Site Prices Update
Last Updated28th June 2022
All calculations on this site are based on current fuel prices, they are checked regularly and calculations are automatically updated.
The costs calculated based on these fuel prices should be regarded as 'good estimates', given that fuel prices vary in different parts of the county and at different time of the year.
The calculations also have different levels of accuracy depending on the nature of the calculation. For example calculating the energy use of a known power output TV is very easy compared to calculating the effect on energy savings when insulating a cavity wall.
Site Calculations
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User PricesFor several of the fuel prices on this site you can now set your own prices and all the calculations on the site will adjust accordingly.
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At Confused About Energy we aim to provide practical, impartial advice on all aspects of energy usage, climate change and ways to save money on energy bills.
All calculations on this site are based on current fuel prices they are checked regularly are automatically updated and were last changed on:-
28th June 2022
The costs calculated based on these fuel prices should be regarded as 'good estimates', given that fuel prices vary in different parts of the county and at different time of the year.
The calculations also have different levels of accuracy depending on the nature of the calculation. For example calculating the energy use of a known power output TV is very easy compared to calculating the effect on energy savings when insulating a cavity wall.
Site Calculations
Electricity | £0.271 per unit (1 kWh) |
Economy Electricity | £0.094 per unit (1 kWh) |
Gas | £0.072 per unit (1 kWh) |
Domestic LPG | £0.122 per unit (1 kWh) |
Heating Oil | £0.104 per unit (1 kWh) |
UK Grid CO2 Emissions | 0.233 kg per kWh used |
The main units used in this site are in the table below, For a complete explanation of power and energy Read More.
Unit | Name | Detail |
---|---|---|
W | Watt | Unit of Power |
kW | Kilowatt | 1000 watts |
kWh | Kilowatt hour | Measure of Energy |
L | Litre | Measure of Volume |
Please use twitter to ask a question Message @@EnergyThinking
We started this site in 2008. At that time our younger brains wrote a few articles that provoked a measure of vitriol from the good willed and so-called green community. I say, “so-called” because their non-solutions can so often be counter productive. In the years of examining why this is, it has become my view that there is simply a lack of awareness of scale. Simply put, there is a lack of comprehension of how much bang for you buck you get with fossil fuels compared to a renewable energy source like a windmill or a heat pump. To be clear I have no issue with renewable energy sources, they are great, but thinking that we will ever meet the world’s energy needs with renewables is fanciful.
The articles in 2008 were based on a simple premise and that is as long as there are economically recoverable fossil fuels someone around the world will be recovering them and ultimately burning them. We showed that in spite of the plethora of “renewable schemes” that fossil fuel consumption would increase and that it would continue to increase until at least 2050, with the consequent increase in CO2 emissions and the problems these will cause the planet. This has proven to be the case. There was one caveat to this premise, once a true alternative to fossil fuels becomes available, then this paradigm will immediately shift. The only likely alternative on the 30-year horizon is fusion energy.
Since 2008 rather a key event has happened to extend the predicted increase of fossil fuels way beyond 2050 and that is that the previously unrecoverable shale gas and oil is suddenly becoming recoverable and in huge volumes, especially in the USA. Proving that if there is an economic will there is a way. They may one day regret the environmental damage they are causing, but the rush for cheap energy dashes these concerns to one side. In the UK our government is equally dashing for these resources in spite of concerns. It is likely that plugging the UK energy gap and tax revenues will sweep concern, legitimate or otherwise, under 11 Downing Streets carpet.
With world economies competing for prowess, the cost of energy has to be kept down in each country or a country becomes uneconomic and cannot compete. Moreover if energy prices soar in a country the populations face financial hardship, get too cold, get too hot or cannot feed themselves. One should remember energy resources are a key part of food production and as populations continue to grow, more energy will be required to prevent starvation. This is one key reason never to use agricultural land to grow fuels, it is energetically and emissions counter productive.
People who read this will quite correctly say…. “what do you suggest then!?”
My answers are simple ……………
In my view the damage is done with CO2 emissions, we as a planet will not stop burning fossil fuels, we cannot, no matter who bangs on about it. World economies would collapse if we did and billions would starve. Even with concentrated effort on renewable technologies the rate of fossil fuel use will increase not decrease, if only because world population is increasing.
So what to do globally ……………
- Develop technologies to capture CO2 (ideas are out there), this is not a defeatist stance it is realistic.
- Pump even more money into Fusion research, this has to be the long term world solution, but it is still probably 30 years away with current funding resources.
- Keep going with renewable technologies like solar and wind. Be nice to be Libya for example and build solar power stations in the Sahara! But remember we will not be able to replace fossil fuels with renewable sources in time to significantly affect climate change, even if the whole world could suddenly agree to do it.
- Certainly do not use agricultural land to grow biofuels, we as a world need to eat. Rich countries should not put the cost of food production up in poor countries to meet their emissions targets, its just plain wrong.
- If required develop technologies to screen the planet (again, ideas are out there). These ideas are a bit of a last resort but having them ready in your tool kit is useful, perhaps for deployment in 30 years time as required.
Finally as a local UK initiative and perhaps a bit too radical for UK government, legislate (with grants) to compel homeowners and landlords to insulate their lofts and walls (mind you, they would not be able to get in mine for all the junk, must deal with that one day). Energy wise this makes much more sense than sticking a solar panel on the roof of a house in a rain blessed territory like the UK.
World Climate Change Metrics
(2021)
↑
Annual
+11353 TWh↑
Decade
2040 149000 TWh to 171000 TWh
(2021)
↑
Annual
+2.6 Gt↑
Decade
2040 36 Gt to 46 Gt
(2021)
↑
Annual
+835 million↑
Decade
2040 8.45 billion to 9.5 billion
(2021)
10+Gt CO2
↑
Annual
+1168 TWh↑
Decade
2040 10000 TWh to 13000 TWh
(2021)
↑
Annual
+24 ppm↑
Decade
2040 450 ppm to 500 ppm
(2022)
↑
Annual
+0.26°C↑
Decade
2040 1.5°C to 2.5°C
(2020)
–
Annual
+46.5 mm↑
Decade
2040 150 mm to 200 mm
(2020)
↓
Annual
0.95 million km2↓
Decade
to 2 million km2
2040 2 million km2
to 0 million km2
(2020)
↓
Annual
-1600 Gt↓
Decade
2040 -7000 Gt to -10000 Gt
(2020)
↓
Annual
-2500 Gt↓
Decade
2040 -7000 Gt to -10000 Gt
Each Decade
↓
Decade
(2019)
↑
Annual
+2169 TWh↑
Decade
2040 9000 TWh to 12000 TWh
(2018)
↑
Annual
0.96 Gt↑
Decade
2040 5.4 Gt to 7.2 Gt
≅4.6 GtCO2 emissions prevented
Example 50% gas power generation substituted with renewables
≅2 GtCO2 emissions prevented
≅3.7 GtCO2 emissions prevented
Example 50% gas power generation with CCS
≅1.6 GtCO2 emissions prevented
(2017)
↑
Annual
543 TWh↑
Decade
2040 1250 TWh to 2200 TWh
(2015)
↓
Annual
0.336 million km2↓
Decade
to 39.7 million km2
2040 39 million km2
to 39.5 million km2
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