ENERGY MATTERS

[Whyperion]

Agreed but there have been too many 'break throughs' in fusion research, none of them productive and some later shown to be verging on fraud. Whoever cracks it in the end will be able to hold the world to ransom.... That's enough to generate enthusiasm in some quarters. I know that Peter was disappointed with my response to the Oxford website but I'll believe it when I see it!

I am sure Stanley would have been happy to be Tenter to a Fusion reactor

[Big Kev]

Sand battery. Finland have a working sand battery to store heat for a town's communal heating system.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-61996520

[Stanley]

I heard that report Kev. Sounds to simple to be true but they do seem to be quite excited about it.....

[Tizer]

Something similar to the sand battery has been used by some `green' self-builders to keep their houses warm in winter. They plan the house to have a very high level of insulation so it doesn't need a lot of heating and then build it on top of a big tank of sand, gravel or water which gets heated during summer through a heat exchange system. It's a development from the way old houses with thick stone walls benefit in winter from their thermal mass charged up during summer.

[Stanley]

"old houses with thick stone walls benefit in winter"
Trouble is Peter the effect doesn't last long!

[Tizer]

That's where insulation on the outside surface of external walls excels but planning departments still frown on it.

[Big Kev]

I read this morning that it's potentially viable to spend £6500 on solar panels if it's currently in a long term savings pot, even with the lower export rates currently being offered.
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utili ... ar-panels/

[Big Kev]

And now, well August, a battery recycling collection for Pendle.
https://www.pendle.gov.uk/newsroom/news ... start_soon

[Whyperion]

And now, well August, a battery recycling collection for Pendle.
https://www.pendle.gov.uk/newsroom/news ... start_soon

Is it needed , the Co-op has a collection box on the front window sill. (Lidl have buckets). What happened to those Tesco big recycling bins for small electricals and long life bulbs ?

[Whyperion]

"old houses with thick stone walls benefit in winter"
Trouble is Peter the effect doesn't last long!

Castles hung carpets (tapestries) on the walls, that helped)

[Stanley]

I am happy to report that after a long struggle, since October 2021, I have at last got British Gas to go back to my original position last year, billed monthly on what energy I had used via a variable Direct Debit at my bank. This hasn't functioned since March and that was on a quarterly basis which was a change I never asked for, The day before yesterday BG debited my account by £485 for the energy I have used since March. I am now straight with them. I want to see this new arrangement settle down and when it does I will be talking to Kev and Ian about Octopus if I like the look of their offer. British Gas aren't fit to run a piss up in a brewery and their choice to run their business with no direct contact with clients outside 'agents' on chat lines somewhere in the sub continent, many of whom don't speak good English or understand English grammar. My experience is that they will promise you anything to placate you and three times they have agreed to all I asked and three times failed to deliver. This present position is the fourth attempt.
In am now straight (apart from the fact that they never have got my second generation smart gas meter to talk to HQ...... I decided to drop that complaint as it was muddying the water and they have no answer apart from the stock response that no appointments are being made at the moment by the meter engineers. One suspects they have no staff.....

[Big Kev]

I suspect they are short of staff. It'll be Ian you need to speak to about Octopus though, I'm with Eon Next

[PanBiker]

Octopus introductory deal if you are interested. Use this link to check it out and if you switch we both get £50.00 credit.

https://share.octopus.energy/young-ibis-685

[Stanley]

I'll wait until my BG account has settled down into being correct every month, not once a year!

[Stanley]

See THIS BBC report of the news that Gasprom is to reduce gas supplies from Russia to Europe to 20%. They cite maintenance problems on the pipeline but it's generally agreed that this is straightforward energy warfare.
Don't think this won't affect us because it will.

[Tripps]

I found this yesterday. I don't like the idea that the supplier can see how much power you are using, and for how long. That way different charges can be applied. Last time I mentioned this I said I was scared they would be able to disconnect the supply - and Pluggy (as I recall) said it wasn't possible. I can think of reasons it's not desirable. In the video 'Big Clive' seems to say it is.


Any thoughts Panbiker Plaques ? Smart Meter

[plaques]

I watched previous videos by bigclivedotcom in the earlier ones the meters seemed to concentrate on being tamperproof. A big saving in itself against those wanting to bypass the meter. This one also sounds as though its got some power factor detection. Getting back to the 'new' features it does look like it can be switched off. This may be for bad payers or area shut downs, who knows? Also it looks like it can talk to headquarters for other adjustable functions. Price increases at peak times etc etc. Until they introduce controls on who can access this data I'll stick to my meter with the spinning wheel.

[Big Kev]

There is a very robust process a supplier has to go through to cut off the supply at the meter. Suppliers don't have direct access to the devices, they can (and do) send price updates but, with regard to cutting off the supply, there are very strict protocols to follow and it will only be done as a last resort.

[Tripps]

it will only be done as a last resort.

Thanks for the info - that's good to hear.

[Stanley]

My gas meter still, isn't talking to HQ so they are not able to access the advantages of my 'smart' meter. That reminds me, must send the meter reading in today. The wonders of modern science!

[Tizer]

After 46 years of producing 311 billion kilowatt hours of zero-carbon electricity...
`Hinkley B: UK's most productive nuclear power plant to close' LINK

[Big Kev]

My gas meter still, isn't talking to HQ so they are not able to access the advantages of my 'smart' meter. That reminds me, must send the meter reading in today. The wonders of modern science!

More than likely the incompetence of BG, the meter worked previously.

[Stanley]

No Kev, the new meter has never communicated with anyone, The old meter never faltered, it was the leccy that was the trouble. Now it's the opposite way round, under the second generation the leccy reports, the gas is dumb....

[PanBiker]

By some unknown magic that I know nothing of. Both my meters are now working smart! Not been upgraded but are still the first generation smart jobbies. (remote software upgrade? can that be done Kev?)

Not been asked to read one for about 12 months. Bills are correct and not estimated.

[Big Kev]

By some unknown magic that I know nothing of. Both my meters are now working smart! Not been upgraded but are still the first generation smart jobbies. (remote software upgrade? can that be done Kev?)

Not been asked to read one for about 12 months. Bills are correct and not estimated.

Firmware upgrades are done remotely Ian. There is also the possibility the software that 'processes' the data from the meter was missing something. There's quite a lot of data transfer between the meter, the DCC and the supplier and it only needs one little thing missing to throw a spanner in the works.