Ofgem has proposed a new code of practice to clarify energy tariffs and to address ‘unjustified price differences’ for those customers who pre-pay or cannot take advantage of dual-fuel discounts. The proposals aim to make tariffs more transparent, give both private and business customers greater control over how they pay for their energy and offer all customers a greater understanding of what they’re paying for.

While the proposals will mostly benefit private consumers, businesses will also see some positive effects (if they’re taken on board). Clearer contracts and the end of automatic-rollovers when the contract ends could mean that businesses will have greater flexibility over their supply. Good news then for the 74% of small businesses who, according to The Forum of Small Businesses, have issues with their energy suppliers.

One of the UK’s most popular bands were silenced last Friday after a power failure forced them to cancel their gig at London’s O2 Brixton Academy. The Ting Tings have apologised to fans, as late notification meant many were not told of the cancellation until they arrived at the concert, leaving hundreds disappointed. The band will eventually re-schedule the gig, however this is not an isolated incident. It’s the third time in as many months that the venue has suffered from power failures resulting in cancelled shows and a loss of both revenue and reputation for all concerned.

Apparently, the failure was part of disruption to the wider Brixton area – disruptions which appear to be occurring more and more frequently as the strain on the Capital’s supply increases. With development for the Games taking power priority, and general consumption expected to increase by over 80% in the next 5-7 years, which shout will our decision makers hear first? The powerless public? Or the sound of silence? Off course

I’ve noticed this article a few times recently, and though there are specific points of interest to Riello’s business, the article as a whole is relevant to many readers. To view the article, click here.

Riello UPS are pleased to be a sponsor of the 3rd Annual Data Centre Dynamics Efficiency Summit, to be held at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London, on 1^st April.

Through a series of keynote presentations, case studies and panel discussions, this years’ summit will look at ways to drive energy efficiency, maintain performance and reduce the carbon footprint of modern data centres.

For more information, click here to visit the Data Centre Dynamics Efficiency Summit website.

See you there!

It is always nice to see our innovations reviewed. Here is another one by Server Management Magazine on the iDialog UPS. We launched this desktop UPS last year. It is packed with features, ideal for office and small home office applications. The iDialog Plus models have a useful LCD with load and battery charge measurements.

To start the year Riello UPS has just become the first uninterruptible power supplies manufacturer to rate its products for energy efficiency. The Riello UPS ECO Energy Levels system rates each Riello UPS for its energy efficiency and the availability of a ’smart-mode’ feature. The levels run from 1 to 6, with 6 being the highest available. Riello UPS has taken this approach to help datacentre managers assess the most energy efficient UPS for their application. A full ECO UPS press release is available or for more information see our website.

Despite the general level of economic activity in the UK, Riello UPS continues to see its activities expand within the data centre market. It appears demand for internet and data processing continues to expand at a near vertical rate and so does the requirement for secure power. In line with our growth plans for 2009 we will spend more time at UK events and the first quarter sees us at Data Centre World and the Business Continuity Expo – keep an eye on our website events page for more info.

This is not a political blog but why do we not follow the vision sometimes? President-elect Obama has just announced his plans to stimulate the US economy through large infrastructure projects and alternative energy initiatives. The UK government goes for tax breaks on the one hand and rises on the other. Same old recipe in the UK – something exciting in the US. No wonder the Conservative Party just have to sit back and let Labour win the next general election for them. ‘Yes we can’ versus ‘No we can’t…’

I heard the BBC release news on a report from Cap Gemini today about the state of the UK’s electrical infrastructure. This latest report calculates the gap between supply and demand and states that the gap will narrow rapidly. Demand continues to rise and power stations are due to close at a faster rate than new ones can be brought on line. The gap between supply and demand is forecast to drop to just 2.2%. Will there be more power cuts this winter? Well the forecasters are predicting a cold snap but looking for some light in the gloom, they say that a shortfall in industrial output will help reduce demand for electricity. Every cloud has a silver lining – so what happens in 2009/10 when the economy picks up?