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You could also blame the companies too. Any reasonably size company could have started doing things to insulate themselves. Things that were compatible with th

You could also blame the companies too. Any reasonably size company could have started doing things to insulate themselves. Things that were compatible with the environmental policies governments were already pushing.

nradov 4y ago
Which things do you think they should have been doing?
- asoneth 4y ago
  Companies that are highly exposed to price volatility like wholesale electricity and gas prices can include some kind of energy hedging in their risk management portfolio. It will cost them money in good years but it keeps them from going out of business in bad years. Companies that choose not to hedge make more profit in good years but must come begging to the government for bailouts or price controls in bad years. (i.e. shareholders pocket the profit while taxpayers cover the losses) Depending on the government's response to those kinds of requests, you end up with more of one sort of company or the other.
- benj111 4y ago
  Price hedging. Doing things that would also be environmentally good (and encouraged by the EU), higher efficiency kilns, electric kilns. I'm not in the glass making business so I don't really know what the possibilities are, and the answers are different for different companies. Point is this situation was foreseeable, and slot of the things companies should be thinking about anyway.
ChuckNorris89 4y ago
Companies are always looking towards the next quarter, they don't care where the energy comes from as long as it's cheap. It's the job of governments to pursue a sane and self sufficient energy policy.
dmichulke 4y ago
Companies are not elected for "the good of the people", so they have no obligation. Oh wait, neither are the officials of the EU commission. Hmmm
- qsort 4y ago
  They are nominated by the Council and confirmed by the Parliament, it's cheap populism to imply they don't represent the public at large.
  - dmichulke 4y ago
    I vote every 4 years (i.e. once every 1460 days) and have the choice between several mediocre candidates and parties. I don't see why I should feel represented. It goes without saying that this amount of felt representation doesn't increase with EU bodies (save the parliament)
- simion314 4y ago
  Always blame the EU when your favorite party is in power for years and did shit. I don't remember EU forcing Germany to buy gas from Russia or close their nuclear power. Russian gas was cheap so capitalism dictated to use it, closing nuclear plants scored some national politics points so sure close that too. But the most simple excuse for a bad government is to blame the opposition, when you were in power for a long time and you can't blame the opposition hen you blame the EU and US.
  - dmichulke 4y ago
    The main point to GP was that companies have no obligation whatsoever. Personally, I don't hold ONLY the commission accountable. But the problem here is that the amount of learning (or even just admitting mistakes) is zero, so I don't see how they're not doing more stupid things down the line.
    - simion314 4y ago
      >so I don't see how they're not doing more stupid things down the line. What do you mean? EU commission should force Germany to like nuclear? We all need to blame our politicians, UK, Germany, Romania (... the rest) - we all could have done a better job but corrupptuon and greed of our local politicians screwed us the citizens. The thing though I am puzzled about is this big price increases, I am not sure if I can blame the EU commission or is again the local politicians and greedy companies that profited to raise all the prices.

nradov 4y ago

Which things do you think they should have been doing?

asoneth 4y ago
Companies that are highly exposed to price volatility like wholesale electricity and gas prices can include some kind of energy hedging in their risk management portfolio. It will cost them money in good years but it keeps them from going out of business in bad years. Companies that choose not to hedge make more profit in good years but must come begging to the government for bailouts or price controls in bad years. (i.e. shareholders pocket the profit while taxpayers cover the losses) Depending on the government's response to those kinds of requests, you end up with more of one sort of company or the other.
benj111 4y ago
Price hedging. Doing things that would also be environmentally good (and encouraged by the EU), higher efficiency kilns, electric kilns. I'm not in the glass making business so I don't really know what the possibilities are, and the answers are different for different companies. Point is this situation was foreseeable, and slot of the things companies should be thinking about anyway.

ChuckNorris89 4y ago

Companies are always looking towards the next quarter, they don't care where the energy comes from as long as it's cheap. It's the job of governments to pursue a sane and self sufficient energy policy.

dmichulke 4y ago

Companies are not elected for "the good of the people", so they have no obligation. Oh wait, neither are the officials of the EU commission. Hmmm

qsort 4y ago
They are nominated by the Council and confirmed by the Parliament, it's cheap populism to imply they don't represent the public at large.
- dmichulke 4y ago
  I vote every 4 years (i.e. once every 1460 days) and have the choice between several mediocre candidates and parties. I don't see why I should feel represented. It goes without saying that this amount of felt representation doesn't increase with EU bodies (save the parliament)
simion314 4y ago
Always blame the EU when your favorite party is in power for years and did shit. I don't remember EU forcing Germany to buy gas from Russia or close their nuclear power. Russian gas was cheap so capitalism dictated to use it, closing nuclear plants scored some national politics points so sure close that too. But the most simple excuse for a bad government is to blame the opposition, when you were in power for a long time and you can't blame the opposition hen you blame the EU and US.
- dmichulke 4y ago
  The main point to GP was that companies have no obligation whatsoever. Personally, I don't hold ONLY the commission accountable. But the problem here is that the amount of learning (or even just admitting mistakes) is zero, so I don't see how they're not doing more stupid things down the line.
  - simion314 4y ago
    >so I don't see how they're not doing more stupid things down the line. What do you mean? EU commission should force Germany to like nuclear? We all need to blame our politicians, UK, Germany, Romania (... the rest) - we all could have done a better job but corrupptuon and greed of our local politicians screwed us the citizens. The thing though I am puzzled about is this big price increases, I am not sure if I can blame the EU commission or is again the local politicians and greedy companies that profited to raise all the prices.