BES Utilities supplying electricity from Renewables

[petWill444]

Taken from the BES Utilities website:

 

Through talking and listening to our customers, BES is aware that more and more businesses are keen to use electricity generated from renewable resources.

 

As such, we’re delighted that these official figures show we are way above the national average compared to other commercial energy suppliers. Over 60% of our supply is from Renewables, and as the national average is only 24%, that makes us proud to be one of the UK’s premier suppliers of energy from Renewables.

 

This is positive news, what do we think?

[BankFodder]

petWill444 how lovely that you have joined the forum expressly to tell us about this great news. We are very grateful. This is the kind of altruism that is greatly appreciated here.

 

 

Wasn't BES Utilities under investigation by the regulator for something other? What has been the result of that?

[BankFodder]

Goodness, I've done a quick search and came up with this – http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/police-and-trading-standards-raid-bes-utilities-offices-at-fleetwood-town-1-8039226

 

Apparently there was a police raid on the offices of BES Utilities in relation to energy mis-selling.

 

https://0lly.uk/2016/07/28/bes-utilities-raided-police-trading-standards/

 

“Warrants have been executed today at various properties in Lancashire as part of an investigation into allegations regarding the mis-selling of energy contracts to business customers. This has seen a number of premises searched, including offices located at Fleetwood Town Football Club.”

 

http://theenergyst.com/trading-standards-and-police-raid-bes-utilities-and-commercial-power/

 

National Trading Standards and Lancashire police last week raided the offices of business energy supplier BES Utilities and sister company Commercial Power in relation to allegations of mis-selling energy contracts to business customers. As part of its investigation, Trading Standards officers also visited Fleetwood Town football club, where BES Utilities co-owner Andy Pilley is chairman, and where some of the energy suppliers’ offices are located.

Commercial Power, a network of energy brokers founded by Pilley, was also raided.

 

http://theenergyst.com/trading-standards-and-police-raid-bes-utilities-and-commercial-power/

 

I wonder what the result of the ongoing investigation is? It makes me think about the several complaints that we've had about BES Utilities on this forum which have suggested a similar kind of mis-selling behaviour. I suppose it is just coincidence

[petWill444]

Thanks for that - I fail to see what relevance this has regarding renewable energy... ? My question's aim was to discuss supplying electricity via renewable energy and the fact BES is miles ahead of the national average...

 

Why are you so sharp to change the topic and post negative articles regarding a positive subject... and indeed BES Utilities in general? Keep them comments to their relevant threads/websites.

[BankFodder]

In fact I have just come across this – https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/investigation-bes-and-its-compliance-its-obligations-under-gas-and-electricity-supply-licences-standard-licence-conditions-7a-7b-7-14-and-21b-and-consumer-complaints-handling-standards-regulations-2008

 

Does that mean that there have been at least two investigations into BES Utilities – one which has resulted in a fine and which has now been closed and a subsequent one which is still ongoing?

[petWill444]

Again, you're just posting links to negative articles... are you purposely trying to drive viewers and users to negative sites on a positive thread?

 

Can we discuss the other supplies and how much electricity they supply from renewable sources? Can we discuss, in the light of the recent bad press (as you have kindly pointed out several times), that this is a positive move...

 

Or are you instructed/programmed to post negative links/comments whenever you see the name BES Utilities?

[silverfox1961]

I for one am pleased that BES are using renewables. Just a shame they have proved to be a **** company!

[petWill444]

The offer of renewable electricity was the third most likely factor to prompt a switch, behind price and service.

 

The first two are obvious, to me, the fact it was third is quite surprising... Location? History?

[BankFodder]

I don't see why this should at all be a surprise to you. You can see exactly this kind of price-oriented concern on a much larger scale if you look at the essentially return to nationalistic values and anti-globalisation represented in the trump vote and in the Brexit vote.

 

People are concerned greatly about price because they have to manage their own personal budgets. After that, they are very concerned about service. Unfortunately for BES utilities, their reputation in terms of the things which really matter to their potential customers i.e. price – and especially service is extremely poor. You can see that it has become so poor that they have been subject to investigations and sanctions by the regulatory authorities.

 

If I was a potential customer for the kind of service offered by BES Utilities then I'm afraid that their poor regulatory history would discourage me enormously. This is why, the regulatory failures and investigations which I have pointed to in this thread are exactly on topic – and not off topic - even though they may seem inconvenient for you.

 

However, it is good of you to raise the subject again because it will make sure that it remains prominent in people's Google searches so that they will be fully informed when they decide to make the choice between BES Utilities and other similar companies who maybe don't have the same poor reputation.

[petWill444]

A lot of companies have been subject to investigations, and still are (search 'ofgem current investigations')

 

They may have a bad reputation because of their past, but this is a step in the right direction.

 

I can't seem to find any recent news about other suppliers doing anything similar or acting on this, maybe you can point me in the right direction?

 

It seems people only highlight the negatives, even in a positive BES new story - and don't look across the industry.

[BankFodder]

You're right. People do highlight the negatives. I expect that this is one of the reasons why you read the newspapers. They do the same thing. I expect that you would become bored if they did anything different.

[petWill444]

Do you have any links to the other suppliers regarding their renewable activity?

[BankFodder]

I suggest that you do a search

[petWill444]

Your second post on this thread featured 4 links to anti-BES content. But you can't send me one link to any other supplier and their news on renewable activities? You're asking me to do it myself?

 

I came here for a discussion on a news story I came across, and how other suppliers are responding. But I've been given negative, unrelated links to anti-BES websites/articles...

 

What's going on here? This is very concerning. Customers can't be "fully informed" if you're only talking about half the story... :/

[BankFodder]

I'm sorry you feel that way.

[petWill444]

I've just done some searches as you requested - and can't find anything.

 

I think this is great from Andy Pilley and BES Utilities - I can't find any other supplier that has improved their renewable output.

 

But this thread seems to focus on the negatives... it's a shame.

[silverfox1961]

There are companies out there that use 100% renewables.

 

This one took all of two seconds to find

https://www.goodenergy.co.uk/our-energy/

 

helluva lot better than BES

[petWill444]

Thanks silverfox1961,

 

In regards to that supplier, they only supply renewables. What about the smaller suppliers that aren't 100% green - what're their fuel-mix disclosures?

Edited November 11, 2016 by petWill444
typo

[Mr.P]

In regards to that supplier, they only supply renewables. What about the smaller suppliers that aren't 100% green - what're their fuel-mix disclosures?

 

Renewable energy is not always "green" or environmentally friendly.

 

 

• Hydroelectric requires the damming and flooding of large areas.
  
• Solar PV arrays use some pretty toxic and damaging chemicals in their manufacture.
  
• Wind turbines are a blot on the landscape, and the offshore impact has yet to be fully assessed.
  
• Biomass generation still needs to burn large quantities of wood or straw. This has to be grown somewhere and transported to the generation site.
  

It goes without saying that when the sun doesn't shine or the wind blows, you don't get any power. When you are generating power and feeding it in to the grid, it gets mixed with all that "dirty" energy from coal/gas/nuclear and the end user has no way of knowing what percentage they consume is actually from renewables.

 

These claims that "X percentage of our energy is from renewables" is nothing more than fuzzy marketing speak especially when the supplier is nothing more than a broker without any involvement in generation.

[petWill444]

How does this effect Good Energy then who claim 100% renewable? The 4 bullets would apply to them too, would they not?

[ericsbrother]

It is just not true, that is the problem with the statement about the percentage of renewable energy they supply.

 

All electricity in this country is lnked to the national grid, to stabilaise and regulate supply, voltage current etc. No one end user or supplier can specify where ther electric comes from. This also raises another problem, if someone tell you a lie why is that good news?

 

You may wish it that other suppliers match this but they cant, they are not generators and can only sell what they are given. My 3electric supplier is different to my next door neighbours but he doesn actually get his electric sent from Scotland and mine doesnt come from Milton Keynes.

 

The advertising guff is probably only worthy of a complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority

Read what a REC is and you will see why the claim is bilge

Edited November 11, 2016 by honeybee13
Paras.

[petWill444]

This is very interesting: http://www.edie.net/news/6/UK-generated-50-percent-energy-from-low-carbon-and-renewables-in-q3-2016-according-to-drax/

 

More than half of the UK's electricity was generated from low-carbon sources in the third quarter of 2016, a stark contrast from five years ago when the figure stood at little over 25%.

 

During Q3 2016, coal accounted for just 3% of the UK's electricity

[Mr.P]

This is very interesting: http://www.edie.net/news/6/UK-generated-50-percent-energy-from-low-carbon-and-renewables-in-q3-2016-according-to-drax/

 

Breaking down individual electricity sources; wind power comprised 10% of the low-carbon power, solar power produced 5%, biomass 4% and hydropower accounted for 1%.

 

That only adds up to 20% which is a long way from "over half". But if you include nuclear, which accounted for 26%, you just scrape past the halfway mark.

[ericsbrother]

still makes BES' claims guff