Andrew Sissons
@acjsissons.bsky.social
Day job: climate change, heat pumps, energy at Nesta
Other stuff: low-fi economics on growth, cities & economic geography, general UK policy, occasional basic charts
Bristol, he/him, lots of parenting / caring.
Personal account.
Other stuff: low-fi economics on growth, cities & economic geography, general UK policy, occasional basic charts
Bristol, he/him, lots of parenting / caring.
Personal account.
Also spotted this mad-looking building, which looks like a bungalow perched on top of a big tower
November 23, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Also spotted this mad-looking building, which looks like a bungalow perched on top of a big tower
There’s a floating sauna chugging up and down the harbour today.
I am not entirely confident in its seaworthiness
I am not entirely confident in its seaworthiness
November 23, 2025 at 1:45 PM
There’s a floating sauna chugging up and down the harbour today.
I am not entirely confident in its seaworthiness
I am not entirely confident in its seaworthiness
There’s some very bad news hidden in the Ofgem price cap for January announced yesterday: the electricity to gas price ratio has jumped to 4.67, its highest level since before the energy crisis.
This is a big barrier to households adopting heat pumps in Britain, and threatens our climate goals
This is a big barrier to households adopting heat pumps in Britain, and threatens our climate goals
November 22, 2025 at 7:51 AM
There’s some very bad news hidden in the Ofgem price cap for January announced yesterday: the electricity to gas price ratio has jumped to 4.67, its highest level since before the energy crisis.
This is a big barrier to households adopting heat pumps in Britain, and threatens our climate goals
This is a big barrier to households adopting heat pumps in Britain, and threatens our climate goals
No punches pulled here by @jonathanfreedland.bsky.social, who draws on John’s and my essay.
Whenever Britain has been successful, it has been increasingly open to trade. Trying to turn against that history over the last decade has not gone well…
Whenever Britain has been successful, it has been increasingly open to trade. Trying to turn against that history over the last decade has not gone well…
November 21, 2025 at 7:01 PM
No punches pulled here by @jonathanfreedland.bsky.social, who draws on John’s and my essay.
Whenever Britain has been successful, it has been increasingly open to trade. Trying to turn against that history over the last decade has not gone well…
Whenever Britain has been successful, it has been increasingly open to trade. Trying to turn against that history over the last decade has not gone well…
This anecdote - from a story about a "no phone nightclub" - is a pretty perfect illustration of when regulation works and when it doesn't...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
November 19, 2025 at 5:28 PM
This anecdote - from a story about a "no phone nightclub" - is a pretty perfect illustration of when regulation works and when it doesn't...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
I could believe it
November 19, 2025 at 4:56 PM
I could believe it
Right, as promised, this is the DESNZ video.
I will just be over here slowly shrinking and transforming into a corn cob
I will just be over here slowly shrinking and transforming into a corn cob
November 18, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Right, as promised, this is the DESNZ video.
I will just be over here slowly shrinking and transforming into a corn cob
I will just be over here slowly shrinking and transforming into a corn cob
This is a more traditional drainage system nearby that was not working so well…
November 15, 2025 at 9:08 PM
This is a more traditional drainage system nearby that was not working so well…
Finally got the chance to see this sustainable drainage channel in Bristol doing its thing during some heavy rain
November 15, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Finally got the chance to see this sustainable drainage channel in Bristol doing its thing during some heavy rain
Time for the UK government to deploy its new AI advisor I think:
November 14, 2025 at 7:17 AM
Time for the UK government to deploy its new AI advisor I think:
We have called for heat pump subsidies to be gradually reduced over time (crucially, in conjunction with action to make electricity cheaper, which does not seem to be happening).
But just knee-jerk abolishing the subsidy at the Budget would be up there with the great climate policy disasters
But just knee-jerk abolishing the subsidy at the Budget would be up there with the great climate policy disasters
November 13, 2025 at 5:34 PM
We have called for heat pump subsidies to be gradually reduced over time (crucially, in conjunction with action to make electricity cheaper, which does not seem to be happening).
But just knee-jerk abolishing the subsidy at the Budget would be up there with the great climate policy disasters
But just knee-jerk abolishing the subsidy at the Budget would be up there with the great climate policy disasters
As I always say, if you can heat pump a medieval church, you can heat pump a Victorian house
November 13, 2025 at 12:33 PM
As I always say, if you can heat pump a medieval church, you can heat pump a Victorian house
A bit long term, but my favourite version of "how poor the past was" is in this chart.
Working hours go up (peaking at a 66 hour week), real wages go right.
Working hours go up (peaking at a 66 hour week), real wages go right.
November 10, 2025 at 2:40 PM
A bit long term, but my favourite version of "how poor the past was" is in this chart.
Working hours go up (peaking at a 66 hour week), real wages go right.
Working hours go up (peaking at a 66 hour week), real wages go right.
Got a menu and everything
November 8, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Got a menu and everything
One of our local pizza places sells balls of dough to take away for £2.50 each, and honestly it is so good.
Fancy pizza for a lot less money, and a bit of Saturday evening family fun
Fancy pizza for a lot less money, and a bit of Saturday evening family fun
November 8, 2025 at 5:07 PM
One of our local pizza places sells balls of dough to take away for £2.50 each, and honestly it is so good.
Fancy pizza for a lot less money, and a bit of Saturday evening family fun
Fancy pizza for a lot less money, and a bit of Saturday evening family fun
Nottingham is basically the gateway to the fens anyway, I say we make it capital of Neurofen and put the Sheriff in charge
November 8, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Nottingham is basically the gateway to the fens anyway, I say we make it capital of Neurofen and put the Sheriff in charge
We think it will look something like this…
November 7, 2025 at 4:05 PM
We think it will look something like this…
Now the ECO scheme has not been performing well, and it desperately needs reform. This chart is a classic and still tells the story, along with the solid wall insulation scandals.
But this government has a good plan to reform ECO, which should be in the Warm Homes Plan we’re still waiting for
But this government has a good plan to reform ECO, which should be in the Warm Homes Plan we’re still waiting for
November 5, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Now the ECO scheme has not been performing well, and it desperately needs reform. This chart is a classic and still tells the story, along with the solid wall insulation scandals.
But this government has a good plan to reform ECO, which should be in the Warm Homes Plan we’re still waiting for
But this government has a good plan to reform ECO, which should be in the Warm Homes Plan we’re still waiting for
So we’re much better off expressing energy bills in real terms rather than pretending they can somehow beat inflation and return to pre-2022 nominal levels.
My blog mostly looked at real terms changes in bills, and it puts the total bill rise at just under £300 since 2015. Still a lot.
My blog mostly looked at real terms changes in bills, and it puts the total bill rise at just under £300 since 2015. Still a lot.
November 4, 2025 at 2:47 PM
So we’re much better off expressing energy bills in real terms rather than pretending they can somehow beat inflation and return to pre-2022 nominal levels.
My blog mostly looked at real terms changes in bills, and it puts the total bill rise at just under £300 since 2015. Still a lot.
My blog mostly looked at real terms changes in bills, and it puts the total bill rise at just under £300 since 2015. Still a lot.
3. When you look at electricity and gas bills, not just electricity, it's clear wholesale costs (gas) are still the biggest issue.
So yes we still very much need to get off gas, and actually reducing non-commodity costs on electricity are crucial to doing that!
So yes we still very much need to get off gas, and actually reducing non-commodity costs on electricity are crucial to doing that!
October 30, 2025 at 10:42 AM
3. When you look at electricity and gas bills, not just electricity, it's clear wholesale costs (gas) are still the biggest issue.
So yes we still very much need to get off gas, and actually reducing non-commodity costs on electricity are crucial to doing that!
So yes we still very much need to get off gas, and actually reducing non-commodity costs on electricity are crucial to doing that!
I highlight three points that often get missed from the debate on this:
1. Most of the increase in "policy costs" happened from 2015 to 2020, when we started subsidising early renewables. In the last 5 years, wholesale and network costs have been the bigger issue
1. Most of the increase in "policy costs" happened from 2015 to 2020, when we started subsidising early renewables. In the last 5 years, wholesale and network costs have been the bigger issue
October 30, 2025 at 10:40 AM
I highlight three points that often get missed from the debate on this:
1. Most of the increase in "policy costs" happened from 2015 to 2020, when we started subsidising early renewables. In the last 5 years, wholesale and network costs have been the bigger issue
1. Most of the increase in "policy costs" happened from 2015 to 2020, when we started subsidising early renewables. In the last 5 years, wholesale and network costs have been the bigger issue
One of the most surprising things about GenAI is people may be* using it more in their personal lives than at work.
It’s hard to know at this stage, but the impact on young people could be huge
It’s hard to know at this stage, but the impact on young people could be huge
October 29, 2025 at 8:49 AM
One of the most surprising things about GenAI is people may be* using it more in their personal lives than at work.
It’s hard to know at this stage, but the impact on young people could be huge
It’s hard to know at this stage, but the impact on young people could be huge
New obsession unlocked: how the members of the boyband 5ive have aged
October 28, 2025 at 12:17 PM
New obsession unlocked: how the members of the boyband 5ive have aged
Key passage from the conclusion here:
“We found that the direct financial benefit from 2010-2023 of lower electricity prices was £14.2bn, with an even greater benefit from its impact on lowering natural gas prices of £133.3bn”
“We found that the direct financial benefit from 2010-2023 of lower electricity prices was £14.2bn, with an even greater benefit from its impact on lowering natural gas prices of £133.3bn”
October 28, 2025 at 8:44 AM
Key passage from the conclusion here:
“We found that the direct financial benefit from 2010-2023 of lower electricity prices was £14.2bn, with an even greater benefit from its impact on lowering natural gas prices of £133.3bn”
“We found that the direct financial benefit from 2010-2023 of lower electricity prices was £14.2bn, with an even greater benefit from its impact on lowering natural gas prices of £133.3bn”
Moreover, most people said they didn't even notice any change in their internal temperature as a result of OVO controlling their heating.
October 24, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Moreover, most people said they didn't even notice any change in their internal temperature as a result of OVO controlling their heating.