Act now to mitigate possible blackouts in three years’ time

Householders worried about the threat of power cuts in three years’ time and higher bills should act now, says a Midlands energy expert.

Ron Fox, of Noreus Ltd, was commenting after the energy watchdog Ofgem predicted that millions are at risk of blackouts in the election year of 2015 because European Union green rules mean many old coal and gas power stations will be forced to shut down to be replaced by wind farms which are less reliable due to weather conditions.

He said there was a possibility of 1970s-style three-day week shortages because the national spare electricity margins could fall from today’s average figure of 14 per cent to just 4 per cent in 2015. This could be lower still if a very cold winter that year caused high demand for energy.

Ofgem believes this could lead to higher bills which are already at a record high of an average £1,300 per year.

But Ron said people could counter the threats of blackouts by installing solar panels on their home as the latest technology meant they could store electricity to be used at night if there were power cuts. Two other advantages for householders are cheaper energy bills as well as receiving a subsidy through the Feed-in Tariff – the money the Government pays residents for generating electricity, which is index linked and guaranteed for 20 years.

But he warned householders to act quickly as the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has announced that the Feed-in Tariffs scheme will be reduced from 16p to 15.5p per kilowatt hour (Kwh) from November 1 for the average home with systems smaller than 4 kilowatt.

Ron added that if power cuts forced the heating to go off in 2015 those who spray foamed their loft with the Icynene Insulation System would benefit as their home would retain heat for much longer. The foam also reduces energy bills as it literally stops heat going up through the roof, saving up to £600 a year every year.  

Finally, a power cut during the day could stop residents having hot water unless they had put a four square meters solar thermal system on their roof which would continue to give them heated water as it is powered and paid for by sunlight. Another benefit is that energy costs are reduced by up to 33 per cent.

Commenting on the new report, Edward Davey, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, said: “I am grateful to Ofgem for providing to the Government their first annual Electricity Capacity Assessment. It provides a comprehensive analysis of the security outlook and the Government will consider carefully the implications. We will respond formally before the end of the year.”

He added: “Security of electricity supply is of critical importance to the health of the economy and the smooth functioning of our daily lives. That is why the Government is reforming the electricity market to deliver secure, clean and affordable electricity.”

For more details about energy-saving call Ron on 01782 756995.