Is there a single company developing all the battery recycling etc. stuff mentioned above, is there a single one not funded by enormous government grants....I include all solar panel deals as well.
Yes, they all are. No-one is getting any subsidies from Government, it's the other way round. The Feed-in Tariff is designed to persuade consumers to install micro generation and get a subsidy for going it. The Suppliers have to pay around £40/MWh to the Generator for the power they generate, but the wholesale price of Electricity at the moment is only about £30/MWh, so it's the suppliers who are suffering.
It's true that consumers have to pay the 'green tariff' as part of their bills, it's all about reducing carbon output, and for an average family with an electricity bill of around £1200 a year, it's around £130.
They can offset this by installing micro generation and energy conservation measures, it costs around £50 to have your house checked over by a professional who will then advise on the most appropriate measures to reduce your bills. Purchasing the necessary insulation, solar panels, triple glazing or whatever can then be funded either by the consumer themselves, or through the 'Green Deal' arrangement that is funded by the Supply companies. If you can't afford to install high-grade insulation, for example, you can get your supplier to pay for it and then pay it off at very low interest rates through your electricity bill.
Average overall savings that can usually be achieved by getting it from a D average to a B ratings are int he region of £300 or so a year, so there's plenty of scope for people to save more than their green tariff costs.
As for people with solar panels, storage batteries, and EVs there is considerable scope for them to monetise their investment by participating in VPP arrangements, which are being offered by loads of companies. This enables them to sell the power they have generated and stored at times when the spot price is very high. If they can't afford the investment themselves there are plenty of companies able to help them in return for a cut of the profits.
