Is your energy company willing to help?
Keen to show that the sector has evolved, more and more energy companies are helping businesses to save on their fuel bills. So what can you expect of your energy provider?
A “changing marketplace”
“We don’t want our customers to have loads and loads of energy” says Michael Capper, one of EDF Energy’s business sales managers. “It’s much more sustainable for us to have more customers, using less energy.” The concept of energy providers encouraging their customers to use less of their product is hard to get your head around. But the marketplace is slowly changing. “Customer expectation has changed, so it’s not a case of the old fashioned, there’s your supply contract, we’ll send you a bill”, says Capper.
How are things changing?
Of course, energy companies still need to make money. So instead of just providing you with electricity, gas or, increasingly, renewably-sourced power, many of the big players are offering a number of consultancy services to help business customers save energy (see The next step).
Get a free health check
Most of the major energy firms now provide free energy audits, like EDF’s Energy Efficiency Toolkit. However, these are relatively simplistic, offering general advice and tips on how you can save energy. If you want to go further and make real savings, it’s probably going to cost you.
What’s on offer?
If you are a fairly big energy consumer, or you run multiple sites, it could be worth investing in a more detailed study of your energy use; that way you can see where best to concentrate your energy-saving efforts. You could opt for the Energy360 package from British Gas, for example. For a one-off fee (this will depend on the size and nature of your business), you get expert support as and when you need it from a dedicated energy manager, who will, among other things, produce a bespoke report on where savings can be made.
Example. The company recently saved the airport operator BAA around £136k a year and is currently guaranteeing to give you your money back if it fails to find energy savings of 10% at your business.
Online option
EDF’s EnergyView is similar - an online tool giving you in-depth consumption reporting that allows you to quickly identify areas of waste. It costs between £5 and £40 a year, depending on the level of sophistication you want. E.ON’s Energy Manager is another option.
So what to do?
On the face of it, your energy company could be your best friend when it comes to cutting your bills. However, what’s pretty obvious - and in all honesty to be expected - is that they’re not doing this out of the goodness of their hearts. Helping their customers is not only a potential money maker, it also provides a great PR opportunity.
Tip. We’re not saying that these services should be overlooked, far from it. It’s clear that following your energy company’s advice can help you to cut bills. However, before signing up do check all of the small print first.
For further information on the services offered by some energy providers, visit http://environment.indicator.co.uk(EN 05.01.02).
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