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It’s easy to get overwhelmed while wading through the energy industry. Whether you’re looking for a new supplier or simply trying to understand your business’ energy bill, there’s lots of new terminology to grasp. From understanding definitions, processes, and terminology – it can quickly feel like you’re trying to understand a foreign language. If you’ve ever found yourself wondering what is meant when we talk about ‘capacity’ or ‘demand’, then this post is for you! Here’s a helpful glossary of terms commonly used within the energy industry so that you have all the knowledge needed to make better-informed decisions on your business energy requirements. Below we have provided an A-Z style of glossary to help explain some complicated and good-to-know terms.    Agreed Capacity  This is the agreed amount of electricity load that can be supplied to a property. If you are renting or newly purchasing a property for your business operations this will be stated in your property’s Connection Agreement with the local DNO*.   Automatic Meter Read (AMR) An automatic meter read is taken by a system that takes meter readings remotely. This data will be passed onto your business energy supplier for billing purposes.   Biomass Biomass energy or bioenergy, as it can often be referred to, is an energy sourced from organic materials, this includes matter from recently living organisms such as plants. This is considered a ‘carbon neutral’ method of generating energy.    Carbon Credits  Carbon credits are a rising form of credit that can be purchased on the voluntary carbon market. These are used to permit owners an allowance of carbon dioxide emissions. Also known as carbon offsets. Many businesses are now opting voluntarily to buy carbon credits in order to develop a ‘green business strategy’ that coincides with government plans to achieve net zero carbon.    Carbon Neutral  Carbon neutrality means reaching a state in which there are net-zero carbon dioxide emissions. This can be achieved by either balancing the total amount of carbon dioxide removed with the total emitted or by completely eliminating the emission of CO2 from within society. Both are something governments across the world are hoping to achieve, as agreed.    *District Network Operator (DNO) A district network operator or DNO is responsible for the installation and maintenance of electrical cabling, as well as the distribution of electricity to the supply point of the grid.  If you are attempting to contact your DNO, one way you can do this is by looking them up using your location information, such as postcode. Each district will have a different DNO.    Fixed Term Contracts A fixed term contract is a supply contract decided with your energy provider for a fixed price over a fixed period of time.    Greenhouse Gas (GHG)  A GHG is simply a type of gas found in the atmosphere that traps heat. The main GHGs found in Earth’s atmosphere are water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone.

As the world continues to deal with the rising cost of gas, energy prices are not taking any dramatic falls just yet. While we navigate this new ‘normal’, businesses across the country will be particularly concerned about paying this winter’s energy bill. Some of the highest consuming industries in the UK include the retail and services sector, as well as the manufacturing industry. Consuming over 10,000 Ktoe each year. In this latest blog article, we will be offering some top tips, unique to a range of industries, on how to deal with rising energy prices. Retail & Hospitality Sector  As one of the largest consumers of energy in the UK, the retail and hospitality industry will have continued to use a large amount of energy this winter, despite rising costs. In order to keep customers satisfied, retail stores must continue to keep lit, heated and running as always. While restaurants require large amounts of energy to produce dishes, make drinks, and entertain guests. Despite this, there are a number of tips that retail and hospitality businesses can take on board in order to cut energy consumption and costs. Firstly, these businesses should be paying close attention to the energy markets. Having the knowledge and understanding of energy prices and knowing how to predict fluctuations in the market will support financial planning within the business. Although you can never predict unexpected global events, like the Ukraine invasion, companies can use what they currently do know to ensure they have the budget set aside to pay higher bills than usual. Secondly, restaurants in particular, should consider cutting down on the use of heating systems. With plenty of equipment in use and a crowded venue, restaurants don’t necessarily need to have the thermostat set to high. Instead it is useful to keep this set to a regular temperature that is comfortable for both guests and staff. Both retailers and hospitality businesses will also benefit from switching off appliances and equipment that is not needed. For example a back office computer that is only used at closing time or televisions in hotel reception areas that do not need to be turned on 24/7. Manufacturing & Warehousing  The manufacturing industry is another example of a big energy consumer in the UK. Responsible for the production and distribution of a wide range of products made and handled within the country, the industry uses a large number of machinery and equipment which requires lots of energy. As such, businesses within this sector are feeling the pinch. Where many appliances are used, a manufacturer may wish to consider reviewing the equipment and tools they currently use and optimise these. Either by buying new or upgrading to more efficient, energy-saving equipment. This could be as simple as adapting the settings of your machinery to run more efficiently or having these serviced by an engineer. Since warehouses and distribution centres are such large places, keeping these warm on colder days can be a challenge. Instead of turning up the heating system, it may be worth reviewing the insulation of your building. You will find large warehouses often have draughty spots or poorly insulated roofs and windows. By investing in new insulation now, you can help correct and enhance the working temperature of your warehouse for years to come. One final tip for businesses within the manufacturing sector, is to pay attention to the industrial doors you have fitted throughout your buildings. In rooms that must be temperature-controlled, such as refrigerated storage rooms, the industrial doors should be of a high-quality. This is to ensure these rooms stay cold and the cooling systems do not need to work overtime to ensure the preservation of goods stored within. To enhance the operation of your industrial doors, be sure to have these regularly serviced and maintained by professional, qualified engineers. Office-based Businesses  With offices all over the country, we thought it best to also touch on how an office-based business can focus their attention on cutting energy this year. If you work in an office, you will most certainly know the struggle of maintaining a consistent temperature that keeps everyone happy. And although some would love the office to feel like a sauna, other members of staff prefer the room on the fresher side. All this switching between temperatures does not have a great impact on energy usage. In fact, regularly playing with the thermostat can waste energy, money, and lead to breakdowns. In order to keep everyone happy, keeping your office at a regulated, comfortable temperature is imperative. It has been suggested that temperatures between 21 – 22°C is best for office work. In fact, managers will be interested to know that temperatures above 23°C may actually have a negative effect on productivity. We would also suggest turning off any office equipment that is not in use, off at the end of each working day. It is not necessary to have laptops and screens running all through the night and simply costs the business money. For more advice and information about your business energy usage and prices, do not hesitate to get in touch with our team. We can talk about the current support on offer for businesses and provide information on business smart meters for even closer monitoring of your business energy usage.

With a GDP of over $3 trillion, the UK produces a huge number of products and services. As such there are a wide range of industries working throughout the country, all of which contribute to the economy but also have an impact on the environment. Currently, the services industry dominates the UK economy, making up almost a third of our country’s GDP. The services sector is made up of retail, hospitality, professional services, business administration and finance businesses. Coming closely behind is the manufacturing industry which contributes so greatly to the economy that it currently places the UK as the ninth largest manufacturing nation in the world. With such large industries dominating the economy, it is no surprise that these industries are some of the largest energy consumers across our island nation. Below we have taken a closer look at just how much these industries rely on energy, reviewing their consumption figures and ranking them accordingly. Here are the top highest energy consumption businesses in the UK.   Top highest energy consumption businesses 1. Goods and services industry As well as being the largest industry in the UK, the goods and services sector is also the largest consumer of energy in the UK. According to statistics from 2019, the industry which includes retail, used more than 14,000 Ktoe. Ktoe stands for kilotonnes of oil equivalent, which is a standardised measure of energy. This figure indicated that the goods and services industry made up for 15% of total energy consumption in the UK throughout the year 2019. 2. Manufacturing The manufacturing sector is the second largest consumer of energy in the UK. Manufacturing businesses are responsible for producing products such as textiles, motor vehicles, pharmaceuticals and more. As a result, this industry requires huge amounts of energy to power their production processes. This, therefore, should not come as a surprise to many. In 2018 the manufacturing industry used a huge 10,493 kilotonnes of oil equivalent energy throughout the year. 3. Public Administration Another non-domestic sector of the country with high energy consumption rates is public administration. Those organisations working in public administration are responsible for carrying out the day-to-day duties of running a country and as such require massive amounts of energy to do so. Statistics from 2019 show that businesses and organisations in this sector used a total of 5,579 ktoe of energy. Shifts in energy consumption in recent years Although energy consumption still appears to be incredibly high amongst UK businesses, there has been an obvious decrease in the total energy consumption of such sectors in recent years. In a report created by the Department of Energy & Climate Change, statistics from between 2006 – 2012 were used to indicate the shift in energy consumption trends amongst non-domestic buildings used by businesses. A summary of the key facts and figures has highlighted that between these years the consumption of both electricity and gas fell by 12%. Noting the significant decline in usage in factories, restaurants and shops. If you’re ready to find the right business energy supplier to help reduce your energy bills, get a free, no-obligation quote, visit our get a quote page. Check out our blog for tips on how to reduce large business energy consumption.

The hospitality industry relies heavily on energy to power businesses. If you run or manage a restaurant, bar, hotel or other popular entertainment venue, you will know just how important it is to keep energy bills low while continuing to offer regular service.  During the festive season there is greater demand for such services with Christmas parties and meals and end of year gatherings planned between families and friends. With greater demand comes an increased need for energy. During this time of economic crisis, what can hospitality businesses do to keep bills low while demand is high.  Cut energy waste in your establishment  Despite the need for energy, the hospitality sector is guilty of wasting large amounts of electricity, water, and gas each year. One way to reduce energy bills and manage consumption during the busy festive season is to cut this waste as much as possible. There are several ways you can do this:  6 Ways to reduce energy waste  Introduce lighting controls to reduce wasted electricity and switch your light bulbs to energy efficient LED bulbs. You may also wish to consider upgrading your lighting systems to be sensor activated, so they are only switched on when people are in the room and turn off once someone leaves.  In your industrial kitchens and behind your bars, opt to switch off electrical appliances that do not need to be switched on for an entire shift. For example, wait to turn on extractor fans and bar lights once customers have started ordering.  Cut down the usage of your heating systems. Often the heating and cooling systems are wasted on busy venues. Particularly in the winter when, although it’s cold outside, the heat from the hustle and bustle of your many customers does not require the additional support of a high setting on your thermostat.  Encourage your bar staff, kitchen teams, and members of the front of house team to adopt a positive attitude towards saving energy.  Ensure ventilation systems are cleaned regularly and serviced. You will not be getting the most out of your air conditioning systems if the ventilation is not cleaned or is not able to operate to 100% of its ability.  Set limits on hot water temperatures. When water is excessively heated, not only can this be costly, but dangerous too. Water does not need to be excessively hot for its intended purposes within hospitality.  While the appetite to dine out over the festive season remains high amongst consumers, some of these helpful tips may just contribute to keeping your energy bills at a regular rate.  Smart meters for hospitality businesses  To monitor and keep track of your energy during this festive season and beyond is to consider installing a smart meter for business.  Business smart meters allow you to receive accurate meter readings while displaying your real-time usage. For those working in the hospitality sector, looking for a way to take control of your company’s energy consumption, this is the ideal solution. Get in touch with the D-ENERGi team today for more information.

Within the energy sector there are plenty of terms to get to grips with. As a business looking to save money on your energy bills, understanding what all these terms mean will help. One such term that you will almost certainly have come across will be EPC rating. In this latest article, we will be delving into exactly what EPC means and how this relates to businesses.  What is EPC?  An EPC or energy perform certificate is used to rate how energy efficient a building is. This is used for both domestic and commercial buildings. The ratings, as shown on the graph, are between A to G. A building with a rating of ‘A’ is considered the most efficient, and ‘G’ being the least efficient. An accredited assessor will provide an EPC certificate which is then valid for 10 years.  An EPC for a commercial building must be obtained whenever a property is built, sold or let. This is the responsibility of the building landlord or owner. So, if you are renting a commercial building, you will need to be shown the EPC certificate during the tenancy agreement process.  How an EPC is determined As mentioned above, an accredited assessor will visit a property to determine the EPC rating. They will do this by taking into account a number of factors:  The age and size of the property  The main heating systems Lighting – whether any energy saving light bulbs or low energy light bulbs are in use Windows – if you have double glazing or higher After reviewing these areas of the property, the assessor will make some calculations and provide an EPC rating using the scale mentioned above. Along with this, property owners or landlords will be provided with guidance on how to improve their property EPC if this is particularly poor.  There are some buildings that do not require an EPC according to the UK government, these include: Places of worship Temporary buildings that will be used for less than 2 years Stand-alone buildings with total useful floor space of less than 50 square metres Industrial sites, workshops and non-residential agricultural buildings that do not use a lot of energy Some buildings that are due to be demolished Holiday accommodation that’s rented out for less than 4 months a year or is let under a licence to occupy Listed buildings – you should get advice from your local authority conservation officer if the work would alter the building’s character Residential buildings intended to be used less than 4 months a year Goals for a net zero future  With the government’s goals to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, the rules regarding EPC ratings are changing. Over the course of the next 10 years, these rules will become stricter for all. This is to encourage as many building owners and landlords as possible to make positive changes to the energy efficiency of their properties.  At the start of 2023, plans have been put in place for all commercial properties that are under tenancy to an EPC rating of E or better. As it stands this will require some landlords to make improvements now to meet the upcoming requirements.  How to Improve a Commercial EPC Rating Landlords and commercial property owners can improve the EPC rating of a business premises by completing several tasks. Some of the most common and effective ways to do this are: To improve the insulation of the building  Change the lighting to LED lights  Ensure double glazing is installed in all windows Draught proof the property  Switch to renewable energy sources such as solar panels  For more about EPC ratings and how to save on your business energy, why not get in touch with a member of the D-ENERGi team. We’re here to help!

At D-ENERGi we work hard to provide all our business customers with the best business energy prices. We work closely with many care homes and residential homes across the UK, to keep them warm, dry, and well-lit while offering the best rates for business energy.  Throughout the upcoming winter season, care homes will be paying close attention to energy consumption, ensuring that while residents are cared for, bills are not too high. In this latest blog we will offer our best advice to any business customers looking to save on business energy.  Take control of your business energy with a smart meter  Smart meters are not just for domestic energy customers. Business energy meters are now available for businesses across the country to take full control of their business energy. Helping to manage usage and lower prices. Not only will you be able to track your usage, but the data a smart meter for businesses provides will be automatically sent to your energy supplier, so you can be sure your bills are as accurate as can be. How to monitor your business energy consumption? If you are concerned you may be using more energy than the average company in your care home, it may be time to consider installing a business energy smart meter.  As previously mentioned, a business energy smart meter will help you monitor your energy usage, reviewing your consumption, giving you a chance to better manage your energy usage. You may also wish to speak with your energy supplier if you believe your bills are too high. It is advisable to read your bills thoroughly when you receive them to be sure the information provided is correct. If you do not understand how to read an energy bill this blog may help you. Ways to reduce your energy consumption  If you already have a smart meter installed in your care home and have noticed your energy consumption seems too high, here are some quick tips to help you better manage your energy consumption: Check the electrical appliances and the heating apparatus of your residential home to ensure these are working properly. Typically, newer appliances are far more economical.  Switch off electric equipment and tools when not in use. Although this may be difficult in a care home during winter, you may find there are many appliances that are regularly left running when not needed. This could include televisions, and radios.   Set a comfortable temperature on the thermostat and keep this regulated. Your residents will likely appreciate this also!  Create an energy saving culture amongst your employees. Encourage your care home staff to check thermostats regularly and switch off appliances between shifts. Why not speak to a member of our team for other top tips! Talk to our experts today for competitive business energy quotes today!