
01 June 2006
Many of the large utilities have benefited from high energy prices, and if it continues the regulator may ave to bare his teeth.
Scottish and Southern, International Power and United Utilities have all posted increased profits this is interesting when one considers the price increases seen in the UK and the fact that many of the supply side of the business was supposedly losing money from rising prices. There is no doubt that the generators have had some phenomenal years and this is unlikely to stop with emissions pushing prices higher.
Those with overall low emitting portfolios will benefit, and this is proving itself already with this spate of results. In fact both RWE SSE and IPR are very keen to build clean coal technology plant, and this is something that they have been looking at on existing sites, which takes some of the planning issues out of equation.
If emissions prices continue to rise, and if power prices stay where they are at the moment the role of the regulator will have to get stronger.
CRC- What Price?
 
03 February 2012
In November it was reported that traders in the UK energy markets were beginning to place bets that the Government will not go ahead with its controversial Carbon Floor Price. The Carbon Floor Price has relevance to the CRC, not least because some commentators have suggested that the fixed price levels could track the known Carbon Floor Price. Current EUA prices also seem vastly at odds to the proposed CRC price. British business is lobbying hard for a level and competitive playing field.  
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Carbon Floor Price Announcement: The Market Reacts
 
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  
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Japan, Germany & MENA -Global Energy
 
18 March 2011
Bullish gains were seen across the fuels complex as traders and analysts rushed to assess the impact of the devastating earthquake and subsequent Tsunami in Japan as well as Germany's announcement that it was to take 7 nuclear generators offline immediately.  
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Capacity Payments Discussed as a Tool to encourage Investment
 
30 June 2010
In a week when the engineering industry, in its State of the Nation report, said that the Energy Industry gave the most cause for concern in light of security of supply, Energy Minister Charles Hendry spoke of 'Capacity Payments' as a tool to incentivise plant development.  
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What's in the Mix?
 
24 September 2010
While gains may have been seen in both the power and gas markets this week – the gains were not equal causing a big shift in the generation mix  
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Unseasonal Temperatures help to melt prices
 
16 November 2009
Middle of November but no sign of wintery temperatures. The effect was to soften the prompt power market, which also felt the pressure from weak commodity curves. The downward trend fed through the power curve.  
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What's Happening in the Back-End?
 
19 June 2009
The back end of the curve is extremely difficult to trade. Those dipping their toe in tend to be Producers (with excessive length adjusting their risk positions) and Banks looking for some exposure. At the same time Retailers tend to be short-termist.  
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Two Years On...
 
17 September 2010
This week marked the 2nd Anniversary of the collapse of Lehman Brothers, perhaps the most significant collapse of the banking crisis. Ironic perhaps then that the anniversary coincided with the publication of stricter international banking rules requiring banks to hold larger cash reserves. How will these banking regulations impact energy companies?  
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Falling Wholesale Prices but what about the tariffs?
 
18 September 2009
Even though the power wholesale market is following the falls seen in gas (Winter 09 Baseload closed the week down £0.20MWh at £38.70), and is now at levels where supplier tariffs must be under pressure, any tariff reduction announcements are unlikely to be made anytime soon.  
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Green Investment Bank still a Concept
 
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.  
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Queens Speech: Energy Bill Outlined
 
25 May 2010
The state opening of Parliament is history personified, wrapped in lashings and lashings of ceremony, pageantry and tradition dating back centuries. But for all its spectacle, there is the serious business of the Queen's speech (actually the Government's) which this year included details of this coalition government's Energy Bill.  
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Government announces Green Investment Bank
 
24 March 2010
in the last budget before a general election, the Government unveiled plans to set up a Green Investment Bank that will control £2bn worth of equity. Initial focus will be investments in green transport and sustainable energy.  
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Nothing's Joined Up
 
01 March 2010
Sometimes you get so caught up in the detail that it is only when you step back that you realise that nothing appears to be joined up. With such mixed signals it is surprising that anything is achieved at all. In this instance we are talking about the UK's Climate policy!  
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