Increased utility bills

Stew

Bushcrafter through and through
Nov 29, 2003
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Aylesbury
stewartjlight-knives.com
OK, have I got this wrong?
I can run my new generator on 28s paraffin or red diesel at 67p/L
1L of fuel will give me 2.5kwh so 1kwh = 26.8p
E-On are going to charge me 29.58p/kwh from 1st April + the standing charge.

So I can generate electricity cheaper than E-on are going to supply it at - have I miscalculated?
Can you hook it up in a way to have a heat exchange combined into the exhaust to preheat water?
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
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Thanks Red, i think i will pick up one of those kits, looks easy to fit and not much money really
They really work, I've been very impressed. I run ours on either 19kg cylinders that we use for cooking or bulk tank. They suggest that 19 is the minimum size of cylinder to use in cold weather
 
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Fadcode

Full Member
Feb 13, 2016
2,857
895
Cornwall
OK, have I got this wrong?
I can run my new generator on 28s paraffin or red diesel at 67p/L
1L of fuel will give me 2.5kwh so 1kwh = 26.8p
E-On are going to charge me 29.58p/kwh from 1st April + the standing charge.

So I can generate electricity cheaper than E-on are going to supply it at - have I miscalculated?
Don't forget Red Diesel is banned after April, so you may want to get in a good supply while you can, although you can still use it for electricity generation it may be harder to get, its about 80p per litre now, but it is going up. on half power it will use 1 litre per hour which is a better way to cost it, as you won't always use the power it produces, it has only one 240volt outlet, so may be useful to buy some 110volt gear tools/lights etc.which are normally quite cheap. Fingers crossed for a long hot summer so we wont need heating on, etc.
 
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TLM

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 16, 2019
3,233
1,711
Vantaa, Finland
So I can generate electricity cheaper than E-on are going to supply it at - have I miscalculated?
Just generating el gives you about equal to mains but with liquid cooling one can use the "waste" heat too and then you are on top.
 

Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
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Mid Wales
www.mont-hmg.co.uk
Don't forget Red Diesel is banned after April, so you may want to get in a good supply while you can, although you can still use it for electricity generation it may be harder to get, its about 80p per litre now, but it is going up. on half power it will use 1 litre per hour which is a better way to cost it, as you won't always use the power it produces, it has only one 240volt outlet, so may be useful to buy some 110volt gear tools/lights etc.which are normally quite cheap. Fingers crossed for a long hot summer so we wont need heating on, etc.

No it's not! As you say, it's still available for home power generation and agricultural use. Around here it's still used a lot and my oil supplier (1.5miles down the road) will deliver it. Yep, you're right though, fuel is going to just keep going up but then, so is the electricity bill.

Those calcs were based on 50% load.
 
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Winnet

Forager
Oct 5, 2011
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Aberdeen
The government is restricting the things it can be used for so that they can collect duty on it. It appears to mainly affect the commercial side of things so private use may escape the duty issue.

G



The New Law for Using Red Diesel

From the 1st of April 2022, the regulations for using red diesel are changing. It is currently used to fuel any off-road vehicle, but the law is being changed so that it will only be legal to use the dyed diesel for a limited selection of purposes. You are still entitled to use red diesel if your industry lies within the following:

• The agricultural sector
• If it is powering non-commercial heating systems
• If it is used within a railway vehicle.

However, for most commercial businesses, March will be the last time that you can legally purchase and use the low-tax fuel option.



Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk
 
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Tony

White bear (Admin)
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Apr 16, 2003
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So, I've decided to stay on variable and weather it out.
My thinking is that £156/month turns into £240/month in April because of the 54% price cap increase (based on same usage), then even if there's another 45% increase in October it would only then at that time get to what the power company wants me to start paying from start of next month.

This could obviously bite me, so I'm not suggestion people follow the same route but I struggle with the idea of paying well over double months before the actual prices get there...

I like the conversation about the generator, I've been wondering about getting a battery for my solar panels with the thought of it acting in the same way, maybe that and a genny would work well, although the outlay would probably be prohibitive...
 

Tengu

Full Member
Jan 10, 2006
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Wiltshire
Ive been reading some advice articles.

One, (I didnt bookmark, sorry) suggested I give up the dishwasher and tumble drier.

Neither I or my father has these things.
 

Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
8,464
8,343
Mid Wales
www.mont-hmg.co.uk
So, I've decided to stay on variable and weather it out.
My thinking is that £156/month turns into £240/month in April because of the 54% price cap increase (based on same usage), then even if there's another 45% increase in October it would only then at that time get to what the power company wants me to start paying from start of next month.

This could obviously bite me, so I'm not suggestion people follow the same route but I struggle with the idea of paying well over double months before the actual prices get there...

I like the conversation about the generator, I've been wondering about getting a battery for my solar panels with the thought of it acting in the same way, maybe that and a genny would work well, although the outlay would probably be prohibitive...

Yep, I've done the same - variable in the hope that within the fixed rate term it comes back down.

Standard diesel in our local garage was188.9p this morning!
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,888
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Mercia
Yep, I've done the same - variable in the hope that within the fixed rate term it comes back down.

Standard diesel in our local garage was188.9p this morning!
That's scary. It'll soon be cheaper to drive a tractor to the shops!
 

Tony

White bear (Admin)
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Apr 16, 2003
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Wow, £1.89 is nuts, we're about £1.66 at the mo for diesel. I can see us going back to lockdown levels of travel and activities, might get a decent solar panel to charge my eBike battery!
 

swotty

Full Member
Apr 25, 2009
1,880
249
Somerset
The £550 that it was for 500ltrs of heating oil on Monday is now £634

Sent from Somerset using magic
 

swotty

Full Member
Apr 25, 2009
1,880
249
Somerset
Wow, £1.89 is nuts, we're about £1.66 at the mo for diesel. I can see us going back to lockdown levels of travel and activities, might get a decent solar panel to charge my eBike battery!
And almost half of that is tax if my calculations are correct!

Sent from Somerset using magic
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,888
2,140
Mercia
So, I've decided to stay on variable and weather it out.
My thinking is that £156/month turns into £240/month in April because of the 54% price cap increase (based on same usage), then even if there's another 45% increase in October it would only then at that time get to what the power company wants me to start paying from start of next month.
...
That makes complete sense. If you ever want to come see our generator & solar set up, you would be very welcome
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,888
2,140
Mercia
Well today was fuel replenishment day. The big truck full of calor rocked up and filled the bulk tank

Calor tanker by English Countrylife, on Flickr

Had a chat with the driver and he was explaining that the refinery is the real problem for deliveries. It takes 45 minutes to fill a tanker. This morning there were five tankers in front of him in the queue. He even gets night fills and says there's a queue at 3am!

We don't use much Calor - it's for "on demand" hot water and if we are away the central heating goes on "frost protection". So this is making sure we can get it. The tank was at 50% and you only fill to 85% ( because it needs expansion room). The driver mentioned that "if it goes up another 10p a litre - and it will be more than that - you just saved £60" :confused:

Then the coalman rocked up having just dropped a load at our neighbours

We weren't that short to be honest. This lot was left in the barn

Smokeless coal "before" by English Countrylife, on Flickr


We burn very little smokeless, preferring our home processed wood ( greener, cheaper, prettier), but a little smokeless is great at keeping the stove ticking over at night when it's very cold. Anything we've bought now is a hedge against future price rises. We paid £70 a tonne more than normal. That's a 21% rise. The chap said they are currently calculating the next rise - wholesale prices are up, diesel prices for them are up etc. He believes it will be another £100 a tonne.

Smokeless coal "after" by English Countrylife, on Flickr

Is what these guys are predicting accurate? Who knows? We are lucky to have space to put the coal and a bulk tank to pre-pay for propane - we may well have overpaid - but sadly I doubt it. I think I'll take all the wood that I'm offered!
 
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