Peter McCusker Energy & Climate

ONLY a dramatic policy shift will prevent further sharp rises in UK energy bills. Peter McCusker reports. DEPENDING on your news sources or beliefs it’s easy to jump to conclusions on one of the most pressing issues of today – rising energy bills. Whether it’s wholesale costs, greedy companies or green energy levies, one thing is certain; energy bills are on a rapid upward trajectory. Since 2007 annual energy costs for UK households have risen from around £950, to £1,250 now, and are expected to rise a further 20% to £1,500 by 2020. Wholesale energy costs currently account for 45 % of an average domestic bill – at around £550. But this is set to change as third party costs, such as network and transmission costs, supplier costs and green levies, markedly increase. Analysis by Norfolk-based industry experts Cornwall Energy for Journal Energy highlight how third party charges for large industrial users, such as the Teesside chemical and process industries, have ri...