Cable Forum - UK Energy Prices

Is the recovered heat enough to heat the room to the extent that the usual heating could be turned down or even off though?

If so, this could be deducted from what the dehumidifier costs to run.

Subjectively I'd say no based on ours. There is a very slight warming effect maybe but in winter you would need conventional heating to reach comfortable temperatures.

Chris

06-10-2022 11:08

Re: The energy crisis

Also bear in mind that electricity is roughly 4 times more expensive per kWh than gas. So even if every unit of electricity used by the dehumidifier eventually heated the room it’s in, that heating would be considerably more expensive than the equivalent energy delivered via a gas boiler and radiators.

Obviously it’s a tad more complex when you take efficiency of heaters into account but you get the general idea.

Basically, use a dehumidifier if you need to dehumidify your living space, but it isn’t effective as a substitute space heater.

Taf	06-10-2022 12:58

Re: The energy crisis

It's worth noting that an adult gives out about a pint of water a day just by breathing, and around half a pint whilst sleeping. Very humid air is not good for those with asthma or CPOD, whilst very dry air can affect the sinuses.

Chris

06-10-2022 14:13

Re: The energy crisis

Rota power cuts feature in National Grid’s ‘worst case’ planning for this winter, should UK gas supplies run low. We generate 40% of our electricity from gas.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-63155827

Jaymoss

06-10-2022 14:15

Re: The energy crisis

I am tempted to buy a portable powerstation to keep my laptop going so I can be entertained

Chris

06-10-2022 14:20

Re: The energy crisis

If it happens (and it really is the worst case, not considered likely) you’re likely to be off-mains for about 3 hours late afternoon/early evening, maybe once or twice a week. Unless your laptop battery is old, hopefully you’ll be ok.

I wondered about buying a UPS just to keep the router going, seeing as the kids would absolutely hammer their phones’ monthly data allowance otherwise. I also wondered about how to get power to the central heating system, seeing as they’re talking about cutting electricity but not gas, but that’s more complex than it first seems as mains electricity is used at several points in the system, within the boiler, pumps, valves and thermostats. If there’s not just one main power cable I can plug in then I’m not competent to start digging around.

Hugh	06-10-2022 14:23

Re: The energy crisis

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaymoss (Post 36136152)

I am tempted to buy a portable powerstation to keep my laptop going so I can be entertained

And your router…

Ms NTL

06-10-2022 14:25

Re: The energy crisis

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris (Post 36136104)

Or growing something in the attic? Those heat lamps aren’t cheap to run.

Neither marijuana growing nor bitcoin mining :D The house is just very large for two people (kids moved out).

Octopus customer care was useless."nothing to worry, it is just an estimate". I have now emailed them. Let's wait and see.

PS Did you know? When it snows, the police checks houses with roofs without snow, to catch people growing stuff in the attic.

Hugh	06-10-2022 14:33

Re: The energy crisis

Your estimate sounds wayyyyyy over - there are two of us in a 4 bed detached, and our estimate from ShellEnergy is £343 per month…

nomadking

06-10-2022 14:46

Re: The energy crisis

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaymoss (Post 36136052)

Yeah you keep repeating that. I still consider it bull crap same as I as I did the first time you said it. Just because the market sees the supply demand if the producers really wanted to they could charge what they want. The market is artificial. Cut out the broker sell direct

Also if the government refuse to tax the producers why don't the producers just give them the money. Of course Shell could jus tbe saying tax us knowing the government wont tax them so they can raise their image

How would they decide who to sell it to? How do they decide what the prices should be? If somebody bought it relatively cheaply, they would sell it on for a higher price, and you would be right back where you started.
Prices can end up low as well as high. That is the risk they take.

Hugh	06-10-2022 15:13

Re: The energy crisis

Risk...

<snigger>

https://www.theguardian.com/environm...-last-50-years

Quote:

The oil and gas industry has delivered $2.8bn (£2.3bn) a day in pure profit for the last 50 years, a new analysis has revealed.

The vast total captured by petrostates and fossil fuel companies since 1970 is $52tn

https://inews.co.uk/news/consumer/en...lained-1774927

Quote:

Companies such as BP and Shell do not simply produce and sell oil, they employ thousands of traders who buy and sell oil produced by other firms and make profit on fluctuations in its market price. The more volatile the market – as has been the case throughout 2022 – the higher the potential earnings.

BP made an estimated $1.3bn (£1.1bn) gas trading profits in the first three months of this year alone. When combined with a further $1.1bn (£900m) in liquids trading that accounted for around a third of its overall profits.

nomadking

06-10-2022 15:20

Re: The energy crisis

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hugh (Post 36136165)

Risk...

<snigger>

https://www.theguardian.com/environm...-last-50-years

https://inews.co.uk/news/consumer/en...lained-1774927

Link

Quote:

US oil prices turned negative for the first time on record on Monday after oil producers ran out of space to store the oversupply of crude left by the coronavirus crisis, triggering an historic market collapse which left oil traders reeling.
The price of US crude oil crashed from $18 a barrel to -$38 in a matter of hours, as rising stockpiles of crude threatened to overwhelm storage facilities and forcedoil producers to pay buyers to take the barrels they could not store.

Pre-covid.

Quote:

The 2014-16 collapse in oil prices was driven by a growing supply glut, but failed to deliver the boost to global growth that many had expected. In the event, the benefits of substantially lower oil prices were muted by the low responsiveness of economic activity in key oil-importing emerging markets, the effects on U.S. activity of a sharp contraction in energy investment and an abrupt slowdown in key oil exporters.

Still leaves the eternally never answered questions of:-
How would they decide who to sell it to?
How do they decide what the prices should be?