Year 2014 news
Our 25th year was a near record in every way. By the year’s end, we had commissioned 12 new generators and attended to many others for maintenance, refurbishment and to deal with such things as protection, excitation and synchronising issues. Most were Gas Turbine Generators, but some were Steam Turbine Generators. Our work was in 12 countries - Angola, Greece, India, Italy, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Crimea - Ukraine and UK. We went offshore UK and India.
We still rely on our reputation to bring in projects, rather than employ sales staff and our client base has expanded. We are now involved in the UK up to 132 kV and at higher voltages than this abroad.
Our biggest concern is the cost of electricity in the UK. Prices are much higher than they need to be due to subsidies paid for by electricity consumers through their regular bills to enable wind farms and PV solar arrays to operate economically. We consumers must pay for the actual subsidies, but must also pay for the cost of having conventional thermal plant to run below rated output, because of the intermittency of wind and solar generation, and for the reinforcement and renewal of the National Grid to be able to accept each additional source of energy. Industry suffers too when electricity costs are too high. They move manufacturing to locations where energy is cheaper, such as India and China and most recently to USA. This is not only a problem for the UK but for other well developed economies in the EU. Even Germany, the economic engine of Europe with its impressive collection of world class companies and with an education system envied by everyone, is struggling to compete because electricity is so expensive.
The figures speak for themselves. The USA is showing the rest of the world how to manage energy. It has its own gas in abundance thanks to an old technology, now improved, able to release huge amounts of natural gas from vast reserves. It has the advantage of favourable planning rules and an ability to implement production substantially unhindered. It does have some EHV transmission, but nothing like as much as in the UK so they are not so burdened by it. They have many small to medium size power stations generating electricity where it is needed and they move the fuel around using pipelines or long trains on railways.
We have a possible saviour in the UK. He is Mr Owen Paterson MP, recently sacked from government for being outspoken and for inventing the term Green Blob. Since his forced retirement he has conducted much careful research and he delivers lectures covering much of what we have advocated for years and people who matter are listening. On 7 May 2015 there will be a General Election in the UK and the junior coalition party who hold the reins on energy policy and who Mr Paterson includes in the Green Blob, are likely to lose many votes and their presence in government. There is maybe hope for us yet.
The directors of the company thank all our staff and our clients and consultants and friends for their loyalty and trust during 2014.
We wish them all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.
John Sanderson, Director, 8 December 2014