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As an energy customer you will find you will be asked for meter readings at several different points. Firstly, when you join a new energy supplier or move into a new premises, your energy supplier will ask for initial meter readings which will provide them with a starting point of which to estimate your bills. Over the course of a contract your energy supplier will ask again for several meter readings to ensure your bills are still accurate and up to date according to your usage. Over the past year, you may have heard more and more industry experts suggesting to submit meter readings on a regular basis. This has been suggested as a good way to keep your bills as accurate as possible and to ensure you are not paying for me than you use.  In this blog we will explain how meter readings work and the importance of them, specifically for business energy customers.    What do meter readings mean?  Meter readings are simply a way for your electricity and gas supplier to establish your energy usage. Meter readings are therefore an important element that makes up your energy bills, alongside current energy rates.  The figures supplied by your meters will change as you access electricity or gas within your building. So, when you use your lights, turn on your computers, switch on the heating or use appliances, your meter will advance as electricity or gas flows through. Electricity meters will show your usage in kilowatt-hours and will use a form of numerical display to show your current usage amount.  Each dial has ten numbers (0 – 9) and a pointer like a clock hand. The pointers advance when electricity flows through the meter, so the dials indicate the total number of kilowatt-hours (KWH) you have used. To determine your correct meter reading, simply read the dials in order from right to left.   How meter readings will affect your energy bills  Since your meter can determine when energy is being used, your meter readings will indicate how much has been used over a period of time. As you submit meter readings to your energy supplier, your bills will be adjusted accordingly. The more regular readings you take and supply your supplier, the easier it will be for them to charge you the most accurate amount for your business energy usage.   How to submit a meter reading for your business  At D-ENERGi we make it easy for you to submit your business meter readings online. Our meter reading form can be accessed via our website and allows you to input the details of your latest reading without delay. All we need is a few details including your business energy account number, the date of your reading, and account holder’s name.   Business smart meters  To make taking your meter readings as simple as possible, business energy customers and domestic energy customers are switching to smart meters. As part of the smart meter roll out suppliers are now encouraging energy customers to make the switch from a traditional energy meter to a smart meter.  Smart meters are capable of supplying meter readings automatically to suppliers, so you don’t have to. Plus, with the option for a Consumer Access Device, you will be able to see your energy consumption in real time. Displaying just how much energy various devices and appliances around your business use when in operation.  For more about the business smart meter roll out, click here or get in touch with our friendly team.

If you are currently receiving business energy (gas or electricity) from an agreed business energy supplier, this blog is for you.  With the cost of living at such a high, and many businesses, particularly small and micro businesses navigating their way through increasing costs and expenses, as well as battling the change in consumer behaviour and spending as a result of the pandemic, saving money where you can is so important right now.  At D-ENERGi, we have spent time understanding just how difficult the last few years have been for our business energy customers and know how important it is for businesses to understand their outgoings and be sure they are paying for what they need and are not being overcharged. Which is why we have written this blog, to help businesses navigate the tricky world of energy costs.   Pay close attention to your energy bills  Firstly, you should be reading all your business energy bills and paying close attention to what they say. Although no one likes receiving a bill, it is an incredibly important part of ensuring you are not overpaying or paying for usage you do not require.  For example, you could be paying for an estimated amount of energy used if you fail to submit a meter reading and end up being overcharged. Alternatively, your supplier may have quoted you an incorrect price per kilowatt hour (kWh). In addition to this, you should also be checking for any additional fees or charges that may not have been previously agreed which could add up to a considerable amount each month. The easiest way to check this is by comparing your bills from one month to the next and being sure that all figures line up with what has been agreed in your contract.   What to do if you think you are overpaying The best thing you can do if you have spotted an overpayment or consecutive bills where you have been overcharged is to speak with your energy supplier directly. Get through to their customer service team and discuss your bills. You should also make sure to take a look at your current energy contract and check all the terms and conditions. Your supplier may have added in additional fees or charges that you were not aware of, so it is worth double checking. Finally, if after speaking with your supplier you still feel like you are overpaying, don’t be afraid to shop around and compare what similar energy suppliers are offering. Often, you can find a better deal that will save your business significant amounts of money each year.  At D-ENERGi we have become a trusted alternative to the big five energy suppliers in the UK for our business energy customers, and provide free quotes for any business looking to switch suppliers. Our friendly team will be happy to discuss the details of your business requirements and find you a solution to your problem. Afterall, it is better to spend some time getting the right business energy deal, than to be spending too much on your bills. Get in touch today for your free quote.

Business smart meters are a brilliant tool for businesses looking to keep on top of their energy consumption and have greater control over their bills. Much like a domestic smart meter, the process of obtaining a business smart meter is relatively simple. However, we often get many questions about the process of installing a smart meter and how to use one, once installed. So, we have created this short guide to not only explain the use of a business smart meter but also what you can expect from the installation process and tips for how best to read and utilise your smart meter to get the most out of it for your business.    How business smart meters are installed  Business smart meters are really no different to a domestic smart meter. So, the process for installation will be just the same. Here is what you can expect to happen:   Before the installation process you will need to arrange an installation time and date with your energy supplier. If you would like to do this for your business you can get in touch with D-ENERGi and we will arrange installation with an installation partner.  Once an installation date is confirmed, you can expect an engineer to visit your business premises to fit the meter.  The fitting process will usually take around an hour, however you can expect to lose access to your electricity/gas supply during this time.   Before your installation, please make sure you have cleared access to your traditional meters and turned off any electrical items like computers, so they are not affected by the electricity outage. To be sure this installation causes minimal disruption to your business we advise you to select a time and date that works best for your business. When booking an installation we will aim to ensure we offer suitable times for you.    What happens once your smart meter is installed? Once the initial installation is complete you can expect your power to return to normal and access to electrical devices can resume.  If you have opted to link your smart meter to an IHD (In Home Display) or CAD (Consumer Access Device), the installer will set this up for you. This device can be placed anywhere on the premises and will provide a digital display of your energy usage in real time.  Benefits of this, of course, include being able to review your own energy consumption and seeing this in a concise and clear way. This will not only make it easier for you to understand your business’ energy consumption but also give you a better understanding of your energy bills. Plus, being armed with this relevant information provides you with the ability to lower your energy usage and bills, if necessary. All while ensuring your business moves in the right direction towards improving sustainability and reducing your carbon footprint.

The future of wind energy is bright! As the demand for clean, renewable energy sources continues to grow, so too does the potential for harnessing wind power. Wind turbines are becoming more efficient and cost-effective, while advances in technology allow them to generate electricity at higher levels than ever before.  Governments around the world are encouraging the development of wind energy, providing financial incentives and supporting research into new technologies. With such strong support and continued innovation in the sector, the future of wind energy looks very promising. The world is rapidly transitioning to renewable sources of energy in order to combat climate change, and it’s clear that wind power will play a major role in this shift.   How does wind energy work?  Before we look at how we will be harnessing wind energy in the future, let’s first understand how wind energy actually works.  Placing wind turbines in places where there are often high levels of wind, usually by the coast or off-shore, wind turbines are powered by the wind. Once the propeller of the turbine is spinning, this helps to spin a generator, which in turn generates electricity.  Although it may seem like a simple process, there are however some challenges that pose risks to relying so heavily on the power of wind to generate electricity.  These challenges include:  The most ideal locations for wind turbine placements are often in remote locations, making them difficult to reach and often hard to maintain Some communities and groups of people campaign against the placement of wind turbines due to their design, since they believe this spoils the natural environment  In order to boost the use of wind energy, this type of energy must compete with other low-cost types of energy generation  In order to overcome these challenges, the central and local governments must consider the best ways to introduce wind energy into communities, without disruption to the natural environment and find ways to keep the costs of installation and generation down. Off-shore wind farms are already a great solution for avoiding the criticism of small, rural communities and allows for the installation of larger numbers of wind turbines without having to find the necessary space in-land.    The potential for off-shore wind energy  The potential for offshore wind energy is vast and untapped. Offshore wind turbines have the capacity to generate more electricity than their on-shore counterparts due to higher wind speeds, as well as being less visible from land.  This has led to increased investment in this area, with many countries actively exploring the potential of harnessing offshore wind power. The UK specifically has the great advantage of being an island with access to many points in which to establish and develop off-shore wind farms. Currently we already have a total of 44 off-shore wind farms with around 2,500 wind turbines generating over 13% of the country’s total electricity generation. In the future, with the right investment and legislation in place to support the growth of wind energy, these numbers are certainly expected to increase.    How businesses can utilise wind energy Businesses looking to increase their sustainability efforts can consider switching their current electricity supply to that of wind-powered energy.  AT D-ENERGi we offer our business energy customers electricity supplied from UK based wind farms. Making us one of the only firms in the business electricity sector to offer British businesses the opportunity to access a 100% renewable energy option. To find out more about our D-ENERGi Trading Product, click here, or give our team a call.

Planning for the future and predicting what may be coming isn’t an easy task but doing so can help a business financially. Preparing for an increase in costs by knowing when to set higher sales targets and push new marketing campaigns is an element of business that keeps things moving in the right direction. Without financial planning and forecasting a business can quickly find themselves in choppy waters.  Part of any financial planning should be expenses. Part of your expenses each month are your utility bills, of which your energy bills will be some of the biggest. If you run a small business and are directly involved in the payment of your energy bills each month, this blog may help shine some light on how to plan for fluctuations in energy costs and what you can do as a business to predict said fluctuations.    See your average spending with a business smart meter  A smart meter is a really useful tool for not only helping you track your energy usage but also predict how much energy you use on average during various points in your working day. Plus, reviewing the data from your business smart meter will help you identify months in the year where you may be spending more on energy and allow you to make predictions about upcoming months. Of course, this won’t give you an insight into energy wholesale prices or the costs associated with your particular provider, but it helps to give a good idea of what you could be using and spending on average.    Protect your business from volatile energy markets  Now more than ever it has become apparent just how quickly things can change for bill payers. Rising wholesale prices have led to a global energy crisis, hitting business and domestic customers hard. However, for those locked into a fixed-rate contract the impact of this is cushioned by the protection of the consistency of monthly bills. This is because a fixed-rate contract provides a locked-in rate per kilowatt hour.  By securing yourself into a fixed-rate contract with an energy provider, you can help to protect your business from the vulnerability of fluctuating energy markets. Which will allow you to make better predictions for your bills each month, particularly if you manage your energy consumption and use a consistent amount per hour, per day.  At D-ENERGi we offer fixed price electricity deals for business customers so you can know how much you will be paying on your monthly bill, with no nasty surprises! With this deal you can take the worry out of predicting your spending each month, with a direct debit that makes things hassle free! Give us a call today for your free quote.

The 15th March 2023 brought the release of the new Spring Budget by the freshly appointed chancellor, Jeremey Hunt. This release has brought Hunt’s first budget as chancellor, laying out the government’s plan for tax and spending policy. Plus the OBR (Office for Budget Responsibility) have published their updated economic forecasts for the next five years.  After a tumultuous few years and even some months and weeks, the release of the budget has been heavily anticipated. Particularly as businesses wanted to know how they will continue to be supported and what may impact their spending over the next year. As many of our business energy customers are small businesses, we have provided this short summary of the spring budget, focusing on what was mentioned regarding energy prices and business taxation.    Confirmation of the Energy Bills Discount Scheme  One of the most important parts of the spring budget for energy suppliers and our customers is the confirmation of the Energy Bills Discount Scheme. This has been confirmed as a replacement for the Energy Bills Relief Scheme, which will come into effect on the 1st April. This scheme is specifically in place for non-domestic gas and electricity customers and will offer support for the next 12 months. For more details on this, we have written a useful blog for our customers here. On top of this it has also been confirmed that the Climate Change Agreement Scheme will be extended until March 2025. This provides eligible businesses with business tax relief for the implementation of energy efficiency measures.    Predictions for energy prices by the OBR   Thanks to the latest forecast by the Office For Budget Responsibility which was published alongside the new budget, we have some idea of what may happen to energy prices over the next year. As part of their fiscal forecast, developing on their previous forecast in November, the OBR have stated ‘Wholesale gas prices have more than halved over the past six months and are expected to fall further over the forecast.’    Corporation Tax Increase The Chancellor has stated that the main corporation tax rate will increase for businesses from 19% to 25%, this will take effect from 1st April 2023.  In regards to capital allowances, the Government has also announced that the 100% first-year allowance for qualifying expenditure on electric vehicle charge-point equipment will be extended until 31 March 2025 for corporation tax, and 5 April 2025 for income tax. This measure is intended to continue to encourage the uptake of equipment for charging electric vehicles. Meaning businesses can incorporate this into their sustainability measures and goals with tax relief benefits.