Still missing out on savings
Analysis. The Energy Efficiency Financing (EEF) scheme, which is a joint venture between the Carbon Trust (CT) and Siemens Financial, has completed a study which looks at energy overspend. It concluded that the UK’s service sector is missing out on £414 million of potential energy savings each year. Of this, £82 million is lost by small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs).
Doing the sums. The numbers were generated by analysing proprietary data and figures provided by unnamed official sources. Each sector’s use of lighting, heating and hot water, cooling and ventilation and other areas of energy consumption were looked at.
How to cut the costs? First and foremost, if businesses want to keep their energy bills in check, they must use what equipment they have as efficiently as possible. Although messages about turning down thermostats by a degree, switching lights off in unused rooms, etc. have been circulating for years, many - especially SMEs - aren’t following this advice.
New technology. Unsurprisingly for an organisation that supports investments in green technology such as solar PV, energy-efficient motors, low-energy lighting, etc., the EEF is keen to suggest that having this new efficient equipment on your premises will help make a major dent in your energy bills.
Help to buy. One of the main reasons that businesses aren’t investing in new technology is because of the up-front costs. To get over this hurdle the EEF has created a number of financing options. These include finance deals, long-term lease plans, etc. (see The next step ). In addition, it can arrange a CT energy saving assessment to help you make the most of the available deals.
For a link to further information on Energy Efficiency Financing, visit http://tipsandadvice-environment.co.uk/download (EN 10.11.01).
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