Dan Bedford Comte
@danbedfordcomte.bsky.social
Research and analysis for Energy UK. Passionate about delivering a socially just net zero transition. Posts my own etc
Reposted by Dan Bedford Comte
Cycling in booming in London but fairly stagnant UK-wide. What’s going on? I spoke to some people who know about these sorts of things.
www.theguardian.com/news/2025/de...
www.theguardian.com/news/2025/de...
Cycling is changing at speed – but is Britain keeping pace?
Emulating the bike-friendly highways enjoyed by our continental neighbours will take a lot more money and political will
www.theguardian.com
December 21, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Cycling in booming in London but fairly stagnant UK-wide. What’s going on? I spoke to some people who know about these sorts of things.
www.theguardian.com/news/2025/de...
www.theguardian.com/news/2025/de...
Reposted by Dan Bedford Comte
“Enoch Powell says he wants to give me £1,000 to go back to where I came from. Which is great, because it’s only 20p on the bus from here to Dudley.” - Lenny Henry
December 20, 2025 at 4:28 PM
“Enoch Powell says he wants to give me £1,000 to go back to where I came from. Which is great, because it’s only 20p on the bus from here to Dudley.” - Lenny Henry
Reposted by Dan Bedford Comte
Hydrogen gets plenty of hype as a zero emission fuel, but direct electrification is increasingly recognised as safer and more efficient wherever it’s an option.
Our new report explains where hydrogen does and doesn't makes sense, + the challenges around production, leakage, storage and transport.
Our new report explains where hydrogen does and doesn't makes sense, + the challenges around production, leakage, storage and transport.
Hydrogen’s role in a clean power economy » Green Alliance
Green Alliance is an independent think tank and charity focused on ambitious leadership for the environment
buff.ly
December 16, 2025 at 7:01 AM
Hydrogen gets plenty of hype as a zero emission fuel, but direct electrification is increasingly recognised as safer and more efficient wherever it’s an option.
Our new report explains where hydrogen does and doesn't makes sense, + the challenges around production, leakage, storage and transport.
Our new report explains where hydrogen does and doesn't makes sense, + the challenges around production, leakage, storage and transport.
Reposted by Dan Bedford Comte
Far down in Saloni's post, an example worthy of becoming a standard reference argument against extending the y-axis to zero (or showing full range)
December 10, 2025 at 8:46 AM
Far down in Saloni's post, an example worthy of becoming a standard reference argument against extending the y-axis to zero (or showing full range)
Reposted by Dan Bedford Comte
Reposted by Dan Bedford Comte
📢 The 2025 Budget special of Top of the Charts just dropped 📉
Keep scrolling for six charts that tell you what you need to know about this fiscal event 🧵
Keep scrolling for six charts that tell you what you need to know about this fiscal event 🧵
November 28, 2025 at 5:46 PM
📢 The 2025 Budget special of Top of the Charts just dropped 📉
Keep scrolling for six charts that tell you what you need to know about this fiscal event 🧵
Keep scrolling for six charts that tell you what you need to know about this fiscal event 🧵
Reposted by Dan Bedford Comte
Whatever else this government do (and there's plenty of issues with this budget) ministers will always be able to point to this as an incredible important contribution to the country's future. Almost half a million kids taken out of poverty.
Scrapping the two-child limit in full is a monumental decision. Well done to all involved in the Child Poverty Strategy, and everyone who has made the case against the policy.
OBR says scrapping costs £3 billion in 2029-30 and will lift 450,000 out of poverty
OBR says scrapping costs £3 billion in 2029-30 and will lift 450,000 out of poverty
November 26, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Whatever else this government do (and there's plenty of issues with this budget) ministers will always be able to point to this as an incredible important contribution to the country's future. Almost half a million kids taken out of poverty.
Reposted by Dan Bedford Comte
NEW! How should Labour respond to the two key issues to voters of the economy and immigration and what are the electoral stakes this week of the budget?
Read on for our answer...
@nprcoxford.bsky.social @jrf-uk.bsky.social
Read on for our answer...
@nprcoxford.bsky.social @jrf-uk.bsky.social
November 24, 2025 at 11:02 AM
NEW! How should Labour respond to the two key issues to voters of the economy and immigration and what are the electoral stakes this week of the budget?
Read on for our answer...
@nprcoxford.bsky.social @jrf-uk.bsky.social
Read on for our answer...
@nprcoxford.bsky.social @jrf-uk.bsky.social
Reposted by Dan Bedford Comte
To give an idea of how damaging this change is, a typical dual fuel household will see their bill rise by £2.50 in January.
A household using an electric storage heater - already most at risk of fuel poverty - will see a £100 increase. That is deeply unfair and needs to be addressed
A household using an electric storage heater - already most at risk of fuel poverty - will see a £100 increase. That is deeply unfair and needs to be addressed
November 22, 2025 at 8:02 AM
To give an idea of how damaging this change is, a typical dual fuel household will see their bill rise by £2.50 in January.
A household using an electric storage heater - already most at risk of fuel poverty - will see a £100 increase. That is deeply unfair and needs to be addressed
A household using an electric storage heater - already most at risk of fuel poverty - will see a £100 increase. That is deeply unfair and needs to be addressed
Reposted by Dan Bedford Comte
New essay out today by me and @acjsissons.bsky.social - ‘Getting Britain out of the hole: a plan for the economy’. You can read the whole thing here getting-out-of-the-hole.uk
A chart mega-thread follows 🧵
A chart mega-thread follows 🧵
Getting Britain out of the hole
A plan for the UK economy
getting-out-of-the-hole.uk
November 17, 2025 at 8:00 AM
New essay out today by me and @acjsissons.bsky.social - ‘Getting Britain out of the hole: a plan for the economy’. You can read the whole thing here getting-out-of-the-hole.uk
A chart mega-thread follows 🧵
A chart mega-thread follows 🧵
Reposted by Dan Bedford Comte
NEW: The high cost of living is on the forefront of the public's mind. The government should launch 'a war on bills' - a multi-year policy campaign to bring costs down. There are no silver bullets, but there are lots of small things that the government can do to show that it's on people side. (1/4)
November 12, 2025 at 1:11 PM
NEW: The high cost of living is on the forefront of the public's mind. The government should launch 'a war on bills' - a multi-year policy campaign to bring costs down. There are no silver bullets, but there are lots of small things that the government can do to show that it's on people side. (1/4)
Reposted by Dan Bedford Comte
Cutting home insulation funding will imperil UK’s climate goals, Reeves told
Cutting home insulation funding will imperil UK’s climate goals, Reeves told
Energy firms and charities urge chancellor to avoid short-term fix that could also harm low-income households
Rachel Reeves has been told that cutting funding for home insulation at the budget would risk the UK’s climate goals and hurt low-income households in a joint intervention by energy firms, fuel poverty charities and environmental groups.
In a letter to the chancellor, more than 60 groups and companies urged Reeves not to take such a damaging “short-term fix” to slash funding for more energy-efficient homes to pay for a reduction in energy bills. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
November 8, 2025 at 6:07 AM
Cutting home insulation funding will imperil UK’s climate goals, Reeves told
Reposted by Dan Bedford Comte
The BBC: quite a big deal.
November 10, 2025 at 10:36 AM
The BBC: quite a big deal.
I'm bringing back this important analysis from the IFS. With all the ongoing conversations about energy bills and the budget, here is evidence that we are disproportionately taxing the cleaner energy source. This acts as a disincentive to households and businesses looking to decarbonise.
NEW: The tax system is making net zero more costly than it has to be.
@lgadenne.bsky.social and Bobbie Upton’s new briefing demonstrates how emissions from electricity are taxed much more heavily than emissions from gas:
[THREAD]
@lgadenne.bsky.social and Bobbie Upton’s new briefing demonstrates how emissions from electricity are taxed much more heavily than emissions from gas:
[THREAD]
November 6, 2025 at 5:01 PM
I'm bringing back this important analysis from the IFS. With all the ongoing conversations about energy bills and the budget, here is evidence that we are disproportionately taxing the cleaner energy source. This acts as a disincentive to households and businesses looking to decarbonise.
Reposted by Dan Bedford Comte
Important thread here on the possibility of scrapping ECO. I would add that when ECO was cut in 2013, 10,000 people lost their jobs. That's more than 3 times as many than Scunthorpe steel works and a whopping 20 times more than Grangemouth oil refinery
I’m afraid I’ve heard enough to take this seriously - No.10 is thinking of abolishing ECO, the main source of funding for upgrading fuel poor homes.
There’s no way to sugar coat this: it would be a disaster.
And it would mean this government spending less on upgrading homes than the last one
There’s no way to sugar coat this: it would be a disaster.
And it would mean this government spending less on upgrading homes than the last one
To be clear, what is being proposed here is to axe the main mechanism for getting Britain’s homes insulated - which is by FAR the best way to reduce household energy bills in the long term 🤦♂️
…and also, just incidentally, an absolute non-negotiable requirement for meeting UK climate targets 😬🥵☠️
…and also, just incidentally, an absolute non-negotiable requirement for meeting UK climate targets 😬🥵☠️
November 6, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Important thread here on the possibility of scrapping ECO. I would add that when ECO was cut in 2013, 10,000 people lost their jobs. That's more than 3 times as many than Scunthorpe steel works and a whopping 20 times more than Grangemouth oil refinery
Reposted by Dan Bedford Comte
🚗 Did you know EV drivers without driveways are paying up to four times more to use public chargers?
📢 This autumn, we're calling on HM Treasury to equalise VAT between home and public charging – because it's time to make charging fair for everyone.
#AutumnBudget #GBbudget
📢 This autumn, we're calling on HM Treasury to equalise VAT between home and public charging – because it's time to make charging fair for everyone.
#AutumnBudget #GBbudget
November 6, 2025 at 10:12 AM
🚗 Did you know EV drivers without driveways are paying up to four times more to use public chargers?
📢 This autumn, we're calling on HM Treasury to equalise VAT between home and public charging – because it's time to make charging fair for everyone.
#AutumnBudget #GBbudget
📢 This autumn, we're calling on HM Treasury to equalise VAT between home and public charging – because it's time to make charging fair for everyone.
#AutumnBudget #GBbudget
Reposted by Dan Bedford Comte
Avec 470 arbres plantés et 4 000m2 de nature en plein cœur du 14e arrondissement, la place de Catalogne s'est radicalement transformée en 2024 !
November 1, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Avec 470 arbres plantés et 4 000m2 de nature en plein cœur du 14e arrondissement, la place de Catalogne s'est radicalement transformée en 2024 !
Reposted by Dan Bedford Comte
3 things Starmer could do instead of camps in old barracks that would actually WORK👇
1. Create safe, regulated routes to apply for asylum in the UK
2. Let asylum seekers WORK & support themselves
3. Fast track status for people from obviously unsafe countries
metro.co.uk/2025/10/29/k...
1. Create safe, regulated routes to apply for asylum in the UK
2. Let asylum seekers WORK & support themselves
3. Fast track status for people from obviously unsafe countries
metro.co.uk/2025/10/29/k...
Keir Starmer tries to look tough - and exposes himself as a coward
The government's immigration policy is in desperate need of a bold change in direction.
metro.co.uk
October 30, 2025 at 8:13 AM
3 things Starmer could do instead of camps in old barracks that would actually WORK👇
1. Create safe, regulated routes to apply for asylum in the UK
2. Let asylum seekers WORK & support themselves
3. Fast track status for people from obviously unsafe countries
metro.co.uk/2025/10/29/k...
1. Create safe, regulated routes to apply for asylum in the UK
2. Let asylum seekers WORK & support themselves
3. Fast track status for people from obviously unsafe countries
metro.co.uk/2025/10/29/k...
Reposted by Dan Bedford Comte
Ahead of Budget, where do voters stand on tax and the dilemmas facing government?
Big new @persuasionuk.bsky.social report out today on this.
TL;DR as risky as breaching the manifesto is for Lab - failing on public services, cost of living and child poverty is *far riskier* for Lab.
🧵
Big new @persuasionuk.bsky.social report out today on this.
TL;DR as risky as breaching the manifesto is for Lab - failing on public services, cost of living and child poverty is *far riskier* for Lab.
🧵
October 29, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Ahead of Budget, where do voters stand on tax and the dilemmas facing government?
Big new @persuasionuk.bsky.social report out today on this.
TL;DR as risky as breaching the manifesto is for Lab - failing on public services, cost of living and child poverty is *far riskier* for Lab.
🧵
Big new @persuasionuk.bsky.social report out today on this.
TL;DR as risky as breaching the manifesto is for Lab - failing on public services, cost of living and child poverty is *far riskier* for Lab.
🧵
Reposted by Dan Bedford Comte
£900m for offshore wind is a strong signal to the sector that holding down costs is paramount, and accepting that it may not deliver enough offshore wind to meet the Government's decarbonisation target. At this juncture, this is the correct move.
www.gov.uk/government/p...
www.gov.uk/government/p...
Contracts for Difference (CfD) Allocation Round 7: statutory notices
Final statutory notices required to launch Contracts for Difference Allocation Round 7.
www.gov.uk
October 27, 2025 at 2:35 PM
£900m for offshore wind is a strong signal to the sector that holding down costs is paramount, and accepting that it may not deliver enough offshore wind to meet the Government's decarbonisation target. At this juncture, this is the correct move.
www.gov.uk/government/p...
www.gov.uk/government/p...
Reposted by Dan Bedford Comte
It’s impossible to avoid the conclusion that large parts of Westminster remaining on X - a platform that tolerates and amplifies extremism and racism - has led a great many people to normalise what previously was unacceptable.
October 28, 2025 at 7:50 AM
It’s impossible to avoid the conclusion that large parts of Westminster remaining on X - a platform that tolerates and amplifies extremism and racism - has led a great many people to normalise what previously was unacceptable.
Reposted by Dan Bedford Comte
Interesting study from researchers at UCL on how wind power has held down energy costs in the long term.
The key argument is that it has lowered gas prices in Europe by reducing demand for gas. And actually most of the savings are on gas, not electricity bills
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
The key argument is that it has lowered gas prices in Europe by reducing demand for gas. And actually most of the savings are on gas, not electricity bills
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Wind power has cut £104bn from UK energy costs since 2010, study finds
Reduction comes from energy generated from windfarms and lower cost of gas owing to lower demand
www.theguardian.com
October 28, 2025 at 8:34 AM
Interesting study from researchers at UCL on how wind power has held down energy costs in the long term.
The key argument is that it has lowered gas prices in Europe by reducing demand for gas. And actually most of the savings are on gas, not electricity bills
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
The key argument is that it has lowered gas prices in Europe by reducing demand for gas. And actually most of the savings are on gas, not electricity bills
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Reposted by Dan Bedford Comte
Taxes on the typical salary are now 55% higher than on self-employment income - a record gap. You're better off taking a self-employed role even if it's ~13% less productive. www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications...
October 27, 2025 at 10:48 AM
Taxes on the typical salary are now 55% higher than on self-employment income - a record gap. You're better off taking a self-employed role even if it's ~13% less productive. www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications...
Reposted by Dan Bedford Comte
We have the results of a cool new trial out today, a collaboration between Nesta and OVO.
I'll put some key charts in a thread, but the tl;dr is:
- 58 customers let us operate their heat pump remotely
- We flexed the heat pumps to lower the cost of electricity
- Most people were fine with it
I'll put some key charts in a thread, but the tl;dr is:
- 58 customers let us operate their heat pump remotely
- We flexed the heat pumps to lower the cost of electricity
- Most people were fine with it
The future of heat
How to drive decarbonisation with innovative tariffs and automated flexibility
www.nesta.org.uk
October 24, 2025 at 1:06 PM
We have the results of a cool new trial out today, a collaboration between Nesta and OVO.
I'll put some key charts in a thread, but the tl;dr is:
- 58 customers let us operate their heat pump remotely
- We flexed the heat pumps to lower the cost of electricity
- Most people were fine with it
I'll put some key charts in a thread, but the tl;dr is:
- 58 customers let us operate their heat pump remotely
- We flexed the heat pumps to lower the cost of electricity
- Most people were fine with it
Reposted by Dan Bedford Comte
Jenrick casting 1980s British football hooliganism as something that was easily dealt with by police and not an era defining issue which we're still living with the consequences of today... He's genuinely the most unserious person in British politics rn
October 17, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Jenrick casting 1980s British football hooliganism as something that was easily dealt with by police and not an era defining issue which we're still living with the consequences of today... He's genuinely the most unserious person in British politics rn