Throughout the pandemic period, one of the core messages that we’ve delivered has been the need for a clean recovery that puts a focus on the environment as well as the economy.

We’ve recently written a number of pieces showing how business leaders are encouraging these adjustments and it would appear that call is being actioned to a certain extent.

A recent announcement from Prime Minister Boris Johnson coincided with other news that offshore and onshore windfarms within the UK have found growing support and funding. There has been a new goal laid out to have wind farms powering every home by 2030.

To reach this goal, £160m has been pledged for upgrading ports and factories within the country. However, this funding only applies to those ports and factories that directly support the wind power industry, with a plan to create 2,000 jobs in construction and support the growth of a further 60,000 more.

In his statement at the Conservative Party conference, Boris Johnson had stated he hopes this plan could help the UK become “the world leader in clean energy.” It hasn’t yet been announced if other areas will see a similar level of support, although other changes in the renewable industry are apparent, with solar power setting new records throughout the year. The demand for energy dropped during the pandemic and a long and warm summer has been a huge benefit for the industry too.

This change is part of a 10-point plan for reaching green energy goals. Speculation is that further news will be announced later this year, to unveil other goals within this plan to accelerate the progress towards the net zero goal in 2050. Other news here had come slightly earlier in the UN biodiversity summit, as the PM also announced a plan to protect 30% of UK land for nature and green spaces.

If you’d like to explore the options available to you for making your own shift to clean energy alternatives, you can view our different energy efficiency services. Furthermore, you can also get in touch with our experts today to discover which options may benefit you the most and the savings you may be able to find.

Following our recent articles to help you better understand energy procurement, including why you should change your energy supplier, we’ve put together some reasons why you should choose us to help you make that change!

But why take our word for it? Here’s what some of our valued customers have to say:

“We have used Utility Trade for several years now. They make the arduous task of energy contracts extremely easy and streamlined. Their communication and speed of delivery on each occasion has been first class. My first port of call for such business.” – David, Trustpilot review.

 “Utility Trade aren’t one of those companies that bombard you, that overload the information, that call and/or email you incessantly trying to gain your business. The team provided me with very competitive prices on both gas and electric, listened to what our requirements were. They set out what they would do and delivered on prices and on customer service. Even if a competitor had come out with slightly lower quotes, I think I would still have gone with Utility Trade purely down to the great customer service.” – Vanessa, Trustpilot.

 “Personable and professional! Having had poor service from other companies, I was sceptical when I received the initial call from Utility Trade, thinking that it was going to be more of the same, but within two working days of our initial conversation, we are now in a new electricity contract far cheaper than I was expecting.” – Andy H, Trustpilot review.

“Recommend! I have dealt with this company for a couple of years now and have found them very helpful and cost effective, what have no qualms recommending them. I have dealt with other companies similar to Utility Trade and found Utility Trade are a pleasure to deal with unlike a lot of the other companies, they do not pester you and just contact you when necessary. Very refreshing and gives me complete peace of mind.” – Claire, Trustpilot review.

To discover more about how our energy procurement options can help you secure the right contract for your business, get in contact with our brilliant team today and start making the most out of the best energy deals possible.  (CLICK HERE)

Over the last few weeks, we’ve been bringing you tips on how to save on energy costs through a variety of different approaches.

As the summer now seems to be behind us, and things are starting to get a bit cooler, now may be a perfect time to ensure you’re finding energy savings at a time when usage and costs generally increase.

Government research shows that the demand for energy on a winter’s day can be up to 36% higher than during a summer’s day, and with the long summer we’ve had this year, many of us have been able to fall back on our alternative forms of energy generation through solar and other methods.

However, as usage and demand increase, it becomes more difficult to rely on our renewables during this time of year. This year could also prove to be very different for both business and consumer alike – the ongoing pandemic has caused a huge shift in our home and work life, as many will be spending the winter working remotely, thus making it more important than ever to manage your energy efficiently.

At Utility Trade Group, we can help you manage this spending. We offer a range of energy efficiency options, such as infrared heating and solar PV, ensuring you’re getting more bang for your buck throughout the colder period.

Furthermore, our end-to-end energy procurement service may help not only when it comes to tracking your energy consumption, but also in identifying where savings can be found, with our access to the best energy rates in the market.

You can read more about our energy efficiency options, including infrared heating, here. Alternatively, you can get in contact with us today and explore which options may be of the greatest benefit to you, or even to explore different energy deals to find out if you’re overpaying for your usage. It may be important to lock in your new energy deal today before the opportunity goes away!

We recently shared the experience we had with a local artist to highlight the impact climate change is having on our animal kingdom. Today, we’ll take a look at how effective this approach can be, using the experience from our own team, in their own words. 

Sharing their thoughts on how projects like Erasing Nature can help with key conservation efforts.

One of the biggest challenges to overcome, is raising awareness of the cause. People are simply not aware of the impact and the huge scale of what is happening.

“I found the day extremely informative and eye opening as it really makes you think about the bigger picture. I think the thing that hit home was the thought of my grandchildren not ever seeing animals such as giraffes in 20 years’ time! I liked that there was no right or wrong way of doing this exercise and loved the way the finished article looked. How one thing led to another, that then made you think of something else.”

To really push the message across, it’s also important to make sure everyone feels included, and that’s certainly something our team felt was very valuable during the experience with Tom:

We had an amazing time with Tom during the day and have certainly gained a greater perspective on the extent of just what’s happening.

“I found that the exercise was really insightful, and I loved the idea of how all the pictures & words we drew were erasing away the polar bear. A very smart metaphor of how we are slowly erasing the animals from our word. The result of the almost completely erased polar bear was actually quite an eye opener, as it went from an amazing charcoal untouched drawing to the reality of what is happening to the polar bear species”.

We had an amazing time with Tom during the day and have certainly gained a greater perspective on the extent of just what’s happening.

“What an amazing day with Tom and his drawing of a beautiful Polar Bear, that is on the verge of extinction. Every single person in the world should be thinking of how we can save our planet and all our species, not only animal and insects but plants and trees. Our planet is being destroyed, and this has to stop.! If we all did one thing differently every day eg; reduce how much electricity we use in our homes”.

You can read more about the work that Tom does with Erasing Nature and what it’s all about in our previous post.

If, like us, you are committed to promoting change and reducing your carbon footprint, you can get in contact with us today and explore the growing number of options available for reducing your own impact on the climate at www.utilitytrade.com.

We are extremely proud of all our staff, who recently took part in a project with a local artist to highlight the impact climate change is having on our animal kingdom.

“We were very excited collaborating with a talented local artist. What helped the day become a success was the encouragement Tom gave to our team to engage and throw themselves in to the project. We believe Tom shares our ethos around climate change, and the effects this is having on our wildlife.”

So, what is Erasing Nature?

It’s an art project by local artist Tom Van Herrewege, inspired by his curiosity of the incredible diversity within the animal kingdom and mankind’s interpretation of this across the world. Raising awareness of the developing extinction crisis and communicating what these animals represent to everyone.

The animal’s image (for us it was the Polar Bear) is removed through writing, drawing and scribbling etc, until the original drawing has become faded away enough to suggest its ecological status.

On the day…

Everyone met for a tea, coffee, and a presentation, where Tom spoke about endangered species and the impact humans are having on the world’s environment. During the day, we discussed issues facing the Polar Bear and what that means for us and our future generations.

Did you know Polar Bears will be extinct in 10 years unless there is a stop to Climate Change?

We all took part by etching in symbols, wording, and pictures of what this majestic animal meant to us. Capturing what the impact would be if we lost this species and the overall impact our environment is having on our animal kingdom.

It was great to see how everyone embraced this experience. People were going in and out of the room all day to put their ideas onto the canvass. Every time someone put something new on there it really brought out people’s creative side. “ICE” quickly became “ICE, ICE BABY”

When the piece was complete everyone got together for another chat around how they felt the day went. It was a great opportunity to have our team bond over such a creative experience with a powerful message whilst embracing our business culture too.

We wanted to show our staff and customers that we are not just talking about being committed to making change, but that we’re doing what we can to action these changes too.

Stay tuned for our following post, as we bring you the experience that our team members enjoyed, in their own words, as well as images for the artwork that we created on the day.

A few months ago, we took a look at the emerging technologies from MagniX backed by EasyJet and other big airliners hoping to find a clean alternative for long distance air travel.

These early flights took place in modified aircraft with larger batteries and were deemed very successful, although not without the restrictions of flying electric.

As the market continues to develop alternatives, Airbus look to be weighing in with their own clean alternative.

Three quite different concept aircraft designs were shown, and whilst still very early days, there are hopes that the first zero-emission commercial aircraft could enter service as early as 2035. Whilst the concepts represent different technology pathways that could lead the way to decarbonising the aviation industry, all three rely on one primary power source – hydrogen.

The previous attempts such as those mentioned above have all come with the many challenges associated with electric vehicles, namely in the weight and travel distance, as the batteries required are very heavy, and the ongoing development in the technology limits range.

Airbus have stated that they feel hydrogen holds exceptional promise as a clean aviation fuel and may be the big solution in the aerospace sector, with many other industries able to meet their own climate-neutral targets with the fuel too. With clean hydrogen production being moved forward at an incredible rate, and further advancements in storage options, CEO of Airbus, Guillaume Fuary, stated:

“I strongly believe that the use of hydrogen – both in synthetic fuels and as a primary power source for commercial aircraft – has the potential to significantly reduce aviation’s climate impact.”

That isn’t to say hydrogen isn’t without challenges however, as airports will need significant changes to support a hydrogen based infrastructure. This comes with funding and technology changes, but with so much promise and a desire to move to clean aviation, it does appear that the interest is there.

Although clean aviation may still be a number of years away, changing to a cleaner electric vehicle has plenty of benefits – check out our EV charging solutions if you’re thinking of making a change or get in contact with our specialists to see how you can benefit from a change to renewable.

Earlier in the year, we took a look at how the ongoing pandemic has led to calls from business leaders across the world seeking to ensure that a greater focus would be placed on delivering an economic recovery.

Furthermore, the calls were surrounding a focus on delivering a cleaner environment at the same time, with a particular emphasis on creating jobs within the renewables industry. According to recent reports, it seems a certainty, as job creation in the renewable sector continues to grow.

New figures released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) suggest that jobs in the renewable sector surged to 11.5 million globally in 2019. The largest employer in this sector is the solar industry, which had seen an increase of around 4%.  This brought total global employment figures to 3.8 million in 2019, although with recent movements within the solar sector, this number is expected to be much higher. Record numbers that have been set throughout the year, particularly in the UK.

Of these 11.5 million global figures, the UK National Grid Net Zero Energy Workforce have reported that the UK’s renewable energy sector employs 144,000 directly. Some 44,100 of these people are employed in the wind sector, which has seen huge growth this year too, with a number of new projects being announced and confirmed, and further employment being also confirmed in this space.

If current goals are met, the International Renewable Energy Agency suggests that a further 5.5 million transition-related jobs could be created over the three years, bringing the total number of people employed in renewable energy to nearly 30 million in 2030. However, it is also expected that this number could be much higher, as a changing attitude has been prevalent in recent months, particularly with growing support in sectors such as the emergent electric vehicle market.

To do your part for net zero and to help the growing renewable industry, check out our clean energy efficiency options that can save you money and reduce your carbon footprint, or get in touch with our experts today for a more tailored experience.

When making the change to a clean energy alternative, it’s important to know whether or not your new energy partner is as committed as you are to doing the right thing for our environment.

That’s why the whole team here at Utility Trade Group are proud of our many commitments made to deliver a clean energy solution for both commercial and domestic needs, and why we will keep delivering these commitments well into the future.

Last year, we completed over 75 Solar PV installation projects to help the growing number of people doing their part in the campaign against climate change. Our efforts didn’t go unnoticed as we received recognition at regional level, taking home an award at the National Energy Efficiency Awards – and we hope to grow on our efforts last year as our projected installations over the next 12 months are set to exceed generation of 10 megawatts of power.

Our commitment to delivering a clean energy solution does not only end with our award-winning service as a contractor. We have also taken to delivering carbon offsetting too. In an effort to increase total UK woodland cover from the current 13% to a minimum of 17% in 2050, we have committed to delivering our own carbon offsetting project by planting a tree for every Solar PV installation we complete. Now, more than ever, following the impact of the ongoing pandemic, there has been a renewed focus on reducing our carbon footprint and reducing global emission levels, and we’re proud to be doing our part to make a positive change.

You can read more about our carbon offsetting project and how we will deliver this here, and you can also read more about the awards we have been nominated for, and won, as well as the contributions we’ve made as a Solar PV installer and contractor here.

It is now up to you to do your bit. Explore our award winning Solar PV options, or our range of other energy saving and efficiency options – alternatively you can get in contact with our experts today to explore how we can help you make a clean energy change, whilst also doing your bit to help the environment along the way.

Here at Utility Trade, we’ve been covering a number of different approaches being taken in the UK to deliver clean energy to the country – from road advice councils, to the recently announced Green Homes Grant.

However, home heating continues to remain one of the country’s toughest challenges.

We had recently covered how Britain’s homes were posing a big challenge for the 2050 net zero goal in the country, as older heating systems and inefficient insulation were a big cause of emissions. Some studies suggested that up to 20% of total greenhouse gas emissions came from heating, but as we head towards the winter months, a team has been assembled to discover ways to address these issues.

A coalition of experts from different sectors including finance, energy, construction, and different national and local government bodies have come together to form the Zero Carbon Heating Taskforce. This is in an effort aimed at driving the rapid decarbonisation of Britain’s homes and buildings through their heating supply. One of the prime targets here could be in Infrared Heating options, as they offer a huge number of benefits such as a cheaper alternative to wet central heating systems whilst also being just as effective by producing instant heat, they require little maintenance and take up much less space as they can be hung from your walls and ceilings – there have also been a number of health benefits linked to the use of infrared too.

Charlotte Owen, a policy manager at The Association for Decentralised Energy and a key member of the taskforce stated; “To decarbonise the UK’s heating, it needs to be more attractive to invest in low carbon heating, including city-scale heat networks, than in fossil gas boilers and fossil gas networks. To achieve this, we need to reform the signals to investors and ensure policy incentivises investment in a low cost, low carbon, high comfort offer to consumers.”

Although the focus is largely on heating and hot water, it hasn’t yet been announced what the approach by the taskforce will be. However, with steady news over recent months increasing a focus on clean hydrogen that could primarily be used in heating, and also other efforts being pushed forward in the Green Homes Grant scheme, it’s a safe bet that both will play a vital role in helping businesses and homeowners address their heating requirements differently.

If you would like to do your part in helping decarbonising your heating usage, you can explore our different heating options from infrared heating, to air source heat pumps. Alternatively, you can get in touch with our specialists who will help guide you through the best solution for your heating requirements.

It appears as though the summer is coming to an end, as the warm days we have been accustomed to since early March have begun to turn a little colder and greyer.

For many, that means it is time for the windows to close and the heating to go on, but as we move through the pandemic, a traditional heating system may present some troubles.

In order to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, it has been suggested that those in a confined space, even where properly socially distanced, should endeavour to keep as much ventilation as possible. This means keeping the windows open and for those who will need to remain in the office throughout the winter months, it could lead to some chilly days.

This is likely to result in higher energy usage and may go against our obligations to reduce as such for environmental targets. Fortunately, there are options available for both commercial and domestic requirements.

We had recently wrote a post covering a new range of Herschel outdoor heating options that could help those getting back outdoors ,with the reopening of pubs, bars, and restaurants. Furthermore,  there are indoor options for infrared heating too, for both individual use and uses for heating an entire space.

As a sustainable and cost effective heating option that is proven to be up to 60% more efficient than conventional heating options, it may help keep you on the right path with your energy usage. With ongoing studies suggesting how far infrared heating may in fact provide some protection against airborne and longer lasting surface particles, it could be a win-win for many. “We are not suggesting FIR is the silver bullet for fighting COVID-19, but as this preprint study suggests, its ability to act as a complementary therapy in the fight against airborne microorganisms must warrant serious consideration” was stated in reference to ongoing research in the matter.

You can explore which Far Infrared Heating options may best suit your needs and the benefits they offer, or you can get in contact with our experts today and have them take you through the many benefits offered.

Following our recent articles to help you better understand energy procurement, including why you should change your energy supplier, we’ve put together some reasons why you should choose us to help you make that change!

But why take our word for it? Here’s what some of our valued customers have to say:

 
“We have used Utility Trade for several years now. They make the arduous task of energy contracts extremely easy and streamlined. Their communication and speed of delivery on each occasion has been first class. My first port of call for such business.” – David, Trustpilot review.

 
“Utility Trade aren’t one of those companies that bombard you, that overload the information, that call and/or email you incessantly trying to gain your business. The team provided me with very competitive prices on both gas and electric, listened to what our requirements were. They set out what they would do and delivered on prices and on customer service. Even if a competitor had come out with slightly lower quotes, I think I would still have gone with Utility Trade purely down to the great customer service.” – Vanessa, Trustpilot.

 
“Personable and professional! Having had poor service from other companies, I was sceptical when I received the initial call from Utility Trade, thinking that it was going to be more of the same, but within two working days of our initial conversation, we are now in a new electricity contract far cheaper than I was expecting.” – Andy H, Trustpilot review.

“Recommend! I have dealt with this company for a couple of years now and have found them very helpful and cost effective, what have no qualms recommending them. I have dealt with other companies similar to Utility Trade and found Utility Trade are a pleasure to deal with unlike a lot of the other companies, they do not pester you and just contact you when necessary. Very refreshing and gives me complete peace of mind.” – Claire, Trustpilot review.

To discover more about how our energy procurement options can help you secure the right contract for your business, get in contact with our brilliant team today and start making the most out of the best energy deals possible.  (CLICK HERE)

We’ve recently taken a look at the strength of solar in recent months, as a hot and bright summer combined with reduced energy demands have shown just how valuable solar can be in our efforts to reach net zero by 2030 – we have continued to see a big demand for Solar PV and are set to beat last year’s installations.

Furthermore, this sentiment has been expanded on as the first ever Citizens’ Assembly on climate change shows the support for solar is continuing to not only grow, but to also thrive.

The Citizen’s Assembly is designed to be a comprehensive representation of different demographics of the population. With the climate change topic in mind, 81% of those surveyed said they support the widespread use of solar in the UK showing that the support for the technology isn’t just willingness, but eagerness too.

One of the bigger selling points for many had been the flexibility of solar installations and how they could be located in many different areas. With further advances in long term battery storage, how that energy could be used in the future when production of energy from solar is lower, is fundamental.

The production is another factor that may be changing, following another recent piece we had covered showing how changing technologies may make solar more effective than ever before. With recent grants announced to encourage more efficiency in homes, this could lead to further savings on installing solar PV options.

Solar hadn’t been the only target here either, as there had been overwhelming support for offshore wind too, with up to 78% of members agreeing that because of the UK’s windy nature, it should play a core part of the UK’s goal of net zero by 2050.

There had been some discussion for other areas around solar however, as location and environmental impact, ways to incentivise and facilitate uptake, visual design, and manufacturing were all points that needed consideration for renewable solar to penetrate the market.

If you’d like to discover how solar energy can benefit you, you can explore our solar PV options, or you can call one of our specialists to talk you through the process of acquiring and installing a solar PV system.

With increasing incentives for businesses to go green and the growing energy opportunities for them to do so, more and more are subscribing to the need for change sooner rather than later.

Whilst many are primed to make a more immediate shift, there are those who have taken a step forward to reaching carbon neutral goals and showing the path for many others to follow.

The tech giants of Google are one of the trailblazers in that regard. Whilst other big names focus on offsetting their carbon emissions by buying renewable electricity, investing in reforestation or engaging in other strategies, Google have been carbon-neutral on those measures since 2007. 

The tech firm has now shifting to directly financing the construction of new renewables such as its own 1,600-megawatt wind and solar project that has been planned for construction in the US, Europe, and Chile. Last year Google had been able to meet 61% of its global hourly electricity needs from renewable and carbon free sources, whilst also reaching 100% renewable energy in 2017.

The latest efforts take this a step further however as now Google have pledged to 24/7 carbon free energy by 2030 in its latest efforts to show how a giant tech company can be a pioneer of clean energy. Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google, recently said “The science is clear: The world must act now if we’re going to avert the worst consequences of climate change.” 

The approach outlined addresses the use of a number of different technologies to deliver the results, such as improving their current battery storage methods to ensure that clean renewable energy can be accessed even at a time it isn’t being produced. This is alongside exploring other technologies, such as enhanced geothermal sources, low-impact hydro, long duration storage, green hydrogen, and carbon capture and storage methods. 

Whilst you may be unable to match Google in the pocket money department, there are a wide range of commercial energy efficiency solutions available to you, alternatively you can get in contact with one of our experts who can guide you through the options of benefits of each.

Here at Utility Trade, we’re committed to helping you find the best deals possible on your energy requirements, and we’re passionate about delivering clean energy solutions at an affordable price.

You may see ‘buzz words’ such as energy procurement, and not be entirely sure what it is, so we’re here to clear things up. 

What is energy procurement? – In the simplest definition, it’s the process of finding the best energy deal for your business. This factors in a number of different considerations such as price, sustainability, your future needs, and modern solutions for clean or renewable options.

How do we procure the deals? ­– In order to find the best deal for you, we first have a discussion to discover your current situation and energy requirements, as well as potential future requirements you may have. Thereafter, our experts explain what other options may be of benefit to you, having researched the market fully. From there, we reach out to different energy suppliers and providers to source the most suitable energy deal for you. Once we’ve delivered the options and you come to a decision, we then continue to manage and monitor your energy contract based on your business requirements.

What benefit do I gain from energy procurement – Of the utmost importance for both large organisations and small businesses, finding ways to reduce costs and improve your bottom line is at the top of the list. The energy market is sizeable, varied, and changes very often – it can be difficult to keep up with the tariffs and changes that energy suppliers often make. Energy procurement helps you find the very best deal and price whilst also keeping you up to date of any changes evolving within the marketplace, whilst at the same time reducing costs and ensuring you’re always receiving the best service from start to finish.

You can explore our different energy efficiency and procurement options, or read case studies from our procurement customers to gain a better understanding on what we do – alternatively, you can get in contact with one of our specialists to guide you through your energy procurement journey today.

We had explored how earlier in the year increasing pressure had been placed on governments to deliver a green recovery in the aftermath of COVID-19.

This has been signed by business leaders across the country, and recent news suggests this has been taken into consideration, following reports of further funding given to renewable sources, such as wind and EV.

It seems, however, that big parts of Europe may be making a bit push sooner than anticipated. A report conducted by Kallanish Energy suggests that there are 374 ‘shovel-ready’ energy projects that cover renewable energy generation, energy storage, transmission, and distribution. The projects are deemed to be investment opportunities which only require one final push to be fully realised. One such project highlighted a 590 MW solar PV project in Caceres, Spain, or the Enel Green Power solar PV Gigafactory in Northern Italy. 

These projects were primarily considered due to their potential for creating social, environmental, and economic benefits in the short term. That said, the investment requirement would be around £75 billion, but in turn would result in up to 464 tonnes of carbon dioxide lifetime emissions being avoided. Although a relatively low figure in comparison to other projects, the reduction in these lifetime emissions will be a cornerstone in to realising many clean energy goals. 

The report stated; “Considering that the 374 ‘shovel-ready’ projects that have been identified are only a fraction of energy projects currently under development, their contribution is only an illustration of how the overall market segments of energy storage, renewable energy generation, and others will contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions in Europe and to job creation in the green space”

Furthermore, the report does go on to identify over 1,000 other similar projects focussing on transport, building, industry, and land use sectors for total investment opportunities totalling £200billion. Of those identified, over 36% accounted for were directly focussed on renewable energy generation projects. 

With so many options available and recent information provided on how to benefit from the different subsidies provided – to explore how your business or home could benefit from a change to a clean energy alternative, get in contact with us today and discover which options may best benefit you.

As part of the UK’s goal to reach net zero by 2050 and eliminate the production of traditional internal combustion engine vehicles by 2035, a large solution for the adoption of electric vehicles is fundamental.

We have recently covered how EV usage in the country has soared, and these recent announcements pushing fresh funding could continue to turn the tide.

The first announcement came from the Department for Transport, as it announced it would be working with a research and development agency, Innovate UK, with a £12m funding package to explore competitions for the most promising EV technologies.The funding is set to support ground-breaking projects that could open significant commercial opportunities in the sector – one of which could see future cars benefitting from a six-minute battery charge.

The next comes from Highways England as they announced a £9.3m scheme to allow businesses to try EV’s for free before committing to a purchase. The initiative will see Highways England working alongside local authorities to replace businesses diesel van fleets with a full electric replacement for a two-month trial period following a successful pilot scheme in Leeds earlier this year. 

The Office for Low Emission Vehicles also had its part to play here too, as a report proposed moves to install more EV charge points at popular destinations in the country, such as tourist sites, with improved signage to indicate where these locations are.

In addition to all of this, the government have also announced they will be working with popular website Auto Trader to develop a dedicated EV section, in order to help potential buyers quickly navigate to these listings. 

Both of the recent points have gained a lot of traction following a survey commissioned by Ford, which revealed nearly half of motorists wouldn’t consider the change to an electric vehicle due to concerns of charging and availability, confirming findings of the survey we conducted here at Utility Trade recently. 

You can explore how Utility Trade can help with commercial EV charging locations for your business, or get in contact with one of our experts today to better understand the many benefits of having an EV charging station on your business premises.

One of the faster moving areas of the renewable energy sector is Hydrogen. We recently took a look at how Wales may become a leader in Europe for clean Hydrogen production, alongside a larger scale test planned in the UK to explore the viability of using clean Hydrogen as an alternative to natural gas.

However, another competitor has joined the race, as Australia could become the world’s largest exporter of the gas.

The country has recently announced a $20B project to build a 15,000-megawatt facility that will generate hydrogen for export and become the world’s leader in building a hydrogen economy. That said, there are some challenges to overcome first.

The first is the transportation and distribution of the resource, as there are currently some challenges with moving it once produced. The current solution is to blend the hydrogen directly with natural gas to make a composite, in order to lower its carbon footprint. This is something that has already successfully been done, as the UK has managed to use the blend in its existing gas network – a 20% volume blend allows customers to use existing appliances without any need for adjustments. Furthermore, a suggestion from the company behind this implementation, is that the 20% blend rolled out across the entire country could save around 6 million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually, the equivalent of taking 2.5 million cars off the road.

The second challenge will be overcoming the cost barriers. Prices have been rapidly falling, as utilising newer technologies and cleaner sources to produce the hydrogen have become more readily available and much more efficient. However, charges to distribute still remain high – there are suggestions that costs for hydrogen need to fall by up to 50% in order to become competitive with fossil fuels. That said, a large scale production plant, such as the one planned for Australia, could be the catalyst for this drop in pricing.

Hydrogen isn’t the only clean alternative in home heating, however. You can explore our Air Source Heat Pumps for both home and business or get in contact with one of our specialists today to explore your other clean energy solution options.

We recently covered a piece on our blog, outlining five reasons why you should change your energy provider. These included aspects such as the potential savings achieved through change, staying up to date on the market, and ensuring you’re getting the best deal.

To show the many benefits of changing energy supplier, we have put together five more reasons why you should consider changing:

Time to go green

Many of us are becoming much more environmentally conscious, particularly in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. By changing supplier, you may be able to get access to some great green energy deals – our experts can help you save money on your energy bill whilst also doing your part to help the environment.

A better service

Unfortunately, some energy suppliers are renowned for a poor service and inaccurate billing. Through means of a supplier change, this can be rectified with consummate ease. Fortunately, we can help you identify suppliers with the best customer satisfaction scores, and as such, ensure you are getting the best service possible.

The change is quick

We had previously outlined how one of the common misconceptions had been around the difficulties of changing – another is regarding the turnaround. When changing supplier, there is no disruption to your service and the change can be completed in just a few weeks – you pay nothing to change, simply choose the best deal and we do the rest.

Understanding your tariff choices

In another recent piece, we covered how you may not be getting the best deal possible, particularly once your original tariff expires. With so many to choose from, including fixed and variable rate tariffs, pre-payment tariffs, economy tariffs and more, it can be a headache to understand which is best for you. We take the difficulty out of the choice to help you choose the tariff that best suits your needs.

Don’t be misguided by going direct

A recent customer satisfaction survey put none of the bigger suppliers in the top 20 – quite a staggering result. Furthermore, research from Ofgem suggests that one in five customers are now with a smaller or medium sized supplier. Changing to a smaller-sized supplier, even if you may not have heard about them previously, may be the easiest way to improve your own customer satisfaction from the energy deal you’re receiving.

Get in touch with our experts today and we can help guide you through the process of changing energy suppliers, ensuring you receive the best deal possible whilst also meeting your customer satisfaction needs.

The start of the year had a very strong showing for UK renewables. We had recently reported that the first quarter saw nearly half of the UK’s energy needs covered by renewable sources, but the trend did not stop there.

A recent report has shown the second quarter of the year has seen yet another strong showing for renewables, as they have increased 32% year-on-year, with biomass, wind, and solar sources setting new records for energy generated during this period.

It had also been suggested that at one-point, renewable electricity sources were providing almost 70% of Britain’s electricity needs, up from the 49% in the first quarter. With recent announcements for new offshore and onshore sites, particularly for wind, and recent announcements around a larger scale test for hydrogen for heating, we can only expect these figures to increase.

Not only have records been set for the energy produced, but also for our steps towards net zero too. The carbon intensity of fuels used had also dropped to their lowest on record, averaging at 153g/kWh over the quarter – a strong sign for what may be possible over the coming years as we aim to reduce our climate impact.

Similar reports were also prevalent on the pricing front, as wholesale power prices would see a 42% drop from the same quarter last year, with demand dropping during the lockdown period. Whilst a small part of the change could be in response to the pandemic, it’s difficult to discredit the leaps forward taken by renewable energy in recent years.

The current trends reported from UK renewables are a good sign for what can be expected in the future for our power system, as cheaper and more efficient renewable solutions become more readily available, and a lower demand on the market help energy prices across the country. Whilst we may see a rubber banding effect as the country begins to return to an element of normality, these flexible and clean technologies will certainly only grow and continue to set records.

If you would like to be part of the record setting trends, you can explore our energy efficiency options for both home and business, or alternatively you can get in contact with one of experts today to have them guide you through the best options available to you.

Monday marked the end of an era as after 200 years, one of England’s last coal mines is closing. 

The Bradley Mine, an open cast pit, had been producing 150,000 tonnes of coal per year, but after plans to expand the site had failed, it had brought an end to the site. There are still a few others in the UK – the Hartington mine in Derbyshire, some small operational underground mines in Cumbria, and the Forest of Dean will remain open for the time being. However, it has been suggested that these sites and similar across Wales and Scotland, should be prepared to receive the same news in due course.

Such closures follow similar activity overseas – we have recently covered the scaling back of the world’s largest coal mine in the USA, in response to having its value cut by £1.4bn.

The closure is a sign of change in the UK’s energy demands. Although workers are upset at the closure, as the UK still has a demand for almost eight million tonnes of coal per year, the recent months have shown that demand is certainly dropping. 47% of the UK’s energy between January and March of this year had come from renewable sources, and the demand for coal had dropped between March and June as the lockdown had been in full swing.

Whilst there will likely be a small bump in demand when things get back to normal, it has been predicted the demand will likely remain much lower moving forward, as increasing efforts are being made to ensure that a green recovery can be adopted. The most recent steps forward here have been in wind energy, as recent off-shore and on-shore sites have been announced, as well as a trial for hydrogen that could see it become a primary resource for heating and transport.

The change is great for consumers too – changes in demand will have an impact on the energy supply market, with increasing rewards or subsidies for clean energy solutions. Furthermore, we are likely to see price discrepancies for non-renewable options, as demand decreases. 

To explore how you can take the next step in going green – protecting the environment and saving you money, you can get in touch with us today and we can guide you through the process, including any funding or grants available