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.
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.
More importantly, did people mind? NO
Participants were dissatisfied with the temperature of their home only around 5% of the time (and we normally found specific issues behind this)
Participants were dissatisfied with the temperature of their home only around 5% of the time (and we normally found specific issues behind this)
October 24, 2025 at 1:18 PM
More importantly, did people mind? NO
Participants were dissatisfied with the temperature of their home only around 5% of the time (and we normally found specific issues behind this)
Participants were dissatisfied with the temperature of their home only around 5% of the time (and we normally found specific issues behind this)
Did it make their heat pump less efficient? Not really.
Did it reduce electricity use during the more expensive evening peak? YES
Did it reduce electricity use during the more expensive evening peak? YES
October 24, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Did it make their heat pump less efficient? Not really.
Did it reduce electricity use during the more expensive evening peak? YES
Did it reduce electricity use during the more expensive evening peak? YES
The basic idea is: electricity costs more during the ~4pm - 7pm evening peak.
Shifting the heat pump to pre-heat before 4pm and then using less electricity during the peak period can therefore save people money.
Rather than relying on people turning their heating down, what if OVO did it remotely?
Shifting the heat pump to pre-heat before 4pm and then using less electricity during the peak period can therefore save people money.
Rather than relying on people turning their heating down, what if OVO did it remotely?
October 24, 2025 at 1:11 PM
The basic idea is: electricity costs more during the ~4pm - 7pm evening peak.
Shifting the heat pump to pre-heat before 4pm and then using less electricity during the peak period can therefore save people money.
Rather than relying on people turning their heating down, what if OVO did it remotely?
Shifting the heat pump to pre-heat before 4pm and then using less electricity during the peak period can therefore save people money.
Rather than relying on people turning their heating down, what if OVO did it remotely?
I've been playing around with visualising CPI figures, and the striking thing about food and eating out is that they are such a big part of our consumption basket.
Both have gone up in price a fair bit since 2008, and that has made a big overall contribution to inflation...
Both have gone up in price a fair bit since 2008, and that has made a big overall contribution to inflation...
October 3, 2025 at 10:47 PM
I've been playing around with visualising CPI figures, and the striking thing about food and eating out is that they are such a big part of our consumption basket.
Both have gone up in price a fair bit since 2008, and that has made a big overall contribution to inflation...
Both have gone up in price a fair bit since 2008, and that has made a big overall contribution to inflation...
Roy Wood would be happy with that
October 3, 2025 at 10:31 PM
Roy Wood would be happy with that
I have a question for the Conservative Party
October 2, 2025 at 6:24 AM
I have a question for the Conservative Party