demand and power prices. GB power prices for baseload electricity in recent weeks would suggest that the market...

  • Energy storage and flexibility

    Australian Chart of the week | Down, down, prices are down… but is it sustainable?

    Following a comparatively mild Q1, electricity prices have fallen significantly in Q2. While a drop in price is expected as we move from peak demand conditions in Q1 to the shoulder Q2, the surprising element is the level to which prices have fallen. Average quarterly prices in Q2 2020 were...

  • Home supply and services

    Chart of the week | Road to recovery: COVID-19 and the smart rollout

    The full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the smart meter rollout is uncertain, although modelling from BEIS and Ofgem has provided early indications of future installation levels. In this week’s Chart of the week we compare these assessments against pre-pandemic expectations. With the introduction of social distancing and lockdown...

  • Home supply and services

    Chart of the week | Switcheroo: COVID-19 sees dates shift for Faster Switching

    Like most industry workstreams, the Switching Programme has experienced a delay due to the reprioritisation of activities under COVID-19. This 'Chart of the Week' looks at how the programme had to slip to allow parties relief from its requirements.

  • Low carbon generation

    Chart of the week | Free fallin’: Green generator values hit hard by COVID-19

    Since the COVID-19 outbreak, there has been a downturn in GB power demand and an associated slump in wholesale prices. This has has resulted in a sharp decline in green generator revenues. However, the magnitude of these impacts depends heavily on a generators’ routes to market and trading choices. We...

  • Energy storage and flexibility

    Chart of the week | Cha-Cha Slide: COVID-19 & falling levels of inertia

    The level of inertia on the system is a key contributor to electricity system stability. Inertia is an attribute of the system related to the energy stored in the rotating motors of synchronous generators. It prevents system frequency from falling too quickly after a frequency disturbance (e.g. a generator trip)....

  • Regulation and policy

    Chart of the week | Ofgem’s plans revised due to COVID-19

    On 16 April, Ofgem issued an online update on the re-planning of its priorities and workload over the coming months in light of the impacts of COVID-19. Please note that the deliverables presented in Figure 1 were not all necessarily due in April, rather this is to represent where we...

  • Low carbon generation

    Australian Chart of the week | COVID’s inverse duck effect

    In our Chart of the Week Issue 29 two weeks ago, we looked at the demand curve across March and into the first week of April, which showed a trend emerging of a decline morning peak and an unchanged evening peak. Two weeks on we can see that the decrease in morning...

  • Commercial and market outlook

    Chart of the week | The wind of change: Germany’s future in the air

    Germany's newly installed wind capacity increased 260% in quarter one of 2020 compared to the same period last year. However, this increase is still marginal in the context of previous years and Germany’s wider renewable targets. January to March this year saw the installation of 107 new turbines, according to...

  • Low carbon generation

    Australian Chart of the week | COVID-19 and the NEM: are ducks immune to the pandemic?

    Australia ramps up its efforts against the COVID-19 health pandemic. Many have asked what COVID-19 means for the National Electricity Market (NEM) and energy sector in general.  In this Chart of the week, through a time-of-day analysis, we examine the impact the week-by-week federal restrictions on businesses and individuals are having...

  • Business supply and services

    Chart of the week | Energy demand falls amid coronavirus outbreak

    Since the government imposed restrictions on movement in the UK on 24 March, demand for power has fallen around 11% March 2019 levels. Comparatively, demand for gas has been less affected due to the dominance of the domestic heating market on gas demand. In this Chart of the week, we...

  • Home supply and services

    Chart of the week | Suppliers struggle for profitability

    This week many suppliers have agreed to a series of measures to ameliorate the effects of the Coronavirus on vulnerable consumers. This is no doubt the right thing to do but will come at a cost. In what position are they to take this cost? This Chart of the Week...