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Gas responsible for domestic fuel bill increases; NOT wind
Research by yes2wind has concluded that Onshore Wind was responsible for no more than £6 on the average household electricity bill during 2010.
The available evidence points conclusively to gas price increases as being responsible for the current high level of energy bills.
John Everett, yes2wind director, has said “the data is immensely complex with different goal posts used, for example, by DECC and Ofgem; but the conclusion is indisputable.”
Ofgem’s Renewable Obligation (RO) report for the 2009-2010 measurement period shows that about 34% of the scheme’s funding went to onshore wind (Fig 11). The Department of Energy and Climate Change report have issued a report (November 2011) which gives a breakdown of the amount spent on the RO from an average combined (gas and electric) household energy bill of £1260. The figure given is £17 (Table D1).
Combining the two sets of information yes2wind has calculated that, from this £17, onshore wind contributed £5.78. Allowing for time period and other variations, a figure of about £6 on the average domestic bill for 2010 is therefore more or less correct!
This needs to be contrasted with the contribution to energy bills caused by gas price increases. According to information contained within the BBC news report dated 15th. December 2011, 80% of the average household ‘duel-fuel’ price increases over the period 2004 to 2010 are attributable to gas price increases – about £290 of the annual bill. The report quotes David Kennedy, chief executive of the CCC (Committee on Climate Change)...
Mr Kennedy said that some people had claimed that energy bills were "through the roof at the moment" because of investment in green energy - but the committee's analysis showed this "clearly" was not the case.
yes2wind asks what else there is to say?
References:
Ofgem’s RO report (2009-2010): http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/Sustainability/Environment/RenewablObl/Documents1/RO%20Annual%20Report%202009-10.pdf
BBC ‘Low Carbon Technology’ report: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16191900
DECC report on electricity bills: http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/about-us/economics-social-research/3593-estimated-impacts-of-our-policies-on-energy-prices.pdf
