Is EHU metering a good investment?

GEandGJE replied on 28/11/2022 17:23

Posted on 28/11/2022 17:23

I was going to post this in the thread that has been Deleted User as a number of folk were saying that EHU Metering would make pitch prices cheaper, so Let's play the You Said, We Listened and Implemented game. This is my view based on my experience as an IT Infrastructure Project Manager and in IT Procurement.  To satisfy the We don't want EHU and want cheaper pitch prices group of people, the We only want to pay for the electricity we use group of people and the I'll pay whatever as I'm on holiday group of people, the clubs only option is to move to metered usage. How does the club do that and what investment would be needed. Lets estimate that the club has over 10,000 pitches with an average of 2 hookups per bollard that's 5,000 bollards that will need to be modified and/or replaced and some of those will need groundwork undertaken for new cabling etc, it will require  putting all pitches out of action and subsequent loss of income whilst the work takes place. This can't all be done at once and I think that a 5 year rollout period would be a stretch and it would take a dedicated team at HQ to manage. They would need to procure equipment, electrical installation teams, groundwork teams, IT systems and software to operate the metering and payments, negotiate contracts with all the power companies who supply the club sites and negotiate with any land owners. I don't think you would get much change from a £5 million investment of the clubs (our) money. Issues that the club would need to consider 1) leased sites where the land owner doesn't give permission for the work to be carried out or the lease will soon come to an end 2) the price per kW from each of the power suppliers will vary depending on contract length and renewal dates, so do they average that price out across all sites or do you have different EHU costs in different areas of the network 3) do you factor the suppliers standing charge into the  metered cost,  4) the club would need to move to a credit card only payment system where the payment for EUH used is automatically deducted at the end of your stay 5) a central dispute resolution team, as there will always be people who will challenge the bill and that shouldn't be the on site teams and finally the biggest question for the club, 6) what return on investment will the club get. I doubt very much that the savings made from the electricity used would come close to the investment needed therefore the remaining investment would need to come from reserves and most likely recouped from increased pitch prices. Lastly this would give the club a very inconsistent offering with not all sites offering metered EUH, the cost of EHU could vary from site to site and an even bigger price variance across the network. Not a very good Business Case in my view, in terms of both investment and inconvenience to the membership so I can't see it happening I'm afraid.

Rocky 2 buckets replied on 06/12/2022 12:06

Posted on 06/12/2022 10:24 by ChocolateTrees

Depends what you mean by the "jury is out". A heat pump us unequivocally the most efficient way to bring heat into a space, producing around 3x the heat energy for the electrical energy used. But they are costly to install, and do have different characteristics to conventional boilers that can make them unsuitable for direct replacement in some situations. 

A gas condensing boiler is at best 90% efficient when run in condensing mode, which gas a lower maximum heat output than in non-condensing mode (which may be more like 70% efficient). 

If a newbuild is on the cards then a heatpump, with well sized south facing solar PV, a battery and decent insulation will be very hard to beat from an efficiency and economy PoV over its lifetime. 

Posted on 06/12/2022 12:06

You are wasting your knowledge on me ChocT, I have a 2022 model woodburner that heats my home & reduces my monthly power bill to sub £100(£30+ with £66 off) I won’t be changing anything soon. Thanks for the info but no thanks🙂

PS-I’m a juror👍🏻

Tinwheeler replied on 06/12/2022 12:08

Posted on 06/12/2022 12:00 by Rocky 2 buckets

If one suffers we all suffer-nice one Tinster your sense of fairness does you credit👍🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Posted on 06/12/2022 12:08

Thanks. I'm not a believer in dictating what others should do when it is their right to chose👍

mickysf replied on 06/12/2022 13:14

Posted on 06/12/2022 12:08 by Tinwheeler

Thanks. I'm not a believer in dictating what others should do when it is their right to chose👍

Posted on 06/12/2022 13:14

Yes I’d generally agree but there again there are loads of behaviours we are ‘banned’ from doing on site, it’s just some take not a blind bit of notice to some rules and continue to abuse just because they can and seemingly get away with it. I know it’s not quite like that with electric usage but it just seems to me that some are vehemently agains the thought of metering just because they will be ‘forced’ to pay their way. May be others just wish, whilst on holiday, to just turn a blind eye to being that tad more frugal than they are in their own home. Some will of course ‘enjoy’ the fact that we frugal few are currently forced to subsidise their habits.

ChocolateTrees replied on 06/12/2022 13:34

Posted on 06/12/2022 12:06 by Rocky 2 buckets

You are wasting your knowledge on me ChocT, I have a 2022 model woodburner that heats my home & reduces my monthly power bill to sub £100(£30+ with £66 off) I won’t be changing anything soon. Thanks for the info but no thanks🙂

PS-I’m a juror👍🏻

Posted on 06/12/2022 13:34

I don't think anyone is suggesting to rush out and install an heat pump, especially if you have an economical solution that you are happy with. 

As I said, it depends entirely on your perspective. If you are looking for efficiency (minimum input energy for maximum output energy), a heat pump is hard to beat. 

If you are looking for economy, then often keeping what you have is a good start. Changing is only good if you can look at economy over time, so you have to have sufficient time for your investment to pay out. 

I would not switch from my old 1997 boiler to a heat-pump now, as I am not sure how much longer I will be in this property. Same for switching from my 2005 gas range to an induction range. But I was able to invest in a battery as I can take it with me when I move.

For the Club, for any location that is owned, or has sufficient lease time,  and is appropriate for change, the investment may well be very worthwhile over the lifespan of the facility. 

👍🏻on being a Juror - I have not yet been asked :-)

 

Rocky 2 buckets replied on 06/12/2022 16:17

Posted on 06/12/2022 16:17

Content has been removed.

JVB66 replied on 06/12/2022 16:40

Posted on 05/12/2022 22:55 by Rocky 2 buckets

In all honesty left over food you have paid for are called Doggy bags👍🏻

Posted on 06/12/2022 16:40

In the UK doggy bags are quite common if food is left

One of our neighbours said to us that the Turkey carcasses from Toby Carvery's are available if your pets if you ask ,and normally will give nearly a weeks pet food, the carvery just bins them even though they are not completely finishedwink

When we were in Italy it was the Germans who we saw taking food from the breakfast for their lunches?

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