Managing the shocking rise of energy costs

The massive rise in the cost of electricity and gas has been making headlines for months and continues to do so. When the time comes to renew your contracts you must expect a two or three fold increase.
With no end in sight to the issues affecting the energy market it makes sense to take a while to examine how energy is used within your organisation, where its being wasted and what can be done to improve energy efficiency.

The massive rise in the cost of electricity and gas has been making headlines for months and continues to do so. When the time comes to renew your contracts you must expect a two or three fold increase.

With no end in sight to the issues affecting the energy market it makes sense to take a while to examine how energy is used within your organisation, where its being wasted and what can be done to improve energy efficiency.

My business has been working in the energy industry for nearly 12 years and in that time we’ve seen how things can go wrong and how much it can cost when they do.

So, the first thing to do is look at your electricity and gas contracts and check the contract end dates.  At the same time check to see if you will need to send a termination notice to allow your contract to move to another supplier when it expires.  These rules are changing in October 2022 but between now and then you’ll need to make sure you comply with the supplier’s requirements.

Next is to go through your bill with a fine-tooth comb.  Some bills are very simple to understand and others, especially for ‘half hourly’ electricity meters, are more complicated.  If in doubt contact your broker or send them to info@switchedonsavings.com and we’ll check them for you.

It’s also very important to make sure you are putting in regular meter readings.  If you have a smart meter or half hourly meter it will do it for you but if your bill states ‘estimated’ against the readings then it’s time to submit a reading to make sure you’re only paying for what you use.

If you’re contract is due to expire in the next few months then get some indicative pricing for its renewal as soon as possible as you may need to use the information to adjust your operating budget.

Once you have clarity of your contractual position the next thing to think about is how you can become more energy efficiency and allow you to deliver the same quality of service with less energy.

An internet search will give you all sorts of advice but start with the easier task first such as

• Whenever possible turn off electrical devices and lights
• Changing as much lighting as possible to LED
• Check you heating thermostat and boiler controls
• Check the insulation of the building
• Check your double glazing units aren’t ‘blown’
• Encourage staff and residents to become involved in energy saving

These are useful starting points but there are many other subject to discuss.

I hope this brief introduction will give you food for thought and help you make some real, measurable reductions to your energy usage.

If you’d like more information please contact Tony Fisher at 0800 923 2000 or visit Contact Us – Switched on Savings – Commercial Energy Brokers