Podcasts about ofgem

As of 1st July 2023, UK energy regulator Ofgem brought the energy price cap down to £2,074, a significant fall from the previous price guarantee of £2,500 that was introduced by the government in October 2022. Prices had soared mostly due to an increase in wholesale energy costs caused by the war in Ukraine. Bear in mind the price cap is based on an estimate for a dual fuel household paying by direct debit based on typical consumption. It's not an absolute cap on your energy bill, so if you consume more than the average, you will pay more. Do I need to do anything with my boiler ? What about changing provider ; is that allowed ? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here: ⁠How can you secure your home before leaving on holiday?⁠ ⁠What is last chance tourism?⁠ ⁠Which are the best cities in the world to live in?⁠ A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. First broadcast : 09/07/2023 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week, Britain's economic landscape continued to struggle due to the energy shock driven by the conflict in Iran, leading to Ofgem (“the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets”) announcing a 13% rise in energy bills. This and other inflationary measures mean the headline inflation will likely remain above the BoE's (“Bank of England”) target for a fifth consecutive year. BoE Governor Andrew Bailey indicated that while rate cuts are off the table, recent bond market tightening has bought the central bank time to monitor the conflict's volatility. Investors have subsequently scaled back their interest rate expectations, pricing in just a small increase by year-end. There is also stagnation in the labour market. Resignation rates have dropped to 0.55%, with workers clinging to existing roles due to fewer vacancies; higher employer taxes; and automation threats...Stocks featured:International Consolidated Airlines Group, JD Sports Fashion and Melrose IndustriesTo find out more about the investment management services offered by Walker Crips, please visit our website:https://www.walkercrips.co.uk/This podcast is intended to be Walker Crips Investment Management's own commentary on markets. It is not investment research and should not be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy, sell or trade in any of the investments, sectors or asset classes mentioned. The value of any investment and the income arising from it is not guaranteed and can fall as well as rise, so that you may not get back the amount you originally invested. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Movements in exchange rates can have an adverse effect on the value, price or income of any non-sterling denominated investment. Nothing in this podcast constitutes advice to undertake a transaction, and if you require professional advice you should contact your financial adviser or your usual contact at Walker Crips. Walker Crips Investment Management Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 226344) and is a member of the London Stock Exchange. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Sir Tony Blair has spoken to the Today programme about an almost 6,000 word essay in which he criticises the Labour government for focusing on politics rather than policy. Adam, Alex and Faisal discuss the arguments made by the former Prime Minister, plus how two would-be leadership contenders Wes Streeting and Andy Burnham (who still needs to fight and win a by-election if he wants to challenge Keir Starmer) have pushed back. And energy bills will rise for millions as Ofgem raise the price cap for the first time since war in Iran. A full list of candidates standing in the Makerfield By-Election is available on the BBC News website https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgrp1z8n4w2o You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers. You can join our Newscast online community here: https://bbc.in/newscastdiscordGet in touch with Newscast by emailing newscast@bbc.co.uk or send us a WhatsApp on +44 0330 123 9480.New episodes released every day. If you're in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bbc.in/4guXgXd Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Adam Fleming. It was made by Miranda Slade with Shiler Mahmoudi. The social producer was Gabriel Purcell-Davis. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

The regulator Ofgem says its energy price cap will go up by 13 per cent in July, because of volatility in the gas market, from the conflict with Iran. The British Medical Association says resident doctors in England, who are in dispute with the government about pay, will go on strike for five days next month. Ministers have dismissed Sir Tony Blair's criticisms of Labour's policy agenda -- saying the government is taking "big steps" to change the country. 01:21 – Energy price cap to rise 05:38 – Resident doctors announce strike 07:29 – Reports of draft Iran deal 12:30 – Minister dismisses Blair criticism 16:50 – Student loan repayment complaints 21:02 – Ebola warning in DR Congo 23:09 – Jeffrey Donaldson trial 25:01 – Large Samsung pay offer 26:24 – Birth rates at lowest since 1970s 28:16 – Tap water — a legal entitlement?

Average annual energy bills are set to go up by more than £200 a year from July, after energy regulator Ofgem announced a 13% rise in the energy price cap.It's largely down to the impact of the Iran War, but with the UK generating more electricity from renewable sources than ever before, why aren't we feeling the benefits in our bills?The answer is more complicated than you might think, and it all comes down to how energy prices are set in the UK... We explain what's going on, why renewables haven't made your bills cheaper, and if drilling in the North Sea might be the answer.

In this episode Jodie talks to Marzia Zafar, Deputy Director for Digitalisation and Innovation at Ofgem, and Laura Sandys CBE, Chair of the Energy Network Innovation Taskforce, about the SIF's new programmatic approach to delivering transformational Innovation in the next five year price control.The programmatic approach has two aspects: Firstly, the Energy Network Innovation Taskforce brought together industry innovation teams and leaders from the energy network sector and beyond. Their role: to identify ambitious, long-term and outcome driven challenges to bring strategic focus to the SIF for the five-year RIIO-3 price control period.Secondly, the introduction of Innovation Delivery Groups to provide a collaboration framework across networks for addressing these Innovation Challenges and ensure accountability to deliver outcomes that reflect customer needs alongside economic growth.Listen to the conversation to find out more.· The identified challenges have been published in the ‘Networks Reimagined: Driving innovation for a future energy system' report - read here· Find out more about the SIF on the Innovate UK Business Connect webpage· Sign up to Innovate UK's regular SIF newsletter

The UK has some of the most expensive household electricity in the world. Why are energy bills so high, and will they ever come down? The price you pay is shaped by rules set by Ofgem, the UK's energy regulator. Neil Kenward is their Interim Director General of Markets. Thank you to everyone who sent in a question! 

It's EV News Briefly for Monday 27 April 2026, everything you need to know in less than 5 minutes if you haven't got time for the full show.Patreon supporters fund this show, get the episodes ad free, as soon as they're ready and are part of the EV News Daily Community. You can be like them by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/EVNewsDailyKIA CUTS EUROPE PRICES TO FIGHT CHINESEKia CEO Song Ho-sung announced a deliberate price-cutting strategy at the company's Investor Day, narrowing the price gap with Chinese rivals like BYD from 20–25% to 15–20%. Despite reporting a quarterly profit decline on 24 April due to higher European sales incentives, Kia says its solid profit base can sustain the strategy, with the upcoming EV2 small SUV set to challenge the BYD Dolphin Surf directly.BYD DENZA Z TAKES AIM AT TESLABYD unveiled the production Denza Z at the 2026 Beijing Auto Show — an all-electric supercar with around 1,000 hp, a sub-two-second 0–60 mph claim, and three variants including a coupe and convertible. Estimated at around $65,000 in China, it targets the Tesla Roadster 2 and is prioritised for European sales, with a Goodwood Festival of Speed debut planned and full technical details due in July 2026.OIL SHOCK COULD SPEED UK EV UPTAKERising oil prices following US and Israeli strikes on Iran and closure of the Strait of Hormuz are shifting the economic case toward EVs, accelerating a consumer tipping point already supported by better batteries. A large EV fleet could transform UK grid stability through vehicle-to-grid systems, with Ofgem estimating that half of projected EVs on V2G by 2030 could provide 16GW of flexible capacity — five times the projected output of Hinkley Point C.PHEVS COST MORE TO BUY AND RUNECIU data shows eight of the UK's 10 best-selling PHEVs carry a higher sticker price than comparable EVs, with an average gap of £4,150 or 10%, even as the average new EV has fallen below the average new petrol car for the first time. Real-world PHEV fuel costs run 490% above official figures, pushing annual fuelling costs to around £1,030 — £620 more per year than an equivalent EV — making total cost of ownership over £1,000 per year higher than going fully electric.OMODA & JAECOO HITS ONE MILLION SALESOmoda & Jaecoo reached one million cumulative global sales in April 2026, just three years after its international debut, recording monthly sales of over 60,000 units in March and operating across 69 markets with 1,364 dealers. Europe drove 41.5% of total global sales, with a 246% year-on-year rise in March, and the brand ranked sixth in the UK with a 4.7% market share — with Omoda & Jaecoo now targeting one million annual sales by 2027.GWM PULLS ORA 03 FROM UKGWM has withdrawn the Ora 03 electric hatchback from the UK market after only 542 units were registered across all of 2025 and just 26 in Q1 2026, ending a four-year run for the model originally launched as the Funky Cat. No new stock will be supplied, with the car available only from existing dealer inventory as GWM shifts focus to a broader European growth strategy.LEAPMOTOR B05 TARGETS EUROPE WITH LOW PRICESLeapmotor's B05 compact hatchback will launch in Europe starting at €26,900 in Italy, undercutting every major rival by at least €10,000, including the Volkswagen ID.3 at €40,990, the BYD Dolphin at €35,000 and the MG4 at €34,000. At 4,430 mm long with rear-wheel drive, 160 kW, a 0–100 km/h time of 6.7 seconds and DC fast charging peaking at 174 kW, it combines size, performance and price in a package that directly targets the mainstream European EV market.US EV MAKERS PRESS DIRECT SALES FIGHTUS EV makers including Tesla, Rivian and Lucid are escalating efforts to bypass the dealer franchise model, which still controls 96% of new-vehicle deliveries, using new legal strategies and ballot initiative threats — though the three brands combined held less than 4% of the US light-vehicle market in 2025. The bigger industry fear is not EV startups but legacy or foreign brands like Volkswagen's Scout Motors breaking the model open for all manufacturers, which could fundamentally reshape US auto retail.MG WEIGHS SPAIN FOR EUROPEAN EV PLANTMG Motor reportedly favours Spain — particularly Galicia — over Hungary for its first European EV manufacturing plant, driven largely by Galicia's strong shipping links to the UK, MG's most important European market. No final decision has been made, but the move is driven by SAIC facing the EU's highest Chinese automaker tariff rate of 35.3%, even as producing cars in Europe will cost more than manufacturing them in China.AVERAGE EV RETAINS 97% OF ITS RANGE AFTER THREE YEARSRecurrent's 2026 EV Market and Trends Report found that the average EV retains 97% of its range after three years and 95% after five years, with five brands — Cadillac, Ford, Hyundai, Mercedes and Rivian — showing zero apparent range loss over five years. Used EV demand surged 53.9% between February and March 2026, with the average used EV now priced at $34,653 — just $1,012 below an equivalent ICE vehicle — while average new EV range for 2026 models rose 11% to 325 miles.

In this special edition of the CSCEN podcast, Simon Salvi sat down for a conversation with Dr Nick Hughes, an Associate Professor of Sustainable Resource Governance at UCL, after his panel at the Climate and Environment Network's 2026 annual conference.They discussed his background and slightly unconventional route into the field, what sustainable resource governance means in practice, how to deliver a low-carbon transition in the UK and beyond, and the green growth vs post-growth debate. Guest BioDr Nick Hughes is an Associate Professor in Sustainable Resource Governance at UCL's Institute for Sustainable Resources, where his research encompasses a wide range of topics, from carbon capture to electricity networks. Through his work, he has contributed to many research and policy organisations, including Ofgem, the UK Energy Research Centre, the Climate Change Committee and the UN Environment Programme's International Resource Panel. Connect With UsJoin the conversation: environment.network@energysecurity.gov.uk CSCEN website: Civil Service Climate +Environment Network | CSCEN Online DisclaimerThe views, thoughts and opinions expressed are the speaker's own and do not represent those of the Civil Service Climate and Environment Network or the Civil Service. The material and information presented here are for general information purposes only.

The war in Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have focused attention on skyrocketing energy prices, leading to demands to encourage more output from the North Sea and causing travel chaos in Ireland. But bills were already high before this happened. This discussion with three experts, recorded at the Battle of Ideas festival 2025 at Church House in London, explains why - war or no war - we're all paying too much for energy. ORIGINAL FESTIVAL INTRODUCTION Heating or eating? That has become a burning question for many people. From struggling households to steel works and factories, energy prices remain a hot topic. Ed Miliband's assurance that bills would fall by £300 per year looks wildly optimistic. The cost of energy bills became a major political issue when a combination of a post-pandemic resurgence of the world economy and war in Ukraine sent the price of energy in general, and natural gas in particular, shooting up. Prices have come down a lot since then, but remain higher than before. The Ofgem energy price cap for a ‘typical household' increased from £1,137 per year in January 2019 to £1,720 in July 2025 – a rise of over 50 per cent. Supporters of renewable energy argue that the UK is still at the mercy of global prices for gas because ‘gas sets the price' in the energy market, thanks to the way the ‘merit order' works for wholesale energy prices: the most expensive form of energy that is used sets the price for everything. Generally, that is gas. Get rid of fossil fuels, we are told, and we would have lower prices and less exposure to world markets. However, critics point out that the wholesale price is only part of the story. The retail price of energy includes a variety of subsidies for renewable energy that mean the actual price renewable producers receive is much higher. If renewables are really as cheap as their proponents claim, why do they need to be subsidised and why do countries that use a lot of renewables also have the highest energy bills? Will prices rise further as we use even more renewables? And if energy security is so important, why would we want to rely on intermittent energy sources like wind and solar? In this session, energy experts will explain how our energy bills remain so high and what the consequences are for household finances and the wider economy. SPEAKERS Lord Mackinlay director, The Global Warming Policy Foundation Kathryn Porter consultant, Watt-Logic David Turver energy policy analyst, Eigen Values CHAIR Rob Lyons science and technology director, Academy of Ideas; convenor, AoI Economy Forum; author, Panic on a Plate

It's EV News Briefly for Monday 16 March 2026, everything you need to know in less than 5 minutes if you haven't got time for the full show.Patreon supporters fund this show, get the episodes ad free, as soon as they're ready and are part of the EV News Daily Community. You can be like them by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/EVNewsDailyBMW SETS 18 MARCH FOR I3 DEBUTBMW will unveil the fully electric i3 sedan on 18 March, extending its Neue Klasse platform into the compact sedan segment, with assembly already underway at its Munich plant and series production expected to begin in late autumn. The i3 50 xDrive will be the first version to reach customers, featuring an 800V platform with up to 400kW peak charging and an expected range exceeding the iX3's 805km rating.EU EV PRICES FALL AS RULES BITEEU EV prices fell by an average of €1,800 in 2025, a 4% drop that ended five consecutive years of rising prices, taking the average to €42,700, driven by tighter CO2 emissions targets forcing carmakers to compete on price. T&E expects further price falls as more budget EVs launch, with affordable and mass-market EVs projected to outsell large and premium vehicles by 2027, alongside full price parity with ICE vehicles across all segments.TESLA WINS UK POWER SUPPLY LICENCETesla has been granted an electricity supply licence by Ofgem, allowing Tesla Energy Ventures to sell power directly to homes and businesses across England, Wales and Scotland from 11 March 2026, completing a six-year effort to become a full-service energy provider in Britain. Ofgem approved the licence despite over 8,400 objections citing Elon Musk's political activities, ruling that Tesla met all statutory requirements, and Tesla must now comply with standard UK consumer protection and billing obligations.UK MAKERS BEAT 2024 ZEV TARGETUK car makers met their 2024 ZEV mandate obligations despite a raw EV sales mix of 19.8% falling short of the 22% headline target, by using CO2 credits under the Vehicle Emissions Trading Scheme to reach an effective 24.1%. The result gave manufacturers surplus credits to carry into future compliance years, with the government set to begin a ZEV mandate review later in 2026 and findings due in the first half of 2027.GREEN NCAP LINKS WITH CHARIN ON CHARGING TESTSGreen NCAP and the Charging Interface Initiative (CharIN) have agreed to collaborate on EV charging interoperability and performance transparency, with the goal of giving consumers independent, verified data on how well EVs work with charging infrastructure. The CharIN Label will be referenced within Green NCAP's Driving Experience assessment for electric vehicles, with testing following CharIN's own processes or recognised partner organisations.ARVAL DATA SHOWS STRONG EV BATTERY LIFEArval's analysis of 24,000 battery health certificates across 11 European countries found that EV and PHEV batteries decline by just 1% per 25,000km after an initial drop, with vehicles reaching 160,000km or six years of service still retaining battery health above 90%. Newer-generation models outperformed older ones by two to three percentage points, and the entire fleet comfortably exceeds the incoming Euro 7 requirement of 72% battery capacity retention at eight years or 100,000 miles.AUSTRALIA EV TAX BREAK FACES BUDGET THREATAustralia's Electric Vehicle Discount, which allows workers to reduce their tax bill by purchasing a new EV through salary sacrificing, is under review with reports suggesting the upcoming federal budget could remove it. Renewable energy advocates are opposing any scrapping of the scheme, arguing the timing is particularly poor given rising global fuel prices.ŠKODA POSTS RECORD 2025 RESULTSŠkoda posted record 2025 results with revenue up 8.3% to €30.1 billion, operating profit up 8.6% to €2.5 billion, and net cash flow reaching €2.3 billion. Electrified vehicle deliveries more than doubled to 218,700 units, with the Elroq ranking as the second best-selling BEV in Europe and plugged-in models accounting for 25.7% of European sales.SEAT SEES 2026 PROFIT LIFT AFTER TARIFF CUTSeat expects profitability to recover in 2026 after the EU dropped an additional tariff on the China-built Cupra Tavascan, which had cost the company an estimated €250 million in 2025 and forced it to absorb around €7,000 per vehicle rather than pass costs to buyers. EV margins still trail combustion-engine equivalents, but Seat expects improvement with the launch of the Cupra Raval small EV on April 9, priced comparably to combustion-engine cars and weeks away from series production.NISSAN LEAF BATTERIES RETURN AS VIGO CHARGERSNissan has partnered with Spanish firm Little Electric Energy to deploy a second-life battery charging system at the Port of Vigo, using 12 decommissioned 30 kWh Nissan Leaf packs to power four charging points supporting both 22 kW AC and 240 kW DC ultra-fast charging. The Green Charge Flex system targets sites with limited grid capacity by charging slowly from the available connection and delivering stored energy rapidly to EVs, avoiding costly grid upgrades.

Welcome to the News Review on the PRmoment podcast. In this weekly show I'm joined by Angie Moxham and Mark Borkowski.In the PR News Review we look at the biggest news stories of the week from a PR perspective and this week we're talking:Starmer, Mandelson and the Iran WarMusk, Tesla and Ofgem PR Ethics, Lobbying Rules and why PR firms need to be increasing careful in choosing their clientsBefore we start do check out The PRmoment Awards shortlists, they are an incredible selection of the best work happening in UK PR right now.Starmer, Mandelson and the Iran WarKeir Starmer's choice of Mandelson as ambassador was labeled a "nasty stain" despite Starmer taking responsibility for the move. Angie Moxham predicted that the recurring controversy would fatally damage Starmer's premiership.Musk, Tesla and OfgemIn the PR News Review we discuss Elon Musk's re-engagement with the UK media after Tesla secured an electricity supply license from Ofgem for domestic and business electricity.PR Ethics, The Lobbying Act and controversial clientsThe need for PR firms to ethically select clients was emphasised, citing controversies that make PR firms part of the story when representing controversial clients. The Prime Minister has requested the Ethics and Integrity Commission review UK lobbying rules. The PR News Review panel acknowledged "gaping holes" in the 2014 Lobbying Act.

Mandelson's lawyers say he was arrested over 'baseless' claim he was a flight risk. Ofgem price cap announcement should see your energy bills come down, and why are the young being urged to get checked for a fatal heart condition?

Martin Lewis on whether you should use savings to overpay your mortgage - factoring in your emergency fund, your rates, and whether overpayments come with penalties. Martin gives his reaction to the Bank of England announcing just before we recorded that interest rates have remained unchanged at 3.75%. We look at what has happened to Ofgem's no standing charges tariff options promise.This week's Tell Us is what money rule do you follow now that you once thought pointless or over the top, and we're joined by a special guest for that at the end of the pod.Martin explains why he has written a letter urging the Scottish Government to improve their Power of Attorney system.And Money Mastermind is on travel rights, but this week, Martin didn't write the question!If you want to ask Martin a question, you now can! His Question Time podcast lets you ask Martin absolutely anything and everything (within reason!) – so if you've always wanted to know what colour his eyes are, what he's planning to do in his eventual retirement, or have a very complicated question about your personal finances, email it to MartinLewisPodcast@bbc.co.uk.

Martin Lewis tells us his four life lessons he gave to graduates recently, so we asked you for yours! Plus, Martin's annual warning if you've booked a holiday, an update to Ofgem's no standing charge tariff for energy, and Mastermind is all about borrowing: does the length of a loan matter more than the interest rate? You'll have to listen to find out! If you want to ask Martin a question, you can! His Question Time podcast lets you ask Martin absolutely anything and everything (within reason!). So, if you've always wanted to know his go-to dance move, if he knows the secret to parallel parking, or have a very complicated question about your finances, email it to MartinLewisPodcast@bbc.co.uk.

Demand for digital services has exploded — and with it, the rapid expansion of data centres providing the compute power behind everything from streaming and cloud storage to AI. But this growth could have serious climate consequences.In this episode, James and Daisy explore the rise of data centres. What exactly are they? Why are they becoming so central to our lives? And how can we guide their future growth to align with our climate goals?SOME RECOMMENDATIONS: Cleaning Up (2025) – An on-location podcast episode where Michael Liebreich visits Sines, Portugal, where Start Campus is building a data centre, set to be Europe's largest. Carbon Brief (2025) – Five charts on data centre energy use and emissions. Brookings (2025) – Analysis on the future of data centres. OTHER ADVOCATES AND RESOURCES:Green Mountain – SVG-Rennesøy is a Norwegian Tier III mountain hall data centre built inside a former high security NATO ammunition storage facility and cooled by fjord seawater.The Guardian (2025) – Google plans to put AI data centres into space, with the first trial equipment sent into orbit in early 2027. Solar panels powering these data centres could be up to eight times more productive than those on Earth. Terrestrial Energy – A developer of Generation IV nuclear plants using proprietary Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR) technology.NESO – The National Energy System Operator for Great Britain, responsible for electricity system planning amid rising demand.BBC (2023) – The waste heat from a washing-machine-sized data centre is being used to heat a public swimming pool in Devon.Bloomberg (2025) – Finland and Sweden are pairing data centres with district heating systems.WEF (2020) – Microsoft's ‘Project Natick' tested a shipping-container-sized underwater data centre off the coast of Orkney, Scotland, finding it was eight times more reliable than land-based equivalents.Kraken – An all-in-one, smart operating system automating much of the energy supply chain, supporting efficiency and flexibility as energy systems decarbonise.SOME FACTS:MIT News (2025) – The first data centre was built at the University of Pennsylvania in 1945 to support the ENIAC, the first general-purpose digital computer. IEA (2023) – Since 2010, the number of internet users worldwide has more than doubled, while internet traffic has increased 25-fold. Data centres and data transmission networks each account for 1-1.5% of global electricity use and around 1% of energy-related GHG emissions. UK Parliament (2025) – Data centres consume around 2.5% of the UK's electricity, with demand expected to quadruple by 2030.GOV.UK (2024) – Data centres are designated as Critical National Infrastructure, alongside energy and water systems.BBC (2025) – There are an estimated 500 data centres operating across the UK.McKinsey (2025) – By 2030, $6.7 trillion in global investment in data centres will be needed to meet demand for compute power, of which 70% will come from AI workloads. Demand for AI-ready data centre capacity is expected to grow by 33% per year between 2023 and 2030. By 2030, up to 65% of AI workloads in Europe and the United States will be hosted on hyperscalers' infrastructure.Ofgem (2006) – One megawatt-hour (MWh) equals 1,000 kilowatt hours – roughly enough to power around 2,000 homes for one hour.MIT Sloan School of Management (2025) – When the full cost of delivering AI to customers is included, data centres could account for up to 21% of global energy demand by 2030.WEF – Power use in data centres is typically split between IT equipment (40–50%), cooling systems (30–40%), and auxiliary systems such as lighting and security (10–30%).NY Times (2025) – Google, Microsoft, Amazon and Meta spent more than $360 billion in capital expenditures over 12 months.CSO (2023) – Data centres already account for over 20% of Ireland's total electricity consumption.IEA (2024) – Nearly one-third of Ireland's electricity demand is expected to come from data centres by 2026.WEF (2025) – Climate hazards such as extreme heat and drought could add $81 billion per year in costs to data centres globally by 2035.The Guardian (2025) – More than 230 environmental groups have called for a national moratorium on new US data centres, citing rising electricity bills and worsening climate impacts.CNBC (2025) – Google, Oracle and Microsoft estimate AI hardware lifespans of up to six years, but sceptics such as short seller Michael Burry argue that they may be significantly shorter. Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation: 

Sweeping changes to the way investments are recommended across the UK will start in April. This week the Financial Conduct Authority set out its plans. The regulator hopes they will encourage more people to invest their savings rather than keep them in cash. From April it will bring in what it calls 'targeted support'. That would allow firms to suggest how customers in different groups should manage their money. The FCA has also issued new guidance on how investments can be marketed and what warnings customers are given. Paul Lewis speaks to its Deputy Chief Executive Sarah Pritchard.Just 50 years ago, women couldn't apply for loan or get a mortgage without a man. That came to an end thanks to the Sex Discrimination Act which came into force in December 1975. We'll hear from Kath and Sue who remember what it was like at that time.And a new scheme aimed at bringing down energy debt targets people who are moving home. We'll speak to Ofgem, the energy regulator, about that.Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Eimear Devlin Researcher: Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson(First broadcast at 12pm Saturday 13th December 2025)

Despite the impact of avian flu, which has been devastating for some turkey farmers, the industry says there will not be a shortage this Christmas. Poultry farms were hit so badly in 2022 that many farmers brought in contingency plans to cope with the possibility of the disease striking them.Rural roads are significantly more dangerous than urban ones. The latest figures from the Department for Transport show that 956 people were killed in 2024, that's 72% more than on urban roads. The figures have been analysed by NFU Mutual insurance, and it's now calling for more specific training for driving on rural roads, especially for those who break the law.The Spanish region of Catalonia is still coping with the arrival of African swine fever, which was first diagnosed in wild boar on November 28th. There have now been 13 confirmed cases in wild boar, and 80,000 pigs are having to be slaughtered as a precaution. The authorities are looking into the possibility that the disease may have leaked from a research facility.Thousands of people are still not connected to the National Grid and rely on generators for power, according to the energy regulator. Ofgem estimates up to 2,000 properties in the UK are still off-grid. Some have been asked to pay hundreds of thousands of pounds if they want a connection. Now a charity in Northumberland says the government should do more to help.All week, we've been talking about rare breeds of livestock and at just 15 years of age, Sebastian Carr is quite the celebrity in the world of rare breed pigs. He's won awards for his herd of Saddlebacks. His passion for pigs began when he was just eight and he received four piglets as a Christmas present.Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Thousands of people are still not connected to the National Grid and rely on generators for power, according to the energy regulator. Ofgem estimates up to 2000 properties in the UK are still off-grid. Some have been asked to pay hundreds of thousands of pounds if they want a connection. Now a charity in Northumberland, where Ofgem identified a particularly large cluster of off-grid households, says the government should do more to help. Despite higher than average rainfall across some of the country, other areas are still in drought, following the exceptionally dry and hot summer. The National Drought Group has reported that record breaking rainfall in November helped the Midlands move out of drought, but parts of Sussex remain in drought.Rural roads are significantly more dangerous than urban ones. The latest figures from the Department for Transport show that 956 people were killed in 2024, that's 72% more than on urban roads. The figures have been analysed by NFU Mutual insurance and it's now calling for more specific training for driving on rural roads, especially for those who break the law. All week we're catching up with rare and native reeds. Longwool sheep of which there are several breeds, are on the priority list of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust. There are just 99 registered flocks of the distinctive Lincoln Longwool and the number of sheep has declined to around eight hundred.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv India Russia Why Putin and Modi are meeting in Delhi Porn company fined 1m over inadequate age checks Police accused of homophobic assumptions over victims of blackmail on Grindr A driver killed my parents attitudes to speeding need to change Streeting orders review into mental health and ADHD diagnosis Energy investment of 28bn approved by regulator Ofgem New mayoral elections to be delayed in four areas of England Newspaper headlines Face ID in every town and Kates great herr do Earthquake shakes homes in north west England Cough medicines or lemon and honey which is better for you

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Porn company fined 1m over inadequate age checks Earthquake shakes homes in north west England Energy investment of 28bn approved by regulator Ofgem A driver killed my parents attitudes to speeding need to change Police accused of homophobic assumptions over victims of blackmail on Grindr Cough medicines or lemon and honey which is better for you Streeting orders review into mental health and ADHD diagnosis Newspaper headlines Face ID in every town and Kates great herr do New mayoral elections to be delayed in four areas of England India Russia Why Putin and Modi are meeting in Delhi

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv India Russia Why Putin and Modi are meeting in Delhi New mayoral elections to be delayed in four areas of England Police accused of homophobic assumptions over victims of blackmail on Grindr Streeting orders review into mental health and ADHD diagnosis Earthquake shakes homes in north west England Energy investment of 28bn approved by regulator Ofgem Newspaper headlines Face ID in every town and Kates great herr do Cough medicines or lemon and honey which is better for you A driver killed my parents attitudes to speeding need to change Porn company fined 1m over inadequate age checks

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Earthquake shakes homes in north west England Porn company fined 1m over inadequate age checks Energy investment of 28bn approved by regulator Ofgem A driver killed my parents attitudes to speeding need to change Streeting orders review into mental health and ADHD diagnosis New mayoral elections to be delayed in four areas of England India Russia Why Putin and Modi are meeting in Delhi Cough medicines or lemon and honey which is better for you Newspaper headlines Face ID in every town and Kates great herr do Police accused of homophobic assumptions over victims of blackmail on Grindr

Lawyers acting for victims of the infected blood scandal have written to the Chancellor demanding urgent action to avoid families and loved ones having to pay £100,000s in tax. The government has previously said compensation payments would not be subject to Inheritance Tax. But with around 3,000 victims having already died they say a change in the rules is needed to avoid their loved ones facing huge tax bills. The Treasury says it's "considering" the issue and a decision will be made at the Budget.Plans to reform standing charges for gas and electricity "will not work" and should be scrapped, the trade body for the energy industry Energy UK has told Money Box. Standing charges are the fixed daily cost that households pay just to be connect to electricity or gas supply. They rose sharply this month to an average £320 a year - more than £6 a week - a cost you must pay before you turn on a light or cook your dinner. Suppliers say they cover the cost of providing and maintaining the supply. However, the energy regulator Ofgem is considering proposals to offer all customers a reduced standing charge, but at the cost of paying more for the electricity and gas they actually use. It says that will increase choice for consumers but Energy UK wants them to rethink the proposal.How much will benefits rise in April?And with one month to go, what would you like to know ahead of the Autumn Budget?Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Jo Krasner Researcher: Eimear Devlin Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson(First broadcast at 12pm on Saturday 25th October 2025)

Centrica CEO Chris O'Shea provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges and opportunities facing the UK energy sector. He begins by addressing the recent collapse of Tomato Energy, emphasising that when energy suppliers fail, the costs are ultimately borne by consumers. He calls for stronger regulation and greater financial resilience among energy companies, criticising Ofgem for a lack of transparency. He argues that the current system allows "profits to be privatised while losses are socialised".O'Shea discusses the government's net zero by 2030 target, describing it as “unbelievably ambitious” but necessary to drive progress in the industry. He stresses the importance of a balanced and paced transition, warning that moving too quickly could leave communities behind, as happened with the closure of coal mines in Fife. The interview explores the decline of the North Sea oil industry and its impact on Aberdeen, with O'Shea noting that the full effects on jobs have yet to be felt. He highlights Centrica's commitment to job creation and apprenticeships, aiming to take on one apprentice every day for the next decade.Drawing on his own experience of job insecurity as a graduate, he underscores the need for careful planning and investment in skills to ensure a just transition. He also addresses the challenges of the energy transition, acknowledging that it will be neither cheap nor easy, but insisting that it is essential for the country's future.Presenter :Sean Farrington Producer: Olie D'Albertanson Editor: Henry JonesTimecodes: 02:54 Collapse of Tomato Energy 05:52 Regulation and financial resilience in the energy sector 12:05 Centrica's investment strategy and shareholder returns 14:07 Profits in energy retail vs. other business segments 21:15 Net Zero 2030 aspirations 24:36 Government policy on renewables, net zero, and North Sea licenses 29:39 The impact of the North Sea's decline on Aberdeen and job creation 34:00 Graduate programs and youth employment 37:19 Redundancies and management cuts

Cash now accounts for less than 10% of all the retail payments we make. New figures out this week UK Finance, which represents banks and others, show the latest in the long term decline of cash. Just over a year ago new rules from the regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority said banks had to ensure customers had access to their cash and could take their money out in cash, but at the same time the number of shops putting up the card only signs has increased. What does that mean for the future of cash?On Monday it will be 6 months until the state pension age begins to rise from 66 to 67. How will that transition work?The price cap on electricity and gas went up this week - affecting millions of households across England, Wales and Scotland. The energy regulator, Ofgem, says gas and electricity bills will increase by an average of 2% but it's the costs of electricity that's rising, not gas.And what can do to ensure that your pension is being invested ethically?  Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Luke Wilson and Niamh McDermott Researcher: Eimear Devlin and Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 4th October 2025)

It's Martin v Ofgem this week (well, Jonathan Brearley, the boss). Martin asks Jonathan why energy bills are so high, about scrapping standing charges, who funds the regulator, writing off energy debt, issues around green energy, and loads more. It's a jam-packed episode, also including what Martin thinks about O2 raising their prices by more than they promised, and what you should do if you're affected. If you have a question for Martin, you can ask him in his Question Time podcast! Email your question to MartinLewisPodcast@bbc.co.uk and you could be on the show!

Want the latest news, analysis, and price indices from power markets around the globe - delivered to your inbox, every week?Sign up for the Weekly Dispatch - Modo Energy's unmissable newsletterDelivering a decarbonised power system isn't just about building more renewables and storage, it's also about regulation. The rules that shape investment, protect consumers, and manage risk are critical to whether the UK can hit net zero on time.But regulation comes with trade-offs. How do you keep bills affordable while ensuring enough capital flows into clean infrastructure? How do you encourage innovation without compromising reliability? And how can Ofgem strike the right balance between investor certainty and consumer protection in a period of huge change?In this conversation, Ed speaks with Georgina Mills, Director of Energy Systems Management & Security at Ofgem about the regulator's role in the UK's energy transition. They discuss the frameworks that shape investment in networks, the need for agility in a fast-changing market, and what regulatory innovation might look like as we build a net zero system.Key topics covered include:Why regulation is central to delivering net zero on time.The trade-offs between consumer protection and investor certainty.How Ofgem is adapting frameworks to enable flexibility and innovation.The role of regulatory signals in unlocking clean energy investment.What the future of energy regulation could look like in a net zero world.About our guest Georgina Mills is Director of Energy Systems Management & Security at Ofgem, where she leads reform of network charging and facilitates low-carbon investment across Great Britain's electricity system. With experience spanning regulatory roles in both the UK and New Zealand, Georgina oversees initiatives that balance consumer protection with system resilienceAbout Modo EnergyModo Energy helps the owners, operators, builders, and financiers of battery energy storage solutions understand the market - and make the most out of their assets.All of our interviews are available to watch or listen to on the Modo Energy site. To keep up with all of our latest updates, research, analysis, videos, conversations, data visualizations, live events, and more, follow us on LinkedIn. Check out The Energy Academy, our bite-sized video series breaking down how power markets work.

Want the latest news, analysis, and price indices from power markets around the globe - delivered to your inbox, every week?Sign up for the Weekly Dispatch - Modo Energy's unmissable newsletterDelivering a decarbonised power system isn't just about building more renewables and storage, it's also about regulation. The rules that shape investment, protect consumers, and manage risk are critical to whether the UK can hit net zero on time.But regulation comes with trade-offs. How do you keep bills affordable while ensuring enough capital flows into clean infrastructure? How do you encourage innovation without compromising reliability? And how can Ofgem strike the right balance between investor certainty and consumer protection in a period of huge change?In this conversation, Ed speaks with Georgina Mills, Director of Energy Systems Management & Security at Ofgem about the regulator's role in the UK's energy transition. They discuss the frameworks that shape investment in networks, the need for agility in a fast-changing market, and what regulatory innovation might look like as we build a net zero system.Key topics covered include:Why regulation is central to delivering net zero on time.The trade-offs between consumer protection and investor certainty.How Ofgem is adapting frameworks to enable flexibility and innovation.The role of regulatory signals in unlocking clean energy investment.What the future of energy regulation could look like in a net zero world.About our guest Georgina Mills is Director of Energy Systems Management & Security at Ofgem, where she leads reform of network charging and facilitates low-carbon investment across Great Britain's electricity system. With experience spanning regulatory roles in both the UK and New Zealand, Georgina oversees initiatives that balance consumer protection with system resilienceAbout Modo EnergyModo Energy helps the owners, operators, builders, and financiers of battery energy storage solutions understand the market - and make the most out of their assets.All of our interviews are available to watch or listen to on the Modo Energy site. To keep up with all of our latest updates, research, analysis, videos, conversations, data visualizations, live events, and more, follow us on LinkedIn. Check out The Energy Academy, our bite-sized video series breaking down how power markets work.

Windfarms are to blame for rise in energy bills, says Ofgem, young people being 'overdiagnosed' with mental ill health, and can Man United get any worse?

The future of work almost certainly will involve using some form of AI. Felicity Hannah looks at how that can happen. Meanwhile ahead of energy regulator Ofgem announcing its new price cap for energy bills, we hear from those already struggling with the costs of gas and electricity. And after taking Netflix by storm we explore the the phenomenon that is K-Pop Demon Hunters.

In this Energy Special, Martin asks the boss of Ofgem why we pay more in the UK. Plus, he questions the boss of Octopus Energy about prices, smart meters and more.

Reform of the state pension, auto-enrolment into company pensions and consolidation of small pensions spread across several providers are proposed this week in a major report on the future of pensions. It says major changes are are necessary to ensure today's workers have an adequate income in retirement. The conclusions come at the end of a two year study by the independent research organisation the Institute for Fiscal Studies, we'll speak to them about the report.Hundreds of thousands of people whose homes are heated using communal heat networks are less than 6 months away from greater protection as the industry gets ready to come under Ofgem regulation for the first time. Up until now people in homes that are on heat networks, which use a single heat source to pipe hot water to multiple households, have not had the same rights as those on mains gas or electricity, but that is about it change. What difference could the new regulations make?How could the way you get financial advice change in the future? We'll discuss new proposals by the regulator the Financial Conduct Authority aimed at helping more people get financial advice.And, what would you like to see on a new bank note from the Bank of England? Email us now moneybox@bbc.co.uk Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Jo Krasner Researcher: Eimear Devlin Editor: Jess Quayle(audio credit British Pathé)(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 5th July 2025)

As the UK works toward a fully decarbonised power system by 2035, one thing is clear: hitting climate targets will require a more flexible electricity system. But that flexibility won't just come from utility-scale batteries or grid-scale innovation. It will need support from consumers, households, businesses, and communities that can shift, shape, and reduce their electricity use.In this episode of Transmission, Ed Porter is joined by Marzia Zafar, Deputy Director of Governance for Data & Digitalization at Ofgem, to explore why consumer flexibility is no longer just a nice-to-have, it's now essential for grid stability, cost efficiency, and net-zero progress.We dig into the economics behind demand-side response, the role of price signals and digital infrastructure, and the policy decisions needed to unlock this potential at scale. Whether you're a system operator, innovator, or just trying to understand what demand flexibility actually means, this conversation is packed with insight.In this episode you'll learn:Why demand-side flexibility matters now more than ever, and how it supports both consumers and the system.The practical and policy steps needed to scale flexibility across millions of homes and businesses.How real-time price signals and automation can help shift consumer load and reduce system costs.The regulatory shift underway at Ofgem, and why this matters for innovators and aggregators.Why enabling consumer flexibility is a ‘no regrets' decision for a decarbonised energy future.About our guestMarzia Zafar is Deputy Director of Strategy and Decarbonisation at Ofgem, the UK's energy regulator. With nearly three decades of experience across policy, utilities, and innovation, Marzia has worked on both sides of the Atlantic to design regulatory frameworks that support the clean energy transition. At Ofgem, she plays a leading role in shaping strategy around consumer flexibility, digitalisation, and system planning ensuring that market design keeps pace with the evolving needs of a net-zero grid. For more information on Ofgem - head to their website.About Modo EnergyModo Energy helps the owners, operators, builders, and financiers of battery energy storage solutions understand the market - and make the most out of their assets.All of our podcasts are available to watch or listen to on the Modo Energy site. To keep up with all of our latest updates, research, analysis, videos, podcasts, data visualizations, live events, and more, follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter. Check out The Energy Academy, our bite-sized video series breaking down how power markets work.

As the UK works toward a fully decarbonised power system by 2035, one thing is clear: hitting climate targets will require a more flexible electricity system. But that flexibility won't just come from utility-scale batteries or grid-scale innovation. It will need support from consumers, households, businesses, and communities that can shift, shape, and reduce their electricity use.In this episode of Transmission, Ed Porter is joined by Marzia Zafar, Deputy Director of Governance for Data & Digitalization at Ofgem, to explore why consumer flexibility is no longer just a nice-to-have, it's now essential for grid stability, cost efficiency, and net-zero progress.We dig into the economics behind demand-side response, the role of price signals and digital infrastructure, and the policy decisions needed to unlock this potential at scale. Whether you're a system operator, innovator, or just trying to understand what demand flexibility actually means, this conversation is packed with insight.In this episode you'll learn:Why demand-side flexibility matters now more than ever, and how it supports both consumers and the system.The practical and policy steps needed to scale flexibility across millions of homes and businesses.How real-time price signals and automation can help shift consumer load and reduce system costs.The regulatory shift underway at Ofgem, and why this matters for innovators and aggregators.Why enabling consumer flexibility is a ‘no regrets' decision for a decarbonised energy future.About our guestMarzia Zafar is Deputy Director of Strategy and Decarbonisation at Ofgem, the UK's energy regulator. With nearly three decades of experience across policy, utilities, and innovation, Marzia has worked on both sides of the Atlantic to design regulatory frameworks that support the clean energy transition. At Ofgem, she plays a leading role in shaping strategy around consumer flexibility, digitalisation, and system planning ensuring that market design keeps pace with the evolving needs of a net-zero grid. For more information on Ofgem - head to their website.About Modo EnergyModo Energy helps the owners, operators, builders, and financiers of battery energy storage solutions understand the market - and make the most out of their assets.All of our podcasts are available to watch or listen to on the Modo Energy site. To keep up with all of our latest updates, research, analysis, videos, podcasts, data visualizations, live events, and more, follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter. Check out The Energy Academy, our bite-sized video series breaking down how power markets work.

In this week's episode of Energy Transition Today, we discuss the latest updates surrounding Ofgem's Long Duration Energy Storage (LDES) tender. With the deadline for submissions now closed, what's next for the auction and what are the key dates to keep in your diaries?We also explore the latest news in the nuclear sector, with the UK's government coming out in full support of the Sufolk-based Sizewell C project, all eyes are on the space.In keeping with this theme, we also take a deep dive into the nuclear landscape across Europe and the US – sharing which countries are recommitting to the technology and what projects are coming down the pike.On the battery energy storage (BESS) front, we discuss Spain's recently announced BESS tender, and which company is making its first foray into the German BESS market.Hosted by:Natalie Bannerman – Senior ReporterAshkenaz A.L. – Senior ReporterAishwarya Harsure – AnalystReach out to us at: podcasts@inspiratia.comFind all of our latest news and analysis by subscribing to inspiratiaListen to all our episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other providers.Music credit: NDA/Show You instrumental/Tribe of NoiseSend us a textReach out to us at: podcasts@inspiratia.comFind all of our latest news and analysis by subscribing to inspiratiaListen to all our episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other providers. Music credit: NDA/Show You instrumental/Tribe of Noise©2025 inspiratia. All rights reserved.This content is protected by copyright. Please respect the author's rights and do not copy or reproduce it without permission.

Send us a textJoin Nathan's guests David & Rob from Fornax and dive into the nitty-gritty of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) consultation and explore how third-party finance could be the key to unlocking widespread domestic heat pump adoption. We'll break down the "finance gap challenge," look at what makes third-party ownership work, and dissect the pros and cons of different financing models.In this episode, we discuss:The Finance Gap Challenge: Why current BUS grants alone aren't enough for mass market adoption and how existing loan products fall short for consumers and installers.The Power of Third-Party Ownership: How it dramatically increases heat pump installations by offering: Superior consumer protection: If the system fails, customers stop paying, and the financer is responsible for resolution.Risk alignment: Financiers are incentivized to ensure proper installation and ongoing performance.Better affordability and accessibility: Eliminates large upfront capital requirements.Support for installer businesses: Creates sustainable, predictable maintenance income.What Works: Consumer Hire vs. What Doesn't:Consumer Hire agreements: The only commercially viable third-party ownership model under UK regulation. Subject to robust FCA Consumer Duty protections—not "lightly regulated."Consumers have clear and simple mechanisms to keep their system; providers don't want them back!Why Hire Purchase models are problematic: Despite being highlighted in the consultation, they remain commercially unworkable due to existing financial regulations.Consumer Protection Reality Check:Consumer preference surveys don't equal deliverable products—regulatory constraints matter.Consumer protection isn't free: Every additional measure either limits access to affordable heat pumps or makes them more expensive/unworkable. Duplicative measures unfairly penalize consumers.Repossession rights are fundamental to risk pricing; removing them increases costs for all consumers (e.g., mortgages).Maximum term limits would reduce affordability and increase financial exclusion.Many proposed duplicative requirements (e.g., Ofgem doing things the FCA already does) deter small businesses and hinder independent installers.Innovation vs. Prescription Risk:Over-prescription risks stifling innovation just as the market gains momentum.Standard contract requirements could recreate past failures like the Green Deal/Green Homes Grant.THIS SEASON IS BEING SPONSORED BY INTERGAS Support the showLearn more about heat pump heating by followingNathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Denmark to raise retirement age to highest in Europe Meet and greet users at Stansted Airport tell of car damage and mystery miles Man in Norway wakes to find huge container ship in garden Energy price cap Ofgem confirms fall but says fixing could save money Ship footage shared with BBC captures sound of Oceangates Titan sub imploding My son could so easily have been another Nottingham killer The town divided by Bitcoin Israel Gaza war Netanyahu accuses Starmer of siding with Hamas Olly Murs pulls plug on Glasgow Ovo Hydro show in stage walk off North Korea Satellite photos show Kim Jong Uns damaged warship

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Meet and greet users at Stansted Airport tell of car damage and mystery miles Man in Norway wakes to find huge container ship in garden The town divided by Bitcoin My son could so easily have been another Nottingham killer North Korea Satellite photos show Kim Jong Uns damaged warship Denmark to raise retirement age to highest in Europe Olly Murs pulls plug on Glasgow Ovo Hydro show in stage walk off Israel Gaza war Netanyahu accuses Starmer of siding with Hamas Ship footage shared with BBC captures sound of Oceangates Titan sub imploding Energy price cap Ofgem confirms fall but says fixing could save money

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Meet and greet users at Stansted Airport tell of car damage and mystery miles Denmark to raise retirement age to highest in Europe Israel Gaza war Netanyahu accuses Starmer of siding with Hamas North Korea Satellite photos show Kim Jong Uns damaged warship Olly Murs pulls plug on Glasgow Ovo Hydro show in stage walk off Man in Norway wakes to find huge container ship in garden Ship footage shared with BBC captures sound of Oceangates Titan sub imploding My son could so easily have been another Nottingham killer The town divided by Bitcoin Energy price cap Ofgem confirms fall but says fixing could save money

As Ofgem announces the latest energy price cap, we're joined by Emily Seymour, from consumer champion Which? to unpack today's facts and figures.And in part two, The London Standard's lifestyle and culture writer India Block reveals the winning songwriters of the Ivor Novello awards - and the state of the music industry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Martin reacts to the latest Energy Price Cap announcement from the regulator Ofgem. The new cap coms into force from July, and applies to households in England, Scotland and Wales on variable tariffs. But what should you do now? With fixes on the market well below the cap rate, Martin explains how to get the best deals on your energy.

Why does the UK have the most expensive energy in the world? Should the places that generate the cheapest energy get the lowest prices? Should the rich pay more for their power? Robert and Steph talk to Jonathan Brearley, the CEO of the UK's energy regulator, OFGEM. Sign up to our newsletter to get more stories from the world of business and finance. Email: restismoney@gmail.com X: @TheRestIsMoney Instagram: @TheRestIsMoney TikTok: @RestIsMoney goalhangerpodcasts.com Visit: monzo.com/therestismoney Assistant Producer: India Dunkley, Alice Horrell Producer: Ross Buchanan Head of Content: Tom Whiter Exec Producers: Tony Pastor + Jack Davenport Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on The Tax Factor, Heather and Sarah (celebrate!?) 20 years of HMRC with a look at its latest performance woes, from phone line chaos and missing repayments to the absurdity of pursuing a taxpayer for £600.Also, this week, Holly Willoughby’s agency gets a stern reminder that HMRC doesn’t do celebrity favours, a fake Greggs manager pockets pandemic cash, and a warning about getting caught in VAT carousel fraud. Plus: £150m in tax relief for Jurassic World and Ofgem’s bright idea that richer people should pay more for electricity. What next - tea bags? Loo roll? Audio to download: https://assethub.azets.com/transfer/9866882ddd7ebbd54cb5641bd3a6de08a00caaf357af0b13135469cc883aac68See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We report from Parliament as the Minister for Energy Consumers and the regulator Ofgem face questions from MPs about the banned process of back-billing. That's when energy suppliers wrongly send new bills for energy use longer than 12 months ago. We'll get reaction from Labour MP Bill Esterson who is the Chair of the House of Commons Energy Security and Net Zero committee, which sat on Wednesday.And the biggest shake-up to benefits in a decade was announced by the government this week. It hopes the changes will ultimately save it five billion pounds a year from a benefits bill which Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall told Parliament was 'a failing system that is currently not sustainable'. She proposed major changes to some benefits, what will this mean in practice?Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Eimear Devlin Researcher: Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 22nd March 2025)

Westminster was recalled last Saturday for and an emergency bill to save British Steel's Scunthorpe plant became law. It took around six and a half hours in total for Parliament to pass the legislation and the King to approve it.  Sir Keir Starmer said "We are acting to protect the jobs of thousands of workers, and all options are on the table to secure the future of the industry".We ask where was this urgency and commitment over Grangemouth, and Port Talbot steel works.Lesley questions the casual way every commentator accepts that energy prices in Britain are 50% higher than Germany and double the price of the United States. Ofgem has announced a change in the queuing regulations for wind and solar farms to eliminate so called "Zombie projects" and speed up the process of getting real projects up and running. Great news but have we been here before?Find Out Now has released results from an opinion poll carried out for The National  showing a rise in support for Scottish independence. We drill down into the poll and its potential significance.Ash Regan of Alba has issued a call for a cross party pro independence convention before next year's Holyrood elections. We look at the response from the SNP and the Greens.Meanwhile the Greens appear to be caught up in internecine conflict which doesn't seem to have been calmed down by its recent conference.The 15th of April is the 36th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster which saw 97 Liverpool football supporters losing their lives.Starmer promised that the Hillsborough Law would be enacted by today. What was in that draft law? What has stalled its progress? What does the failure tell us about this Labour government and Starmer?Pat is still recovering from the nerve shredding final round of The Masters golf in Augusta and his beloved Dundee United achieving a top 6 finish in their first season back in the top flight. This doesn't stop him from talking about them both though and wondering why sport can grip even the most rational of us so fiercely.There's still a chance to catch Lesley's Denmark movie. To check out where it's showing click the link belowhttps://lesleyriddoch.com/events ★ Support this podcast ★

In this week's episode of The Future of Security Operations podcast, Thomas is joined by Mollie Chard. Mollie's career spans 10+ years in technical SOC and leadership roles at organizations like the UK's Met Office, Capgemini, and OVO. She's recently accepted a new role as Head of Cyber Guidance & Monitoring at Ofgem, the UK's Office of Gas and Electricity Markets. A passionate advocate for diversity, she's also the Chief Advisor for Women in Cybersecurity UK and Ireland. In this episode: [02:00] Mollie's journey from arts graduate to security leader [04:00] Her previous role developing emerging security talent for CIS UK [05:00] Tips and techniques for hiring diverse talent [11:20] The problem with management being the default career path [15:25] The biggest tech mistake that budget-strapped companies make [19:23] Solving unique systems and operational technology challenges in the energy sector [21:30] The ethical considerations and impact of AI for security and other industries [27:30] Making space in boardroom discussions for diversity and how it can enhance resilience [32:00] How to stay aligned when working with remote or dispersed team [35:00] What Mollie thinks cybersecurity will look like in five years [37:00] AI as a threat to human cognitive abilities within and beyond security [42:40] Connect with Mollie The Future of Security Operations is brought to you by Tines, the orchestration, automation, and AI platform that powers some of the world's most important workflows.  Where to find Mollie: LinkedIn Medium Substack Where to find Thomas Kinsella: LinkedIn Tines Resources mentioned: Capslock Bootcamp UK Department for Work and Pensions's Disability Confident employer scheme More career growth tips from Mollie on the Trident Talks podcast

In this week's episode, we delve into the fast-evolving landscape of battery energy storage systems (BESS) ahead of inspiratia's Energy Storage Summit on 27 March in London, from Italy's long-delayed but now-confirmed MACSE Auctions to the latest UK capacity market results.We also bring you an update on the UK's Long Duration Energy Storage (LDES) cap-and-floor scheme details released by Ofgem and DESNZ, and dive into the UK's Planning and Infrastructure Bill, asking what it means for unlocking grid connections and streamlining major project approvals.Register for the Energy Storage Summit hereHosted by:Oliver Carr - Head of Data AnalysisAishwarya Harsure - Analyst Ashkenaz A.L. - Senior ReporterSend us a textReach out to us at: podcasts@inspiratia.comFind all of our latest news and analysis by subscribing to inspiratiaListen to all our episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other providers. Music credit: NDA/Show You instrumental/Tribe of Noise©2025 inspiratia. All rights reserved.This content is protected by copyright. Please respect the author's rights and do not copy or reproduce it without permission.

Apple has launched its latest iPhone, which will have new "affordable" hand set with AI tools. It will go on sale in the UK next Friday starting at £599, which is £200 less than the brand's current cheapest iPhone 16 device, released in September.Energy regulator, Ofgem, has taken the next step in its proposals to change the way customers pay for standing charges. They make up that fixed part of your gas and electricity bill which you pay regardless of how much energy you use. The flat charge is there to cover the cost of delivering gas and electricity.Ofgem's plans will mean individual bill payers have a choice: keep paying the standing charge as it is, or pay a share of the standing charge according to how much energy you use. The plan will be welcomed by those who don't use much energy - but there are concerns the proposals may not help everyone.

In this episode of the Fully Charged Show Podcast, we dive into The Crown Estate's pivotal role in the UK's renewable energy transition. As custodians of the seabed surrounding England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, they're powering 11 million homes with offshore wind energy. Imogen explores how their latest initiatives, like the Marine Delivery Routemap, are tackling grid bottlenecks, speeding up consents, and finding harmony between environmental conservation and renewable expansion. Gus Jaspert, Managing Director for Marine at The Crown Estate, breaks down the UK's energy puzzle—from wrangling stakeholders like NESO and Ofgem to resolving spatial clashes with fisheries and shipping. With a need for over 120GW by 2030 requiring a tripling of wind energy deployment, how will the race to net-zero electricity unfold? Tune in to find out!  @fullychargedshow   @EverythingElectricShow  This podcast was brought to you by OVO's Charge Anywhere. Power your next journey with peace of mind by downloading the OVO Charge app today: https://bit.ly/charge_anywher Why not come and join us at our next Everything Electric expo: https://everythingelectric.show Check out our sister channel: https://www.youtube.com/@EverythingElectricShow Support our StopBurningStuff campaign: https://www.patreon.com/STOPBurningStuff Become a Fully Charged SHOW Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/fullychargedshow  Buy the Fully Charged Guide to Electric Vehicles & Clean Energy : https://buff.ly/2GybGt0 Subscribe for episode alerts and the Fully Charged newsletter: https://fullycharged.show/zap-sign-up/ Visit: https://FullyCharged.Show Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/fullychargedshw Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/fullychargedshow To partner, exhibit or sponsor at our award-winning expos email: commercial@fullycharged.show   Everything Electric AUSTRALIA NSW - Sydney Showground - 7th, 8th & 9th March 2025 Everything Electric LONDON (UK) - ExCel - 16th, 17th & 18th April 2025 Everything Electric CANADA - Vancouver Convention Center - 5th, 6th & 7th September 2025 Everything Electric SOUTH (UK) - Farnborough International - 10th, 11th & 12th October 2025 Everything Electric AUSTRALIA VIC - 14th, 15th & 16th November 2025