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Now that Spring is officially here, we’re anticipating at least some sunnier days on the horizon. And while much of your energy costs will be higher in winter, it is always a good idea to plan for the next few months ahead and take the necessary steps to prepare your business for any changes that may occur due to a shift in the season and the weather.   The importance of energy efficiency in summer With the push for greener business practices throughout the UK by the government and environmentalists, energy efficiency can be practised year round. With several practices being especially applicable during the summer months. This summer, keep your carbon emissions low and continue on your journey to net zero emissions with our top tips and best practices.   Assess current energy usage Leaving the winter months behind and awaiting the warmth of summer, the next few months provide the ideal opportunity to review and evaluate your current energy usage. Looking for ways to cut your energy costs and identify areas of your business that require improvement.   The importance of understanding your current energy consumption Staying in the know and being on top of your business energy bills provides you with greater insight into what you are paying and why. Leaving the high consuming energy periods of autumn and winter in the past, you should take a look over your most recent energy bills and assess where and when you have spent the most money and why. Perhaps there was a peak in your energy consumption during a particular month or you have debt with your supplier that you will now need to settle.   Tips on how to conduct an energy audit for your business One of the best ways to understand how your business uses energy is to conduct an energy audit. We recently wrote an article explaining in detail what an energy audit is and the best way to conduct one. This article can be found here. However here are some simple tips on conducting an energy audit for your business:   Understand Your Energy Bills Assess Building Systems and Equipment Use Energy Monitoring Tools Conduct a Building Envelope Assessment Review Operating Schedules   Highlighting the benefits of identifying areas for improvement Finding areas of your business that are consuming high levels of energy or require improvements offers you the perfect place to start to ensure your business is ready for the summer months and is adhering to your new energy audit recommendations by the time winter inevitably arrives once more. This first step is the perfect stepping stone to provide you with the information you need to ensure your business is running efficiently and saving on energy costs this summer.   Upgrade to energy-efficient equipment For those areas of improvements highlighted in your business energy audit, you should consider upgrading your equipment, machinery and business tools to energy-efficient alternatives where possible. While this may be a big investment for your business, there is support available from the UK government and tax incentives that may make such changes to your business more affordable. We suggest that you search the GOV.UK site for more information about schemes, relief and taxes for the support of businesses going green. An area to focus on during summer in particular would be your HVAC system. Providing cool air in summer and during warm days, the HVAC system should be well maintained and monitored to ensure it is running smoothly and is not consuming excessive amounts of energy.   Implement smart energy management practices Much like the winter months it’s just as important to implement and encourage proper smart energy management practices within your business. From the top to the bottom, every member of your team should be aware of the business’ goals for cutting carbon emissions and the areas in which they should be applying energy efficient practices. From keeping the working environment at a consistent temperature, especially on hot summer days, to turning off lights and reducing the use of energy draining equipment. Those in charge of the maintenance of equipment should certainly have particular systems serviced before summer. Including air conditioning units, refrigeration systems and water pumps.   Harness renewable energy sources Summer may be the perfect time for you to switch to renewable energy sources. Allowing you time to adjust to this change and cover the cost of any investment before winter rolls around. From solar panels to accessing wind energy and geothermal systems, there’s several options for a variety of businesses in different industries. Offering excellent cost savings and the chance to improve the energy efficiency of your business. Plus, such a decision may allow you access to relief from certain green taxes implemented by the government.   At D-ENERGi we supply all our electricity via D-ENERGi Trading from UK based wind farms. Supplying 100% renewable electricity to our business energy customers. Also supplying the best and competitive price for business electricity, with tailored solution that suits your business needs. Making us unique within the business energy sector and a perfect alternative to the big energy suppliers in the UK. Find out more about switching today with a free quote from us or contact us on 0800 781 7626.

While Jeremy Hunt did not mention the EBDS Scheme in his Spring Budget announcement, it is confirmed that the support scheme ends 31st March 2024. For small businesses utilising the support of the Energy Bill Discount Scheme may feel slightly left in the dark now, as no alternative or additional support has been mentioned by the government. So what now?   Costs of running a small business in 2024 Although there’s certainly mixed opinions regarding the scheme and the genuine support that it did or could offer SMEs, having little to no other options leaves many small businesses wondering about the future. Despite predictions for the energy market looking better for 2024, many small businesses will still be dealing with the financial fallout of the energy crisis and of course the other issue of the cost of living crisis. Ensuring staff are paid enough to cover their own bills, business rents increasing and difficulties in a variety of sectors, there will continue to be concern about finances and staying afloat for small business owners in 2024.   A desire for tailored support for small businesses While there is not a single scheme or support programme set to succeed the EBDS Scheme as of yet, there’s some discussions surrounding what SMEs truly desire from the government. Research done within the industry has highlighted that small business owners wish for the government to acknowledge their want for energy support that is tailored to their unique needs, rather than schemes that many do not deem to be adequate. Microbusinesses especially, have called for bespoke assistance from the government for those that have been most affected by rising energy prices. And many are calling for regular winter support to be introduced, making sure that each year businesses are thoroughly supported financially to survive the often challenging months of winter and the extra costs the cold weather presents businesses.   What can small businesses do now? However, since there is yet to be any response or correspondence from the government regarding these concerns and desires, here are some examples of support you can currently access and will be able to access beyond the end of the EBDS Scheme. The best method of support if you can not afford to pay your current energy bill is to contact your business energy supplier and negotiate a payment arrangement that works for your business and them. At D-ENERGi our team of customer service representatives are on hand to offer the best possible advice and guidance for all our business customers. Alternatively support from Citizens Advice and Ofgem may help if you are struggling with what to do next. From understanding how to switch business energy suppliers to knowing if you are overpaying for electricity, these organisations offer some of the best advice for businesses.   Cutting your energy consumption And while we await the government’s offers of more assistance through a new scheme or financial plan, you can also make a difference by actively reducing your energy usage to maximise your savings. From better energy management practices to improving your energy efficiency, there are many small steps you can take for a positive impact on your business. Our blog explores a wide range of these topics. Including the best advice for businesses wanting to cut energy costs and how to cut your energy consumption.   To conclude: While we remain hopeful that the government will continue to offer support for small businesses with their energy, we understand that from the latest budget, much more focus is being placed on inflation. Meaning less attention may be given to the energy market over the next year. Using our advice, we suggest that all small businesses worried about the end of their government-backed support to reach out for more information from our customer support teams. We can discuss next steps and future payments, helping to ensure you are on the right tariff and are able to pay your energy bills.

Tracking your business energy usage offers numerous advantages that can greatly benefit your operations. It helps you understand how much energy your business consumes over a period of time, understand your energy bills, identify potential areas of inefficiency, and explore opportunities to reduce your energy costs. Tracking your energy usage doesn’t have to be complicated or confusing. It can be a straightforward process.   Understanding what your energy bills mean One of the ways you can understand how much energy you use in your business is to gain a better understanding of your energy bills. Whether these fall through the post box or ping as an alert on your phone, energy bills are easy to access and can quickly be explained. There are several pieces of information provided on a typical energy bill. This includes how much money you owe your energy supplier but also details of how much energy you have used over a period of time. Typically this will be over the past 3 months (if sent quarterly). However, some business energy suppliers can provide more regular bills, if necessary. Your usage will be explained using the meter readings or estimated meter readings your business energy supplier has access to. Providing regular meter readings will ensure your bill is precise and accurate, guaranteeing you are only paying for your actual energy usage. Understanding your usage from your energy bills will help you better acknowledge just how much your usage influences the prices you pay for electricity and gas. More on how to read an energy bill can be found here.   Tracking your energy usage with a smart meter Another method for tracking your usage is to install a smart meter for your business. Providing real-time details of your usage, giving you insight into how each running appliance or electrical good impacts your consumption is incredibly useful. Opting to have a smart meter installed allows you to pay much closer attention to your energy consumption and see just how much this is going to cost you. Plus, information from your smart meter will be supplied directly to your business energy supplier, making it easier to keep meter readings as accurate as possible.   Reduce your energy costs Keeping track of your business energy usage is one of the most effective ways to manage the costs of your energy. Having a greater understanding of how much energy your business uses, gives insight into what is costing you the most and allows you to make proactive decisions in order to lower your energy consumption. Which, in turn, will help to reduce your energy bills.   Improve your sustainability Tracking your business energy usage is the first step to improving your sustainability. By understanding where and how your energy is being used, you can identify areas where you can make changes to reduce your consumption. Which, as we mentioned above, can lead to lower energy bills, but also a smaller carbon footprint, and a more sustainable business overall. You can promote the amount of energy saved to boost your brand.   Struggling to understand your energy usage? If you are struggling to understand your business energy usage and need assistance in understand your energy bills, do not hesitate to get in touch with our friendly energy expert. We can decipher your energy bill for you, explain your energy consumption, implement cost-efficient practices that can help reduce your energy usage, and provide advice on how to lower your energy bills. To get started, simply reach out to us today. Our business energy quote only requires you to provide a few details about your business, we will promptly provide you a tailored quote that suits your business needs.

If you are a business owner looking to reduce your energy expenses with cheap business energy prices, this article provides valuable insights on how to achieve this goal. While you could contact energy providers directly, it is advisable to avoid the ‘Big Six’ energy supplier since they may offer similar deals that may not result in substantial savings. Making the switch to such providers could be a costly mistake to make. That’s because there are numerous smaller, newer business energy providers competing in the marketplace and they may have competitive business energy deals specifically tailored to meet your needs. By considering these alternatives, you can effectively lower your energy bills.   Switching to a cost-effective business electricity provider Switching to a cheap business electricity provider isn’t just about saving money. It’s also a way to access better customer service and additional features such as consultancy services to help your firm improve energy efficiency, lower energy consumption and make bigger savings as a result. Exploring the business energy supply market every year will also ensure that you are not overpaying for your energy needs and will foster competition so all businesses will benefit. In addition to contacting energy providers directly, you could use an online comparison website to find a cheaper supplier but the comparison website may not cover the entire market and you’ll still need to speak with an energy supplier directly as they need to offer a bespoke tariff that meets your needs and will need specific information.   Cost-effective business gas deal This applies not only to businesses seeking a cost-effective business electricity deal but also to those in need of a business gas deal. Although firms can’t access a ‘dual fuel’ deal, it’s possible to have the same supplier deliver both types of energy.   One effective way of dealing with this issue of searching the entire marketplace easily is to speak with the experts at D-ENERGi who will take a few details and can source the best energy tariffs of business electricity and gas that could save your firm a substantial amount of money. The UK-based team will be with you every step of the way to switch business energy supplier, ensuring a quick and hassle-free transition. Depending on what your business does, where it is located and how much energy you use, some firms could save up to 25% on their energy overheads every year, particularly if they haven’t switched for several years. This means that even small businesses can save hundreds of pounds while larger businesses can save tens of thousands. These significant savings make the effort of exploring the business energy supply market well worth it and will help substantially reduce your firm’s overheads. To learn more about lowering your energy costs with cheap business energy prices, don’t hesitate to reach out to the experienced team at D-ENERGi.

In today’s highly competitive business landscape, it is crucial to find effective strategies for reducing business electricity costs. By minimizing energy consumption and enhancing energy efficiency, businesses can significantly boost their profits. This article highlights simple yet impactful methods to save on business electricity costs.   Unplug all device chargers when not in use Phone and laptop chargers still consume a small amount of energy, even when they are not plugged into the devices concerned. In fact, some people call them “vampire appliances” due to the fact that they continue to suck energy even when not in use. So, make sure all of your employees unplug chargers when they are not in use.   Switch off all devices when not in use In a similar vein to the above, if you don’t power down and switch off electrical devices when they are not in use, you could be adding hundreds if not thousands to your business electricity bill. A standard desktop computer uses about 0.1 kWh energy when it is on standby, which is about 1.4p. Not a lot, you may think, but when you times it by 100 computers used 5 days a week for 52 weeks a year, it amounts to £728 extra on your electricity bill, which you don’t actually need to pay!   Ask employees not to use screensavers Most people don’t realise this, but screensavers are far less energy efficient than actually applying proper powers settings.   Turn the heating down This is usually the first thing business owners do when they are trying to save money on business energy because even just turning the heating down by 1 degree can have a hugely positive effect on your business energy bill.   Make sure you are on the right business electricity tariff Lots of business owners don’t realise that they are actually paying more for their business energy than they need to as they are on the wrong tariff. Let D-ENERGI compare business energy per kWh for you to make sure you are not spending way more than you should. Get a quick quote online today.   Install smart lighting We all know that switching off the lights when we leave a room can save money, but many of us just forget to do that. If you install motion-sensitive lighting in areas such as corridors and toilets, you remove the human element from this action altogether and save money in the long run.   Fix dripping taps immediately All dripping taps and leaks should be instantly fixed, as the cost of repairing them will be far less than the hike in your water bill should you leave them unfixed.   Encourage your employees to be energy efficient champion The best way to save business energy in your workplace is to get your employees involved to help you along. You could even nominate an energy efficiency champion to take charge and encourage other people to get involved as well.   Compare business electricity with D-ENERGI to find the most competitive prices and rates in the UK.

In today’s energy-conscious world, businesses are seeking solutions to optimise their energy consumption, smart meters have been designed to track business’ energy usage patterns, provide accurate meter readings and a visual representation of real-time energy usage. They are the ideal solution for businesses to gain control over their energy consumption, and find solutions to reduce business energy bills.   Progress in rolling out smart meter Starting in 2011, the smart meter rollout began. According to the government statistics, in smaller, non-domestic sites (such as micro and small businesses) 145,900 smart and advanced meters were installed by all energy suppliers. This is a 48% increase on 2020.   As smart meter installations continue across the country, gas and electricity suppliers now have binding annual targets to achieve to ensure all their non-smart customers have smart and advanced meters installed by 2025.   Are people reluctant to install smart meters?  Although these figures are suggesting an uptake in smart meter installations, the majority of these meters are still yet to be installed.   This may be because there are several misconceptions surrounding the use of smart meters. A commonly asked question regarding these devices is whether or not they use more electricity.   Although it is true that your small device uses your electricity supply for power, the very small amount that it does use, does not counteract the benefits this device provides. In fact, there is no additional cost for the installation of your smart meters. You won’t have an extra charge on your energy bill because you chose to have a smart meter.   How do smart meters work? Smart meters work by measuring your business gas and electricity usage and sharing this data directly with your energy supplier. This means no more electricity or gas meter readings needs to be submitted. The smart meter does all this for you, sending accurate and regular readings to avoid estimated energy bills. A smart meter does not require internet access, instead they use the secure smart data network to share information about your energy usage. The system of which this works can be compared to how other wireless systems and devices use radio waves. Smart meters can be used in replacement of traditional meters, such as prepay meters.   Your smart meter comes in two parts: the smart meter and digital display. The smart meter will be fitted where your traditional meter is housed, while you can choose to place your digital display in an accessible place. This accompanying digital display will give you access to data about your business electricity or gas usage. This will help you to manage your business energy usage, with the intention of helping you save energy usage and save money on energy bills.   Smart meters for small businesses  As small businesses feel the pinch of the rising cost of living, business owners are regularly seeking new tips and advice for saving energy costs.   One way to do this is to pay closer attention to monthly bills and to find ways to reduce these costs, if possible. In a study by Smart Energy GB, 72% of small business owners have already made the switch to a smart meter or are considering doing so to manage their energy use.   It is simple to request a smart meter for your small business, if you haven’t done so already. Our regulator OFGEM has made it mandatory to categorise businesses we supply into 2 categories referred as either micro business or non-micro business. As a D-ENERGi customer you have a choice of between two types of smart meters. These are an AMR meter or a SMETS2 meter. Both of which will offer similar benefits, although we do recommend referring to our handy comparison table here, to familiarise yourself with these devices and to find the meter that is better suited to your requirements. Each type will help you better understand how your business uses energy.   AMR smart meters – you can gain a better understanding of your energy consumption. That can help you reduce the amount of energy you use. And that can help to lower your costs and reduce your carbon footprint. Your AMR smart meter sends your meter readings remotely. So you’ll benefit from accurate bills based on your actual readings, rather than an estimate.   SMETS2 smart meters – give you all the same benefits of AMR meters. These include remote meter readings, accurate billing without the need for estimates, plus access to your energy data. You can view your energy consumption in near real-time.   Whether you’d prefer AMR or SMETS2 smart meters for your business, do not hesitate to get in touch with our friendly Customer Services team at 0800 781 7626.   If you are yet to be D-ENERGi customer and your business energy contract is approaching its end, take the opportunity to compare business energy prices and secure a better deal. Get your free quote today.