"The most valuable commodity I know of is information." Wall Street
Traditionally over the last 15 years, when markets have fallen, large retail buyers have opted for relatively long term deals. This with hindsight has proved to be rather daft, because they have locked in at prices which subsequently continued to fall. The really sophisticated buyers bought on the smallest administratively reasonable deal they could muster, mainly this was a rolling one year contract, but some will have opted for monthlies and at times even weeklies. Now that the price is rising more players are going for flexible deals with rolling weekly decision making and some optionality built in. In a rising market all they are doing is buying at higher price each week, rather than securing a long term price and watching the market rally, thereby playing into the suppliers hands. Perhaps interestingly this might in the long term with a volatile market be the right thing to do, because it starts to look at managing a customers risk. If risk limits are as great as people suggest there are some people who would have the authority to buy out as far as Summer 08 which with a spark spread of £13 looks extremely overvalued. So although it may make sense to lock in for the long term, in reality the backend of the curve is priced for the suppliers to be able to hold the risk. In short they will be happy to go short at these levels. Manage the risk carefully by looking at usage patterns for years to come and the contracts involved.
05 May 2006
Five year deals may look attractive because the market is in backwardation but in reality there will be other opportunities as more detail on fuel fundamentals is released. No harm in hedging some exposure for five years but not all of it. read more...
27 February 2006
Under the NETA rules the market would always favour those who are flexible and able to adapt. As stability in market prices is becoming more normal, this allows players to assess the market even start to think about creating flexibility within their own shape. read more...
10 February 2006
Retail customers now have to look at fixed versus variable in the same way as their mortgage, and buying a mortgage is normally painful, and so inadvertently by making the market more complex the suppliers reduce churn. read more...
23 August 2005
Flexible purchasing is a change for the best but it needs care and management in order to get it right. read more...
23 June 2005
The differences between Winter and Summer are getting narrower, but this may indirectly cause more problems. If the Swiss trains stop what next? read more...
Energy Forward Prices continue to gain ground
Despite market participants describing the market as stagnant and directionless, energy forward prices continue to gain ground. Winter 11 power closed the week up at £59.65/MWh while NBP Winter 11 gas finished at 72.20p/therm. read more...
10 June 2011
Despite market participants describing the market as stagnant and directionless, energy forward prices continue to gain ground. Winter 11 power closed the week up at £59.65/MWh while NBP Winter 11 gas finished at 72.20p/therm. read more...
The Market in April 2011
In comparison to the activity seen in March – the energy markets seemed relatively sedate shedding some of the value along the way. read more...
28 April 2011
In comparison to the activity seen in March – the energy markets seemed relatively sedate shedding some of the value along the way. read more...
Carbon Floor Price Announcement: The Market Reacts
The tensions seen in the markets last week, as participants assessed the impact of Japan and nuclear withdrawal in Germany, appeared to have eased when the market started trading on Monday. The Government's mid week budget Carbon Floor Price announcement soon changes that though read more...
25 March 2011
The tensions seen in the markets last week, as participants assessed the impact of Japan and nuclear withdrawal in Germany, appeared to have eased when the market started trading on Monday. The Government's mid week budget Carbon Floor Price announcement soon changes that though read more...
Crude Oil Breaks Through $110bbl
Unfolding news in the Middle East continued to dominate the UK energy markets this week. When crude oil prices broke through $100bbl at the start of the month, the impact was noticeable on UK gas prices and Power prices in turn. Winter 11 power and gas closed the week at £55.75/MWh and 67p/therm respectively. read more...
04 March 2011
Unfolding news in the Middle East continued to dominate the UK energy markets this week. When crude oil prices broke through $100bbl at the start of the month, the impact was noticeable on UK gas prices and Power prices in turn. Winter 11 power and gas closed the week at £55.75/MWh and 67p/therm respectively. read more...
New White Paper highlights need for Energy Risk Management
Yesterday, npower launched its new white paper, commissioned from the London School of Economics on Energy Risk Management for UK business. The paper comes on the back of research that suggests that UK businesses now feel that energy presents a higher level of risk to their business than health and safety and security issues. But what should businesses be doing to manage the risks? read more...
11 November 2010
Yesterday, npower launched its new white paper, commissioned from the London School of Economics on Energy Risk Management for UK business. The paper comes on the back of research that suggests that UK businesses now feel that energy presents a higher level of risk to their business than health and safety and security issues. But what should businesses be doing to manage the risks? read more...
February Monthly Round Up
February was dominated by news of unrest spreading throughout the Middle East and this had a direct impact on all aspects of the UK energy market with gains seen in the UK Power and NBP Gas curves. read more...
25 February 2011
February was dominated by news of unrest spreading throughout the Middle East and this had a direct impact on all aspects of the UK energy market with gains seen in the UK Power and NBP Gas curves. read more...
Where has the market got left to go?
Clean spark spread prices in Winter’s 11 and 12 are trading below £5.00MWh (closing at £4.87 and £4.59 respectively). The equivalent Summer’s are not that much stronger asking some to ask is there anymore downside left at these levels. read more...
03 September 2010
Clean spark spread prices in Winter’s 11 and 12 are trading below £5.00MWh (closing at £4.87 and £4.59 respectively). The equivalent Summer’s are not that much stronger asking some to ask is there anymore downside left at these levels. read more...
Where's the certainty?
There was a time when you could quite comfortably forecast the running order of generation plant in the UK - but 2009 has seen a dramatic turn in the stack! read more...
23 December 2009
There was a time when you could quite comfortably forecast the running order of generation plant in the UK - but 2009 has seen a dramatic turn in the stack! read more...
Drax up against it
Drax profit margins fall as competition will only get harder. read more...
05 March 2008
Drax profit margins fall as competition will only get harder. read more...
Powerisk Receives-Independent Energy Consultant Commendation
At the recent Energy ‘Buying and Supplying’ Excellence Awards, Powerisk received a Commendation in the Independent Energy Consultant of the Year category. The awards, held at The Langham Hotel in London, were designed to showcase and recognise the very best practises in the energy supply and procurement arena with consideration given to all those involved in the process. read more...
29 November 2010
At the recent Energy ‘Buying and Supplying’ Excellence Awards, Powerisk received a Commendation in the Independent Energy Consultant of the Year category. The awards, held at The Langham Hotel in London, were designed to showcase and recognise the very best practises in the energy supply and procurement arena with consideration given to all those involved in the process. read more...
New White Paper highlights need for Energy Risk Management
Yesterday, npower launched its new white paper, commissioned from the London School of Economics on Energy Risk Management for UK business. The paper comes on the back of research that suggests that UK businesses now feel that energy presents a higher level of risk to their business than health and safety and security issues. But what should businesses be doing to manage the risks? read more...
11 November 2010
Yesterday, npower launched its new white paper, commissioned from the London School of Economics on Energy Risk Management for UK business. The paper comes on the back of research that suggests that UK businesses now feel that energy presents a higher level of risk to their business than health and safety and security issues. But what should businesses be doing to manage the risks? read more...
Suddenly it's "British Petroleum"
A name not used in a very long time, but suddenly the US are quick to refer to BP by its old name of British Petroleum, hoping perhaps to distance itself from blame regarding the disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. But as the US announces a criminal investigation and as BP shares suffer further should the British economy concern itself? read more...
02 June 2010
A name not used in a very long time, but suddenly the US are quick to refer to BP by its old name of British Petroleum, hoping perhaps to distance itself from blame regarding the disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. But as the US announces a criminal investigation and as BP shares suffer further should the British economy concern itself? read more...
Why is the Dollar Important?
With LNG now having a place in the UK gas market, the dollar will influence our energy prices. read more...
25 September 2009
With LNG now having a place in the UK gas market, the dollar will influence our energy prices. read more...
Recent oil price rises will not last
The recent oil price increase seen last week has already started to fall and Powerisk explains why it will continue to stall. read more...
25 March 2009
The recent oil price increase seen last week has already started to fall and Powerisk explains why it will continue to stall. read more...
Too Many Buyers….
Too many buyers and not enough sellers were the reasons attributed to significant gains seen in the power markets. read more...
08 October 2008
Too many buyers and not enough sellers were the reasons attributed to significant gains seen in the power markets. read more...
Peak vs Baseload
Sometimes negotiation on some elements of price could result in some interesting opening into the black box which is electricity pricing. read more...
18 June 2007
Sometimes negotiation on some elements of price could result in some interesting opening into the black box which is electricity pricing. read more...
Backwardation and contango
The curve is changing shape this could be a short term thing as players tend to forget the back of the curve as it is less liquid but more often than not it is a fundamental shift in the market next week will tell. read more...
20 April 2007
The curve is changing shape this could be a short term thing as players tend to forget the back of the curve as it is less liquid but more often than not it is a fundamental shift in the market next week will tell. read more...
Why volume risk is greater than one thinks
Volume to the supplier is important but little changes in volume can soon mount up and so players must be careful when they have a growing portfolio. read more...
21 March 2007
Volume to the supplier is important but little changes in volume can soon mount up and so players must be careful when they have a growing portfolio. read more...
The Nightmare Scenario
The market balloons in price, profiling is abandoned, and Mrs Jones at 33 Wavertree Mansions is seen showering at 3am in the morning. Unlikely, but it is happening in the water industry. read more...
01 March 2006
The market balloons in price, profiling is abandoned, and Mrs Jones at 33 Wavertree Mansions is seen showering at 3am in the morning. Unlikely, but it is happening in the water industry. read more...
Shale Gas - Latest UK estimates suggest enough for next 11 years
Cuadrilla Resources, the company at the forefront of Britain's Shale gas exploration released its first estimates of the amount of shale gas contained in the rocks of Lancashire. At 200 trillion cubic feet, the estimates are significant to say the least. read more...
22 September 2011
Cuadrilla Resources, the company at the forefront of Britain's Shale gas exploration released its first estimates of the amount of shale gas contained in the rocks of Lancashire. At 200 trillion cubic feet, the estimates are significant to say the least. read more...
2nd Quarter Growth at 1.1%; What Role For Energy
Preliminary figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggests the UK economy grew by 1.1% in the second quarter, up from the previous quarter's 0.3%. While the figures are preliminary (and based on around 40% of the ultimate data), what they do show is that construction, a relatively small part of the economy, contributed significantly to this growth figure. With 6 out of 10 civil engineering firms looking to the energy and water sectors for their income streams, it seems energy has a role to play in underpinning the recovery. read more...
23 July 2010
Preliminary figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggests the UK economy grew by 1.1% in the second quarter, up from the previous quarter's 0.3%. While the figures are preliminary (and based on around 40% of the ultimate data), what they do show is that construction, a relatively small part of the economy, contributed significantly to this growth figure. With 6 out of 10 civil engineering firms looking to the energy and water sectors for their income streams, it seems energy has a role to play in underpinning the recovery. read more...
Green Investment Bank still a Concept
Leading figures from across industry warned that the need for new tools to finance future investment in infrastructure are necessary to secure Britain's growth as a low carbon economy. While the coalitions Green Investment Bank (GIB) is supported, it is important to recognise that it is still at present only a concept. read more...
16 July 2010
Leading figures from across industry warned that the need for new tools to finance future investment in infrastructure are necessary to secure Britain's growth as a low carbon economy. While the coalitions Green Investment Bank (GIB) is supported, it is important to recognise that it is still at present only a concept. read more...
Suddenly it's "British Petroleum"
A name not used in a very long time, but suddenly the US are quick to refer to BP by its old name of British Petroleum, hoping perhaps to distance itself from blame regarding the disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. But as the US announces a criminal investigation and as BP shares suffer further should the British economy concern itself? read more...
02 June 2010
A name not used in a very long time, but suddenly the US are quick to refer to BP by its old name of British Petroleum, hoping perhaps to distance itself from blame regarding the disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. But as the US announces a criminal investigation and as BP shares suffer further should the British economy concern itself? read more...
A Week for Releasing Figures
With the political debate heating up; more 'head to heads' scheduled and with the News Channels pouring over polls, polls of polls and more polls - then the economic figures coming out this week are surely going to add a lot more ingredients to the boiling pot. read more...
20 April 2010
With the political debate heating up; more 'head to heads' scheduled and with the News Channels pouring over polls, polls of polls and more polls - then the economic figures coming out this week are surely going to add a lot more ingredients to the boiling pot. read more...
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