Utility Week

Customers UTILITY WEEK | 13TH - 19TH MARCH 2020 | 23 The lack of regulation of third- party intermediaries (TPIs) such as autoswitching services is leaving customers with "serious problems", says Citizens Advice. A total of 7 million people used a third-party service to compare or switch their energy supplier in 2019, and this figure is expected to rise as the UK moves towards net zero emissions by 2050. ENERGY Citizens Advice: lack of TPI regulation causing 'serious problems' The charity's report Stuck in the Middle, published on 3 March, highlights how there is currently no direct regulatory oversight of energy TPIs, which also include energy brokers and bill-splitting services. The report found some auto- switchers were providing inac- curate or unclear information, making it difficult for consumers to make informed choices. Some sites even listed suppliers that were no longer in business. It added that fewer than 15 out of around 70 energy suppliers are being offered by some auto- switching services claiming to cover the entire market. In response, Ofgem said: "We welcome Citizens Advice's report. We particularly welcome any government proposals to increase regulators' This week British Gas to install EV chargers for VW Energy retailer will work with Volkswagen Group subsidiary to assist customers' transition to an EV Centrica, through its retail arm British Gas, will install electric vehicle (EV) chargers in the homes of Volkswagen Group customers in the UK as part of a three-year partnership agreed between itself and the German carmaker. The deal will initially cover the Volkswagen, Seat and Skoda brands, with Audi being added later this year. British Gas will work with Elli – a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group – to assist customers' transition to an EV by installing home chargers, undertaking preparatory electrical upgrades and providing ašersales services as part of a package. "Getting carbon out of transport by accelerating EV adoption is critical for net zero," said Centrica Consumer chief executive Sarwjit Sambhi. "We're proud to play our part by helping enable the EV transition for Volkswagen, one of the world's most forward thinking and ambitious automotive companies." Alex Smith, managing director of Volkswagen Group UK, said: "The Volkswagen Group is committed to the Paris Agreement on climate change and we have set our goals on zero carbon emissions by 2050." The company has pledged to launch 80 electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle models by 2025. • Honda has announced the launch of a new smart charging service for EV drivers, as part of which custom- ers will be offered: a smart charger provided by Honda; a time-of-use tariff provided by Vattenfall; and a smart control system provided by Moixa through its GridShare platform. Customers will be able to specify their charg- ing requirements through a smartphone app. The service is expected to go live later this year. TG ENERGY Five suppliers barred from taking on new customers Five energy suppliers have been banned from taking on new cus- tomers until they sign up to the smart meter network operator. Ofgem issued final orders to Daligas, Enstroga, Entice Energy Supply, Euston Energy (trading as Northumbria Energy), and Symbio Energy. All suppliers were required to become Data Communications Company (DCC) users from 25 November 2017, to enable the enrolment of first-generation smart meters (SMETS1) and drive the installation of next- generation (SMETS2) smart meters. Currently, any customers switching to the five suppliers would see their DCC-connected smart meter go dumb. The regulator initially con- sulted on issuing nine suppliers with final orders in January, giv- ing them a deadline of 31 March 2020 to comply. Three of these suppliers – Ampower, Green Supplier and UK National Gas – have since become compliant. A fourth supplier, Better Energy, has asked for its supply licences to be revoked, having sold all its customers to PFP Energy earlier this year. GAS Call for boilers to be hydrogen-ready The government has been chal- lenged to ensure all gas boilers are hydrogen compliant by 2025. The call is part of a five-point plan to stimulate the hydrogen sector outlined in a new report marking the launch of the Hydrogen Taskforce. The report also calls for the Gas Safety (Management) Regu- lations (GSMR) to be amended so that hydrogen can be blended into the UK gas grid. And it says there should be continued sup- port for public trials of hydrogen injections into the gas grid, such as the HyDeploy project, the first phase of which is currently taking place in Keele. Speaking at a House of Com- mons launch for the taskforce, Clare Jackson, co-chair of the Hydrogen Taskforce Secretariat, said: "We need over the next five years to prioritise public trials of 100 per cent hydrogen heating so we can get to the point where we can mandate that all new gas boiler installations post-2025 should be hydrogen-ready, while pushing forward with HyDeploy and amending the GSMR so we can create a market for hydrogen within the gas grid." Other steps in the plan include urging the government to commit £1 billion over the next three-year spending review period from 2021, to hydrogen production, storage and distri- bution projects. It also says there should be collaboration to estab- lish 100 hydrogen refuelling stations by 2025. The taskforce comprises Arup, Baxi, BOC, BNP Paribas and Arval, BP, Cadent, DBD, ITM Power, Shell and Storengy. Deal will initially cover VW, Seat and Skoda EVs powers to enforce consumer protection law which would deter poor behaviour by compa- nies in the retail energy market, including third-party intermedi- aries such as autoswitchers." Gillian Guy, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said: "The lack of regulation leaves people fac- ing potentially serious problems and a lengthy and difficult path to resolving them."

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