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THE PRICE OF OIL: WHEN DOES “COMPLEX” BECOME “TOO COMPLICATED”?
"Everything is complicated; if that were not so, life and poetry and everything else wou...
“TRUST ME, I’M A DOCTOR” – NESO’S APPROACH TO TRANSPARENCY
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic The National Energy System Operator (“NESO”) has...
NESO FORECASTING ERRORS: THE SILENT THREAT TO ENERGY SECURITY
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic My blog post on the threat to energy security on 8...
BLACKOUTS NEAR MISS IN TIGHEST DAY IN GB ELECTRICITY MARKET SINCE 2011
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Yesterday saw a blackout near miss in what turned out to be ...
WATT-LOGIC RESPONDS TO TRUMP COMMENTS WITH TIPS FOR US ENERGY POLICY
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Writing my review of 2024 got me thinking about th...
FORTUNATELY AI CAN’T (YET) REPLACE THE WATT-LOGIC BLOG!
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Trying to catch up on my CPD for the year, I just listened t...
REVIEW OF ENERGY MARKETS IN 2024
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Every year I summarise the previous year’s energy news...
DEMAND-SIDE RESPONSE IS FALLING WHEN NET ZERO PLANS NEED IT TO RISE
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic In 2022, National Grid ESO (now NESO, the National Energy Sy...
CHRISTMAS MYTHS AND MINCE PIES
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic There are many strange myths and traditions relating to Chri...
UNREALISTIC PLANS FOR THE CCGT FLEET
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic In its Clean Power 2030 plan, system operator, NES...
CHALLENGING THE MYTHS OF THE RENEWABLES AND INTERCONNECTORS MODEL
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic In the past few years, we have been repeatedly told by the s...
NEW REPORT HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED FOR HYBRID HEAT PUMP SOLUTIONS
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Today I have published a new report into the heat pumps mark...
BROKEN RETAIL PRICES CAP INCREASES AGAIN
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic With the start of October, the new retail price cap for Brit...
WHAT’S NEXT FOR EUROPEAN GAS PRICES?
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic European gas prices have fallen significantly from the highs...
MAKING THE CASE FOR NUCLEAR POWER
Last week I have attended a couple of different events on the subject of nuclear power, and how t...
RELYING ON ELECTRICITY INTERCONNECTORS ADDS TO MARKET RISK
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Last week the Global Warming Policy Foundation has published...
ENERGY MATTERS: THE LAST EDITION
Not out! This month it is 50 years since I headed off to University to study geology! And that...
COMMENTARY: A PILOT PLANT FOR NET ZERO
By Viv Forbes BScApp, FAusImm, FSIA Executive Director of the Saltbush Club and Founder of ...
THE URANIUM FUEL SUPPLIES ARE HIGHLY CONCENTRATED
In my second post on uranium I look at mining and conversion. My previous post can be found&n...
COMMENTARY: FINCH V SURREY COUNTY COUNCIL
Uisdean VassUisdean Vass, Managing Director at VassPetro Limited. Petroleum Law Specialists ...
COMMENTARY: BATTERIES ON BOATS AND TRAINS?
By Viv Forbes BScApp, FAusImm, FSIA, Executive Director of the Saltbush Club and Founder of the C...
LONGBOAT ENERGY ANNOUNCES EXIT FROM NORWAY
Longboat Energy, an emerging full-cycle E&P company, has reached agreement to sell its 50.1% ...
ENERGY MATTERS – WHAT IS IN YOUR IN-TRAY?
In Mexico, the votes have been counted. The next President and her incoming Administration will f...
INTERCONNECTORS REPORT AVAILABLE FOR PEER REVIEW
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic The GB electricity market has become increasingly reliant on...
YOU CAN AVOID REALITY, BUT YOU CANNOT AVOID THE CONSEQUENCES OF AVOIDING REALITY
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic My blog is 8 years old today! The past year has seen my b...
ENERGY MATTERS – MIDNIGHT OIL?
No, this is not an article about the end of the petroleum industry. Neither is it about peak oil....
STREAMLINING NUCLEAR REGULATION IS ESSENTIAL IF TARGETS ARE TO BE MET
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Nuclear regulation is widely seen as strangling the delivery...
GOVERNMENT PUSHES FOR MORE GAS GENERATION TO SUPPORT ENERGY SECURITY
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Today the Government has announced a new consultat...
TORNESS NUCLEAR POWER STATION: CLEAN ENERGY IN ACTION
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Last month I had the pleasure of visiting Torness nuclear po...
VIARO ENERGY SECURES NSTA LICENCE APPROVAL FOR BRESSAY ACQUISITION
Viaro Energy, the independent British energy company operating in the UKCS North Sea and the Neth...
NEW REPORT: GAS NETWORK DECOMMISSIONING
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic In recent months questions have been asked around the future...
ADNOC AND BP TO FORM GAS JOINT VENTURE
ADNOC and bp have agreed to form a new joint venture (JV) in Egypt. The JV (51% bp and 49% ADNOC)...
RELYING ON INTERCONNECTORS FOR IMPORTS CARRIES RISKS
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Britian’s latest subsea interconnector, the 1.4 GW&nbs...
LIBYA’S UPHILL STRUGGLE TO ATTRACT OIL INVESTMENT
Dr Carole Nakhle Libya was once a very significant player in global oil markets. In 1970, ...
TEAM HOI SOLVING ‘ONE OF THE MANAGEMENT ISSUES OF THE DECADE’
TEAMWORK: Andy Todd, Edinburgh-based director of the Alternative Board (TAB), and Louise Barn...
DISAPPOINTING ROADMAP AND AGR RETIREMENTS RISK PERIODS OF NO NUCLEAR FROM 2028
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic The past few weeks have been full for interesting developmen...
CRITICAL MINERALS FOR THE ENERGY TRANSITION: RARE EARTH METALS
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic In this final post in my series on minerals critical&nb...
CRITICAL MINERALS FOR THE ENERGY TRANSITION: COPPER AND ALUMINIUM
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Following on from my post about the need to secure crit...
RUSSIA, CENTRAL ASIA, ME & NORTH AFRICA – PICKING WHICH ENERGY RACE TO RUN
Dave Waters Director/Geoscience Consultant, Paetoro Consulting UK Ltd. Subsurface resource r...
ENERGY MARKET OUTLOOK – WHAT CAN WE EXPECT IN 2024?
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Yesterday I reviewed the key market themes in 2023...
ENERGY MARKET REVIEW OF 2023
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic At the end of each year, I like to look back at the past yea...
FORGOTTEN CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic In days past, Christmas looked very different to what it doe...
COST OF ENERGY DEBTS MAY BE ADDED TO PRICE CAP
Today Ofgem has launched a couple of new price cap consultations (wholesale costs revie...
GRANGEMOUTH CLOSURE HAS ECHOES OF ROUGH GAS STORAGE
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Eighteen months ago I wrote a blog entitled: Cakism in ...
ENERGY MATTERS – A COLD SHOWER
As we wrap up 2023 and prepare to send our reports and summaries to our bosses, Head Office, and ...
PROSPECTS FOR NUCLEAR ENERGY IN THE UK
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic This week my nuclear paper for the Global Warming Policy Fou...
MORE HARM THAN GOOD: SCOPE 3 EMISSIONS DISCLOSURES RISK BEING TOO BROAD
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic The other evening, I was a panellist at an event bringing to...
HOSTILE POLITICAL ATTITUDE TO NORTH SEA OIL AND GAS THREATENS ENERGY SECURITY
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Despite the recent high-profile approval of the Roseban...
MAJOR HEADWINDS THREATEN OFF-SHORE WIND TARGETS
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic The pervasive narratives about off-shore wind in recent year...
HEAVY INDUSTRY IS HARD TO DE-CARBONISE – SMALL-SCALE NUCLEAR COULD BE THE ANSWER
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic In my latest article for The Telegraph, I discuss the l...
CFD AUCTION ROUND FAILURE UNDERSCORES GOVERNMENT’S WRONG THINKING ON SUBSIDIES
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Earlier this month, the UK Government completed it...
STABILISING US POWER GRIDS USING SYNCHRONOUS CONDENSERS
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Recent posts have explored some of the issues the US power g...
ARE WE SEEING SIGNS OF A US NUCLEAR RENAISSANCE?
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic There appear to be some tentative signs of a US nuclear rena...
HOPE IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE STRATEGY: NEW POLICY RISKS US ELECTRICITY SHORTFALLS
In my previous post I covered the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act and the way cha...
THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT WILL BOOST RENEWABLES BUT WON’T BE ENOUGH FOR NET...
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic The USA has often been seen as at the forefront of the energ...
ENERGY MATTERS – AS EASY AS 1-2-3
The origins of the pub quiz date back to the 1950s. They quickly became an opportunity to test yo...
THE MYTH THAT RENEWABLES ARE CHEAP PERSISTS IN PART DUE TO THE FLAWED USE OF ...
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic In my latest article for The Telegraph, I revisit the m...
ELECTRIC CARS ARE NOT AS SUSTAINABLE AS PEOPLE THINK
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Earlier this week the Telegraph published an opinion piece I...
APPROACHES TO ESG INVESTING ARE BEGINNING TO CHANGE, AND NOT BEFORE TIME
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic There has been mixed news on the subject of ESG (E...
HOW BEST TO ENSURE ENERGY MARKET COMPETITION? ABOLISH THE PRICE CAP FOR A START
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Hot on the heels of widespread annoyance over energy supplie...
CONTROVERSIAL COST RECOVERY SEES BRITISH GAS PROFITS RISE
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Last week Centrica announced its interim results, ...
IS IT TIME TO PROPERLY REGULATE THE REGULATORS?
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic I have frequently been critical of Ofgem in its regulation o...
IS THE HYDROGEN NET ZERO DREAM STARTING TO FLOAT AWAY?
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic This week I had an opinion piece published in The Telegraph ...
THE VULNERABILITY OF THE GREENLAND ICE SHEET
Dave Waters, Director & Geoscience Consultant, Paetoro Consulting UK Ltd Many react to...
ARE THE FES USEFUL? HOW DO THE SCENARIOS COMPARE WITH ACTUAL DATA?
Two years ago, National Grid ESO’s Future Energy Scenarios (“FES”) celebrated t...
OPEN PEER REVIEW: PROSPECTS FOR NUCLEAR GENERATION IN GREAT BRITAIN
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic I have written a paper for the Global Warming Policy Foundat...
FIXING GRID CONNECTION DELAYS NEEDS MAJOR REGULATORY REFORM
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic The issue of grid connection delays has garnered a lot of at...
NAO REPORTS ON SMART METER ROLLOUT WHICH IT SAYS IS AT A CRUCIAL POINT
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic On 14 June, the National Audit Office (“NAO”)&nb...
GAS PRICE VOLATILITY SHOWS THE ONGOING FRAGILITY OF THE MARKET
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic The past couple of weeks have seen unusually high levels of ...
NO STATUTORY REQUIREMENT FOR UK COAL POWER STATIONS TO CLOSE NEXT YEAR
Along with most everyone else in the energy market I have been of the opinion that coal power sta...
EARLY WINTER OUTLOOK CONFIMS OUR RELIANCE ON INTERCONNECTORS
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic As the country basks in a heatwave, National Grid ESO has pu...
TIME TO ACCEPT THAT WIND FARM COSTS ARE NOT FALLING
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic There has been a consistent narrative that the cost of build...
AS THE PRICE CAP FALLS BELOW THE EPG, IS THE ENERGY MARKET SET TO RE-OPEN?
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic On 25 May, Ofgem announced the new price cap level that will...
FRENCH ENERGY REPORT SEEKS RETURN OF “ENERGY SOVEREIGNTY”
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic On 30 March, the French Parliament published a report entitl...
WINDFALL TAX HARMS OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION AND MUST BE CUT
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic In May last year, the UK Government introduced a windfall ta...
OFGEM MOVES FORWARD ON FINANCIAL RESILIENCE AND RINGFENCING
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic For the past year Ofgem has been trying to address concerns ...
FORCED PRE-PAYMENT METER INSTALLATIONS: A SCANDAL IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Back in February The Times published an exposé into t...
APPLICATION FOR A JUDICIAL REVIEW OF THE SALE OF BULB FAILS
...but there may be an appeal By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Two weeks ago I summarised ...
ENERGY INDUSTRIES CLUB SPEECH ON ENERGY SECURITY
Earlier this week I had the pleasure of speaking at the Energy Industries Club dinner on the subj...
WILL THERE BE A JUDICIAL REVIEW OF THE SALE OF BULB TO OCTOPUS?
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic At the end of February I attended five of the six sessions o...
RELYING ON AGING NUCLEAR REACTORS POSES RISKS TO ENERGY SECURITY
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Last week came the welcome news that EDF will extend the liv...
A LATE COLD SNAP DELIVERS AN EMN AND THE TIGHTEST DAY OF THE WINTER SO FAR
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Over the past few days forecasters have been warning of a co...
THE POWER OF PROCESS: LESS WHAT WE CHOOSE THAN HOW WE CHOOSE IT
Dave Waters, Director & Geoscience Consultant, Paetoro Consulting UK Ltd Choice and Vo...
AWARD-WINNING BUSINESS NETWORKER SHARES INSIGHTS WITH BOOK RELEASE
An award-winning networker has announced the release of his new book to help individuals and comp...
RECORD PRICE SET FOR THE T-4 CAPACITY AUCTION REFLECTS INCREASINGLY TIGHT MARKET
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Last week the T-4 capacity auction for delivery in 2026-27 c...
T-1 CAPACITY MARKET AUCTION CLEARS WITH A HIGH PRICE AND SOME INTERESTING QUE...
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Last week saw the T-1 capacity market auction clear at its s...
CENTRICA’S RECORD PROFITS CREATE OUTRAGE, MUCH OF IT UNFAIR
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Centrica announced record profits of £3.3 billion (act...
THE OCTOPUS TAKEOVER OF BULB IS THE SUBJECT OF A LEGAL CHALLENGE
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic The Octopus takeover of Bulb which was announced in November...
NORWAY ACTS TO RESTRICT ELECTRICITY EXPORTS AND PROTECT SECURITY OF SUPPLY
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Last year I warned repeatedly that Norway can not be expecte...
THE DFS WAS ACTIVATED FOR THE FIRST TIME BUT WAS IT REALLY NEEDED?
This week National Grid ESO has activated its Demand Flexibility Service (“DFS”) ...
EXPENSIVE ENERGY SUBSIDIES TO BE SCALED BACK
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Back in October, the Government put in place energy subsidie...
WAR IN UKRAINE WILL CONTINUE TO DRIVE ENERGY MARKETS IN 2023
It’s always interesting at the start of the year to look back at what I was thinking this t...
ENERGY MATTERS – OUT OF SHAPE?
Over-indulgence during the festive season? Again? One too many hangovers? A touch of mental angui...
A BRIEF HISTORY OF CHRISTMAS DINNER
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Last year’s Christmas blog, while definitely tongue in...
THE EU GAS PRICE CAP MAY DISTURB THE MARKETS TO LITTLE BENEFIT
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic This week the EU finally acted on gas prices by agreeing a c...
GOVERNMENT BRUSHES OFF BEIS SELECT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic In July, the BEIS Select Committee published a damning repor...
THE FIRST CAPACITY MARKET NOTICE OF WINTER 22 INDICATES DIFFICULT TIMES AHEAD
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Just after 2:30 yesterday afternoon, National Grid ESO issue...
DEPRESSING AUTUMN STATEMENT INTRODUCES NEW TAXES AND CUTS CONSUMER SUPPORT
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic The new Chancellor. Jeremy Hunt, issued a new Budget for the...
STRESS CORROSION CONTINUES TO TROUBLE THE FRENCH NUCLEAR FLEET
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic This week EDF updated its expectations for its nuclear fleet...
DEMAND FLEXIBILITY SERVICE ALLOWS HOUSEHOLDS TO PARTICIPATE IN DSR FOR THE FI...
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic On the 4th November 2022, National Gris ESO officially launc...
SALE OF BULB TO OCTOPUS ENERGY SHOULD FINALLY CAP THE BILL FOR CONSUMERS
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Over the weekend, the Government announced that failed suppl...
EUROPEAN GAS MARKETS REMAIN VOLATILE: DEMAND REDUCTION WILL BE KEY
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic In addition to the electricity winter outlook, National...
UK GOVERNMENT ENERGY PRICE SUPPORT SCHEMES CREATING UNCERTAINTY
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic On Monday, the new Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, shocked the ener...
NG ESO’S WINTER OUTLOOK STILL UNDERSTATES RISKS AND FOCUSES ON DEMAND REDUCTION
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Today, National Gird ESO published its Winter Outlook for 20...
BUSINESS ENERGY SUPPORT MAXIMUM DISCOUNT LOWER THAN EXPECTED
The Government has updated the maximum discount levels available to businesses through the Energy...
POSSIBLE SABOTAGE PUTS NORD STREAM PIPELINES OUT OF USE
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Gas has been found to be leaking from the Nord Stream pipeli...
BUSINESS ENERGY SUPPORT SCHEME CAPS PRICES FOR NON-DOMESTIC CONSUMERS
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic This morning the Government has announced the measures it is...
NORD STREAM 1 REMAINS CLOSED BUT EUROPE IS COPING
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic I began this post over the first weekend in September when I...
ENERGY PRICE GUARANTEE TO SUPPORT HOUSEHOLDS AND BUSINESSES THIS WINTER
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic This week the new Prime Minister announced the long-awaited ...
DEALING WITH HIGH ENERGY PRICES – A MESSAGE TO JACOB REES-MOGG
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic With the largely expected news that Liz Truss would become t...
RENEWED INTEREST IN NUCLEAR AS ENERGY CRISIS DEEPENS
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Nuclear power may be on the verge of a global renaissance ju...
GREEN & DIGITAL. THE TWIN TRANSITION
Justin Anderson ESG Technology, Innovation | Former Head of Technology CoE KPMG Intern...
REDUCE ENERGY WASTE TO TACKLE ENERGY SECURITY AND AFFORDABILITY
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic With the growing energy crisis across Europe there are calls...
THE ENERGY CRISIS REQUIRES AN URGENT RESPONSE FROM THE GOVERNMENT
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic Over the past few days I have been invited to comment in the...
CAPACITY MARKET NOTICES IN SUMMER ARE A WAKE-UP CALL FOR THE WINTER
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic On Monday 18 July, National Grid ESO issued two Capacity Mar...
MORE GRID INFRASTRUCTURE NOT LOCATIONAL PRICING IS THE SOLUTION TO NETWORK CO...
By Kathryn Porter, Watt-Logic There has been a lot of noise recently about the prospect of...
THE EARTH RESOURCE, ENGINEERING & ECONOMICS DEPARTMENT (EREED)
Who ya gonna call? Resource Busters. Dave Waters, Director & Geoscience Consultant...
ENERGY MATTERS – ANOTHER FINE MESS
Energy matters – Another fine mess Chris Sladen Perhaps the greatest ever catchphrase i...
ENERGY MATTERS – BLOW THE WHISTLE, WE HAVE REACHED HALF-TIME
Are you worried about your mid-year performance review? Probably you have not seen your boss face...
ENERGY MATTERS – ALL THINGS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL
Supercomputers are nothing new to the energy sector. They are used to process seismic data for lo...
ENERGY MATTERS – PAUSE FOR THOUGHT
Britain’s most popular radio program each morning carries a short feature, known as ‘...
ENERGY MATTERS – WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE?
In 1956, the year I was born, Cole Porter wrote the song ‘Who wants to be a millionaire?&rs...
ENERGY MATTERS – FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Ready to face a dinner party or barbecue? With lockdowns, shielding and a general reluctance to e...