Ways to reduce your business’s energy bill
Running a business is incredibly rewarding but it’s not without its challenges – and that’s before taking into account the soaring energy bills we’ve experienced over the past few years.
Proper energy management can be challenging. However, taking the time to reduce your business’s energy consumption can create significant savings and alleviate OpEx headaches.
To help you get started, we’ve put together a list of simple ways to reduce your energy consumption in order to save your business money.
First up the easy stuff
Even simple switched within a workspace can lead to ultimately significant energy savings. For instance, incorporating LED lighting across all areas of your premises can lead to a tidy reduction in energy costs.
A 10W LED bulb producing 700 Lumens will cost £3.60 a year to run (if switched on for 8 hours per day). That’s a saving of £20 per year, per bulb, compared to the equivalent 60W incandescent bulb producing the same Lumen count.
Similarly, better winter-warming practices will also provide beneficial savings. Much like in your home, insulation and double-glazed windows will help keep your operations premises warm when the temperature drops. But did you know that investing in a dehumidifier is another low-energy method of keeping your team warm? Cold air contains greater volumes of moisture and makes your body feel cooler.
If your business operations are not 24/7 then make sure to instil within everybody the practice of shutting down machines. Standby mode is a silent menace when dealing with energy usage. Besides, most modern machine come to life in mere seconds when switched on, so don’t let anyone tell you they need it on standby to start faster in the mornings.
Finally, and this is aimed squarely at us Brits, boil only what you need in the communal kettle. A government study in 2013 showed that the UK uses £68 million a year boiling kettles – and that was in 2013! Consider making a round of brews to reduce the number of times the kettle is used – just make sure everyone gets their correct tea order!
Now for the bigger steps
1. Switch your supplier
The Meerkats and opera man aren’t just saying it for the good of their health – there could be genuine value to be had by switching your energy provider at the end of your term. Make sure to stay informed of any subsidies and grants that your business may be eligible for too, in order to help keep costs down.
2. Get your equipment serviced regularly
With energy being one of the biggest outgoings for most businesses, the last thing you need is an undetected fault causing your OPEX to go through the roof. Preventing costly, energy-consuming faults starts with regular servicing and maintenance of your equipment. Schedule regular check-ups and replace consumable and worn parts to keep your machines and systems running at their optimal capacity.
Most manufacturers offer warranties and service plans for machinery, which can help you stay on top of any last-minute repairs and even prevent faults from occurring. But remember, it’s not just your factory machinery that can have costly faults. Goods from within your kitchen, computing equipment in offices, boilers, and heating equipment will also need to be checked and maintained regularly.
3. Could Off-Peak rates work for you?
Although only relevant to a handful of industries, it’s important to mention the reduced energy rates available overnight.
If your business operations are energy intensive – i.e. production, manufacturing, packaging – look into what measures you can introduce to take advantage of off-peak rates. Alongside any machinery that can be safely left to run overnight, off-peak times are ideal for installing computer updates, running dishwashers and charging equipment.
4. Generate your own electricity
Generating your own energy as a business can help you to save money on bills as well as boost your brand’s reputation for environmental awareness.
Depending on your chosen generation method, you may also have the option of selling any excess electricity produced back to the grid for an alternative revenue source.
Reality is, you’ll need to invest in appropriate equipment to generate your own electricity, and you may even need planning permission – but you’re likely to reap the benefits in the long term.
There are several popular options to generate electrical energy as a business, including wind power, , solar PV – potentially even hydroelectric. But the most reliable and consistent electricity source will come from installing a CHP engine on-site.
A CHP can operate 24/7 and follow site demand, so it runs and produces power when you need it at a fraction of the cost you would buy it from the grid supplier – click here to learn more.
At Helec, we will support every part of a business’s CHP journey – from an initial eligibility survey, to sourcing equipment, to installation, commissioning and future ongoing servicing. Generating electricity on-site will remove your reliance on the National Grid and, thereforeany fluctuations to the Ofgem business rate price cap.
Each piece of advice mentioned above will ultimately lead to reducing your business’s energy bills. Take heed and prepare your premises to make savings.