Fuel for thought (Energywatch)

Member Name: 1st2thebar

Product:	Energywatch
Date:	19/09/08 (185 review reads)
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-Energywatch-
Energywatch suppose to regulate energy companies; as the regulator Energywatch does not do anything, below is a review on the current fuel crisis "fuel for thought".

THE FUEL CRISIS - FUEL FOR THOUGHT

I'm writing this is in the comfort of my home on a desk in a warm room. Is this a luxury? I feel it is, because soon the extortionate bill will arrive by the ever reliable postal bill operators, along with an energy company who wants you to switch because this month they have an offer to new customers! Then, as soon as they have got you to switch energy giants, you become a mere mortal and the fiasco continues until the next quarter. Energy giants are typical of 'giants' they look friendly at first they will say anything to build up trust then once your in the net of the cash-cow direct debit processing factory your lost in Serbia without a phrase-book. So I'm calling out for the energy watchdog to watchdog these mongrel energy businesses to get in touch with the public pleas. Regulate, regulate, and regulate; to protect the nation. It is not as if the UK public has a choice of what power they would like to fuel their homes. They cannot suddenly decide okay today I'm going to use my hydro-power token to save some cash, or use my compost plantation source to boil a kettle for a steamy Horlicks. There are no choices of alternative energy supplies.

It is the 21st Century and we've just got fossil fuels for an energy source. The government has forked out nearly 5.22 Billion on CERN which will determine how the 'big bang' occurred which in turn created us and all around us and all of creation as we know it; yet know other energy source is available. Doesn't really add up does it? - You might as well build a civilization on one of the ice-caps that has just detached itself from the North Pole and make a TV reality show about it calling it 'The disappearing iceman'; who goes God decides?

The capitalist Western world has seen this week at first-hand the effects of how markets can collapse. It doesn't deem to happen to energy businesses, their prices are like a helium balloons rising without due cause and care. Regulators again do nothing to help capping costs and are obsolete to any form of negotiating and customer care, let alone regulating and having any power; In my own research they claim they can only advise; yet they are called 'regulators' still. Basically, all regulating organizations have failed and it's now up to the western culture to go back to basics and start the regulating process off so that there is an equal balance; which will go against the 50 years of the capitalistic mindset. I look at it as a helium balloon scenario; it will rise and rise but at some point it will burst, and when that will happen all services will cease, therefore leaving no choice but to go back to the drawing board. We still have a way to go, however, economically the western world won't recover if it ever did; and at present we are going in that direction and there is no light at the end of the tunnel.

The cost of fuel has rocketed recently: the typical energy bill has gone up by almost 40% this year alone. We now spend on average £1300 a year on household fuel. Inflation is now at 4.7% and now looks set to hit 5% by the end of 2008; At the most northerly point of Scotland fuel prices are 22% more than the rest of mainland UK and yet the oil rigs are within touching distance; it is crazy. The reason for it is the energy has to go off to be refined before it comes back to mainland UK and therefore remote places always have an extortionate price tag, making everyday living in these places impossible, hence the reason why they are remote, they have also been hit very badly by the tourism trade and subsequently have a huge short-fall of cash.

Potentially, it could get a lot worse as energy companies are yet still lumping on huge demands on their strapped for cash consumers. Electricity bills are expected to increase to more than £500 a year, while gas bills will soar to around £900 by 2010, and all this is according to research by IPA Energy and Water Economics.- I would like to congratulate Westminster for coming up with the 8 minute idea of handing out an energy package to the hardest hit of consumers, the poor and the elderly. They will get a 900 million package deal that will enable them to insulate their homes better, which therefore will save them energy in the long-term, this master-plan isn't funded by Westminster but is funded directly from 'fat cat energy companies'; who will then re-coup the 900 million by charging their customers for more, estimating an extra 1.2 billion in revenue. This is what you get when you dance with the devil, and start pandering to their demands.

It is understood that due to the soaring energy bills it will put an estimate of 425,000 people into the poverty trap; by the end of 2009, the figure will sour up to a shocking 5.65 million; just in time for the General Election. The consequence could mean that over 10% of their take home income will go directly on their energy bills, that is a fact and that will mean many people will make the decision on whether to eat or whether to heat - Expect backlashes from these sectors, that is if they have the strength that is, and can move out of their freezing homes wearing 18 layers of Primark clothes and hampered visually by a tea stained furry tea cozy

It all makes a mockery of the government's promise to eradicate fuel poverty for vulnerable households in England by the end of the decade. The tax credit schemes are not going far enough as many people who are able to claim, do not know that they can claim, if their earning are less than 11,500 per year. Pensioners are usually unable to claim due to problems of mobility and many do not want the internet and hate the communication telecom system therefore will do without.

Mr. Ed Matthew, head of UK climate at Friends of the Earth, said: "Fuel poverty has become a national disaster. Over 20,000 deaths - mostly older people - are recorded each year in England alone due to the cold, and the rise in the number of fuel poor is likely to put more lives at risk this winter."

The fuel crisis has not just sprung up over this past year, apparently Westminster has known about this problem for a long while. Again, the whole scary situation could have been avoided with forward planning and like most things Gordon Brown has dithered too long on vital key decisions, firstly his focus last year was trying to claim the premiership from Tony Blair by constantly undermining Blair's credibility and now as PM he is trying to keep hold of his premiership and dithering so much he is 30 years behind;(according to Cameron); Personally, I fear his mindset is back in the 1930's as this week he wished there would be 'no news today'; he'll be getting everyone digging trenches next as mud is a pretty good insulation against a bitter winter. No doubt this would be done in double quick time especially as there are so many Polish builders living here, there is always a silver-lining.

There is some hope I suppose, at least with the help of illegal immigrants the UK population has over 63 million habitants that we can all huggle together; or we could just pop along to the energy 'fat cats' mansion and reside there; then they will cut fuel bills - That will give them 'fuel for thought'.

Summary: Fuel Crisis - Fuel for thought