批发电价下跌账单却仍上涨！能源转型成本成英国家庭“不可承受之重”

Core Viewpoint - UK households are facing a new energy crisis where energy bills are rising despite falling wholesale electricity and gas prices, increasing political pressure on the government to justify these costs to the public [1] Group 1: Energy Costs and Government Response - The UK government is under pressure to explain why consumers face higher energy costs despite a global decline in energy prices, as they prepare for a budget that may include tax increases [1] - Cornwall Insight Ltd. predicts that domestic energy costs will rise again in April 2024 due to increased grid fees and policy costs, despite a forecasted decline in wholesale energy prices [1][6] - The UK government aims to expand renewable energy sources to lower electricity costs in the long term, but the initial costs of transitioning from a gas-based system to a renewable-dominated system are being borne by households [1][5] Group 2: Cost Structure and Consumer Impact - Since early 2023, wholesale energy costs in the UK have decreased by approximately 77%, while policy costs supporting renewable energy have increased by 41% [7] - The average energy bill now has nearly one-fifth of its cost attributed to policy costs, while only about 7% of gas bills are affected by these costs, leading to higher electricity prices [9] - Energy debt among UK households has surged from £1.8 billion four years ago to over £4.4 billion, indicating increasing financial strain on consumers [9] Group 3: Comparative Analysis with Other European Countries - In Germany, despite a decrease in wholesale electricity prices, household electricity prices have only dropped by 16%, highlighting a similar issue of rising costs due to taxes and grid fees [11] - France benefits from a large nuclear power capacity, keeping wholesale prices lower compared to the UK and Germany, while still developing renewable energy [14] - The long-term logic of transitioning to renewable energy in the UK remains valid, as it is expected to be cheaper and less affected by global market fluctuations compared to a gas-dependent system [14]