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UTILITY WEEK | 9TH - 15TH DECEMBER 2016 | 5 UK must adopt a 'water-saving culture' There is a need to "generate a water-saving culture" and promote water efficiency throughout the UK to tackle the challenges of reduced supply and increased demand, not-for-profit group Waterwise has insisted. In a wide-ranging report, the organisation said this could be achieved through a large- scale combined communication campaign, which would need the involvement of water companies, government and other key stakeholders. The report called for a "national water efficiency strategy" and outlined the changes to policy and practice that would make the UK water sector resilient. Waterwise defined water efficiency as "ensuring the maximum value of water by reducing waste, effectively doing more with less". Independents must look beyond price Independent energy suppliers should encourage customers to "be curious" about their values, and consider more than just price when they switch. "The market conditions are still challenging but I think we need to encourage customers to be curious about their provider and understand their ethos and values," Bristol Energy managing director Peter Haigh told Utility Week. "It is not just about price. Anyone that offers more than just price, for example green energy or social values, must have a stronger resonance with the customer. If they sell purely on the basis that they are cheap, that probably reflects on the organisation as a whole." Analysis on demise of GB Energy Supply, p27 WATER ENERGY Smart Energy GB has praised three fashion bloggers who have created a collection of up-cycled jewellery made from analogue energy meter parts. The bloggers designed and made the jewellery to mark the transition of the UK energy system from analogue to smart. "It's good to see the big six follow suit" Good Energy claims that its move to freeze prices this winter "put pressure" on the big six to follow suit. 12 Number of reactors EDF has got provisional approval to restart in France, which is expected to lower EU electricity prices. £37 million Amount Business Stream claims to have saved its custom- ers in discounts, water efficiency savings and energy costs over the past year. 500,000 Ofgem has delivered more than half a million measures under the second phase of its Energy Company Obligation. A report from ratings firm Moody's said that, like many new entrants, GB Energy Supply had competed for customers with relatively cheap fixed-price tariffs. As recently as May 2016, its 12-month contract was the cheapest in the market, according to price comparison site Uswitch. However, it was unable to hedge these contracts, leaving it exposed to rising wholesale prices. The pie chart shows the market share of the largest suppliers. Moody's analysts said it was "not clear" whether other small suppliers would have been more success- ful in hedging recent power price volatility. Failure to hedge saw off GB Energy Supply Market share of biggest energy suppliers Centrica 23% Other 3% GB Energy Supply 0.6% Utilita 1% Extra Energy 1% Co-operative Energy 1% Utility Warehouse (Telecom Plus) 2% Ovo 2% First Utility 3% RWE 10% Scottish Power (Iberdrola) 11% EDF 12% SSE 15% Eon 15%