Posts Tagged ‘Commercial Electricity’

Moving Premises? Make Sure you check the business electricity and gas contracts that might already be in place!

23 February 2012

With business rates rising in many towns and cities, an increasing number of businesses are looking to move premises. If you are doing that for your business, be sure that you check business electricity contracts are not already in place for the premises you are moving to – and indeed check the terms and conditions of the existing business electricity contract you have for your current building.

Whether starting a new business or starting your existing business afresh in a new location, it’s vital that you compare business electricity prices. Overheads such as business electricity and gas make a real difference to a business’s bottom line and it’s essential that you find the very best business energy prices from the start.

Barely a week goes by when business gas and business electricity prices are not in the news, more often than not horror stories about the prices of these essential commodities are ever increasing. To compare electricity prices from all of the energy companies out there is a time-consuming and frustrating affair and something you may not have time for with all the other factors you have to consider when starting or relocating your business.

That’s why using a business electricity price comparison service such as the Energy Advice Line could help.

The Energy Advice Line can save you time and effort as well as money when switching business electricity supplier, and can help you compare business electricity prices.

All of the Energy Advice Line’s prices for business electricity and gas are available on the company’s website, to guarantee complete transparency. Prices are checked regularly with business energy suppliers large and small to ensure that you get the very latest prices offered to you.

You can work through the process of comparing commercial electricity prices yourself via the Energy Advice Line website, or can call the company’s freephone number – 0800 915 1800 – and speak to one of the Energy Advice Line advisors, who will talk you through the process.

If you are switching from an existing supplier, the Energy Advice Line can also remind you of your contract renewal date, to make sure that you don’t end up being rolled over into a potentially expensive contract with them, and even offers via its website termination notices that you can serve on your existing energy supplier.

Visit the Energy Advice Line online for the latest news and views from the business energy market, along with advice on how to compare business electricity prices and switch supplier, and to see the very latest tariffs available for your business.

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Julian Morgan, MD Energy Advice Line
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Business electricity and business gas tariffs start to fall

12 January 2012

THE UK’s leading business energy price comparison and switching service for business has urged firms to be cautious amid reports of business electricity prices and business gas tariffs  falling in 2012.

Julian Morgan, managing director of the Energy Advice Line, said despite reports that energy prices could be slashed as part of a supplier price war,  business energy users should remain vigilant in a volatile energy market.

Recent reports have suggested that due to the mild winter, energy companies have abundant supplies of gas and therefore could afford to cut retail energy prices by as much as 10%.

Some smaller suppliers have already announced price cuts and energy regulator Ofgem has warned larger firms like British Gas that it expects them to pass on any such savings.

Business energy users, as well as domestic customers, would be expected to benefit from lower business gas and business electricity rates if commercial gas suppliers passed the savings on.

But Mr Morgan said firms should not assume that business energy suppliers would automatically lower commercial electricity prices or gas tariffs. He said it was still essential to compare business electricity and gas prices to get the best available deals on the market.

“Energy prices are still extremely volatile and firms should not assume their business energy suppliers will pass these savings on to them,” Mr Morgan said.

“In any event, rises and falls in energy prices take some time to flow through to business energy customers as most firms are on fixed-term contracts – prices fluctuations only kick in once these contracts come up for renewal.

“In a competitive market like this, where business electricity and business gas suppliers are fighting for market share, it’s actually more important than ever to compare commercial electricity and gas prices. It’s the only way to find the cheapest deals.”

Last week, Ovo energy became the second small energy company to drop tariffs for its 70,000 customers. British Gas chiefs are reported to be considering a price cut before its parent company Centrica announces its profit results this week.

The Energy Advice Line is a business electricity price comparison service that enables firms to compare the market for the best possible commercial energy deals at the touch of a button. The service has a team of business experts who can give advice about business energy contracts and how to avoid expensive contract rollovers.

For further information visit www.energyadviceline.org.uk

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Countrywide unveils green energy division

10 August 2011

Rural supply business, Countrywide, has launched a new green energy division aimed at farmers wanting to establish renewable energy projects.

The Worcester-based firm, which specialises in products and services for the rural community, announced the new service nine months after buying the specialist energy firm 7Y Services, saying it aimed to become “a leading farm and renewable energy company in the UK within 18 months.”

Countrywide’s renewable energy director, Julian Morgan, said with more farmers and rural homeowners looking for ways to avoid spiralling electricity costs, renewable energy systems, including solar, were increasingly appealing.  Mr Morgan runs a woodchip boiler, a wind turbine and solar energy system on his own Herefordshire farm.

“Our background in 7Y demonstrates we’re in this for the long term and we can actually demonstrate these technologies to farmers where we’ve established them already,” he said.

“And if introducing these technologies can generate an income stream as well, it’s even more valuable.

“We could be in a situation in three to four years where demand for electricity exceeds supply at some peak times. And it’s possible that energy could become very expensive at those peaks.”

Countrywide offers an advice, design and installation service and systems on offer range from biomass pellet boilers for domestic or commercial use, wood fuel supply, 100% green electricity or self-generation equipment.

The launch of the service coincides with the commencement in September of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme, which offers financial incentives to business energy users to install renewable heat technology including solid biomass, ground and water source heat pumps, solar thermal installations, biogas combustion and biomethane injection.

Proponents of RHI claim that it will help the UK reduce carbon emissions and achieve internationally binding renewable energy targets.

Energy regulator Ofgem has conducted a consultation process about how the RHI will operate in practice and, subject to parliamentary approval, the first RHI applications will be accepted at the end of September.

A spokesman for the Energy Advice Line, the UK’s first price comparison and switching service for businesses, said renewable energy technology, while worth considering, was unaffordable for many rural businesses that were struggling in a tough economic climate.

The spokesman said that one cost-free way for businesses to reduce their energy bills was to compare commercial gas and commercial electricity prices when their contracts came up for renewal, and to switch suppliers.

“Switching suppliers can be a completely cost-free way of substantially reducing business energy bills,” the Energy Advice Line spokesman said.

“Impartial services like the Energy Advice Line offer free independent advice, and enable businesses to compare the market and switch suppliers at the click of a button.”

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North-south divide on investment in energy efficiency

9 August 2011

Medium-sized businesses in the north of England will spend five times the amount on energy efficiency than their counterparts in the south east,  according to research by British Gas.

The utility company said there was a clear regional split in energy efficiency spending, with businesses in the north planning to outlay £4750 this year, while companies in the south east planned to spend just £750.

The countrywide average for spending on energy efficiency was £2958.

The survey of 900 medium-sized companies found that industrial businesses were most likely to spend more than £5000 on energy efficiency, while retailers and service sector companies were most likely to say they had no plans to spend money on monitoring and reducing their energy use.

The disparity in spending could be accounted for by the geographical concentration of the sectors in different parts of the UK, the report said.

For companies that had already invested in energy efficiency, new equipment or systems such as boilers were rated as the most likely method to have delivered a return on investment.

Kanat Emiroglu, managing director of British Gas Business said: “Rising Costs and growing legislative requirements for carbon reduction mean that businesses are facing huge pressures to become more energy efficient.

“These findings are encouraging as they suggest that despite tough economic conditions, many UK businesses are playing a long-game and investing in energy efficiency measures.”

However, he said there was still more work to be done, as the figures also indicated that 26% of retailers and 22% of business services did not plan to spend anything on energy efficiency.  This is despite the fact that a recent survey by energy supplier npower found that companies rated business energy costs as the major risk factor for their firm.

Moreover, recent research by Ofcom has revealed that many businesses that engage in energy efficiency programmes were doing so to lower their business energy bills, rather than to reduce their carbon footprint.

Julian Morgan, managing director of the Energy Advice Line, the UK’s first price comparison and switching service exclusively for businesses, agreed that all businesses needed to consider ways to become more energy efficient.

But he added that one simple and cost-free way for firms to reduce their commercial gas and commercial electricity costs was to use an impartial service like the Energy Advice Line to find the best available business energy deals.

“All businesses recognise that energy efficiency is important, but not all of them can afford to invest in equipment or technology to do this – for many, it’s a battle just to keep their business running in this tough economic climate,” Mr Morgan said.

“Comparing prices when it comes time for renewal and switching to a cheaper supplier can result in substantial savings for many businesses. And finding the best available deal from our panel of suppliers can be done at the click of a button.”

The Energy Advice Line website also offers energy saving tips, information about switching suppliers, and a free renewal reminder service to help businesses avoid being caught in expensive rollover contracts.

Medium-sized businesses in the north of England will spend five times the amount on energy efficiency than their counterparts in the south east, according to research by British Gas.

The utility company said there was a clear regional split in energy efficiency spending, with businesses in the north planning to outlay £4750 this year, while companies in the south east planned to spend just £750.

The countrywide average for spending on energy efficiency was £2958.

The survey of 900 medium-sized companies found that industrial businesses were most likely to spend more than £5000 on energy efficiency, while retailers and service sector companies were most likely to say they had no plans to spend money on monitoring and reducing their energy use.

The disparity in spending could be accounted for by the geographical concentration of the sectors in different parts of the UK, the report said.

For companies that had already invested in energy efficiency, new equipment or systems such as boilers were rated as the most likely method to have delivered a return on investment.

Kanat Emiroglu, managing director of British Gas Business said: “Rising Costs and growing legislative requirements for carbon reduction mean that businesses are facing huge pressures to become more energy efficient.

“These findings are encouraging as they suggest that despite tough economic conditions, many UK businesses are playing a long-game and investing in energy efficiency measures.”

However, he said there was still more work to be done, as the figures also indicated that 26% of retailers and 22% of business services did not plan to spend anything on energy efficiency. This is despite the fact that a recent survey by energy supplier npower found that companies rated business energy costs as the major risk factor for their firm.

Moreover, recent research by Ofcom has revealed that many businesses that engage in energy efficiency programmes were doing so to lower their business energy bills, rather than to reduce their carbon footprint.

Julian Morgan, managing director of the Energy Advice Line, the UK’s first price comparison and switching service exclusively for businesses, agreed that all businesses needed to consider ways to become more energy efficient.

But he added that one simple and cost-free way for firms to reduce their commercial gas and commercial electricity costs was to use an impartial service like the Energy Advice Line to find the best available business energy deals.

“All businesses recognise that energy efficiency is important, but not all of them can afford to invest in equipment or technology to do this – for many, it’s a battle just to keep their business running in this tough economic climate,” Mr Morgan said.

“Comparing prices when it comes time for renewal and switching to a cheaper supplier can result in substantial savings for many businesses. And finding the best available deal from our panel of suppliers can be done at the click of a button.”

The Energy Advice Line website also offers energy saving tips, information about switching suppliers, and a free renewal reminder service to help businesses avoid being caught in expensive rollover contracts.

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Green Deal Scheme to Save Money for Business

20 June 2011

SMALL to medium-sized firms will be able to access to up to £10,000 to improve their commercial energy efficiency under government plans to come into effect next year.

The Green Deal scheme, part of the Energy Bill 2010-2011, will work by allowing businesses to access Green Deal finance in the form of ‘green’ loans from accredited providers, and will operate on a pay-back-as-you-save basis.

Full details have yet to be announced by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), but it is believed that high street banks and the Carbon Trust are likely to be partners in the scheme. The Carbon Trust already offers interest-free loans to small businesses.

The aim of the Green Deal scheme is to enable businesses, as well as domestic consumers, to improve the energy efficiency of their premises in key areas including heating, lighting and insulation – at no up-front cost.

Eligible measures available to businesses under the Green Deal will be more flexible than those which will apply to domestic homes, due to the diverse nature of business premises and the commercial energy requirements.

Measures that may be eligible for Green Deal payments include the installation of, or improvements to: boilers, heating controls, mechanical ventilation, cavity wall insulation, draught proofing, innovative hot water systems, ground and air source heat pumps and water efficient taps and showers.

To qualify for a Green Deal payment, the expected financial savings resulting from installing a measure or a package of measures must be equal to or greater than the cost of repayment over the term of the Green Deal loan. The repayment period will be the lifetime of the measure, or a specified pay-back period.

“It’s a huge market opportunity for small and medium-sized businesses,” a DECC spokeswoman said. “Making energy efficiency improvements will produce big savings. By reducing their bills, firms will be protecting themselves from future price rises.”

In addition to reducing business electricity and gas bills by cutting energy consumption, the government claims the Green Deal will also create significant opportunities for small businesses in the energy, heating and building services sectors.

But critics have argued that further incentives will be needed to ensure that businesses and households take advantage of the scheme.

Rhian Kelly, director for business environment at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), Britain’s largest business lobby, said the Green Deal offered “great potential” for UK firms, but more detail was needed about how it would work.

“Businesses have reservations about whether people are going to buy into it. Without public understanding and enthusiasm for the scheme at its launch, it will be difficult to attract the initial investment.”

And Julian Morgan, Managing Director of online energy comparison service the Energy Advice Line said businesses could reduce their energy bills without the need for heavy investment.

Business owners who made sure they shopped around annually for the best energy deal were more like to pay less for their commercial electricity and gas than those who passively stayed with the same suppliers year after year, he said.

“We’re committed to offering businesses the lowest price and will always present the best available deals,” he said. “We’re also there for businesses throughout the term of an energy contract and offer a renewal reminder to ensure they have the freedom to choose the best available option at the end date.”

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Scottish Power raises gas bills by 19%

7 June 2011

Utility provider implements ’shocking’ 19% rise in gas prices and 10% rise in electricity prices, as consumers are urged to switch and fix

An article in today’s Guardian will have certainly rattled a few peoples cages predominantly in the domestic sector but as you read through these excerpts from the article I ask you to ponder the fate of British Business also facing similar price hikes in its business electricity and gas bills.
Read full article here
Scottish Power is to raise the price of domestic gas and electricity bills by 19% and 10% respectively from August 2011, blaming the increases on a rise in wholesale energy costs and volatility in global energy markets.
Scottish Power, which last increased prices in November 2010 – raising gas bills by 2% and electricity by 8.9% – said it will notify customers from 11 June, giving them at least 30 days’ notice before the price change is due to take effect.

Raymond Jack, Scottish Power’s UK retail director, said: “Wholesale prices for gas and electricity have increased significantly since the end of last year, and continuing unrest in global energy markets means future prices are volatile. We understand times are difficult for many people, and we have done what we can to absorb these additional costs for as long as possible to minimise the impact on our customers.

“The rising burden of non-energy costs faced by Britain’s energy suppliers – including the cost of meeting government environmental and social programmes and the cost of distributing electricity on the national grid – has also placed further upward pressure on energy bills .”

Last winter the big six energy suppliers all announced price rises, with E.ON adding 9% to electricity prices and 3% to gas prices, while British Gas raised both its gas and electricity prices by 7%. Scottish and Southern Energy increased gas prices by 9.4% and npower added 5.1% to gas and electricity prices. EDF raised electricity bills by 7.5% and gas by 6.5%.

“Suppliers say they have no choice when costs go up, but no one else really knows if energy prices are fair. When this affects the cost of keeping warm and well, it is not an acceptable state of affairs. Energy suppliers are in a deep, deep hole on consumer trust. Now would be a good time for Scottish Power and the others to stop digging deeper and show that they understand what their customers want – fair pricing, fair selling and fair treatment.”

Consumer group Which? argues that all energy tariffs should be structured in the same way so that customers can easily compare different deals. Executive director Richard Lloyd said: “This is yet another example of the ‘big six’ blaming the wholesale energy market for increases to domestic customers’ bills, but energy companies have a lot of work to do to convince consumers that energy prices are fair.

“Greater transparency about exactly what is driving retail price hikes might help persuade consumers that energy companies are playing fair.”

If they don’t play fair with the domestic user then what chance does the commercial electricity user have – all businesses can do is be aware and act now to save themselves stress and hardship in the future, by using the services of a business energy comparison site like energyadviceline.org.uk businesses could save them selves money and protect themselves from being trapped in punitive contracts.

A visit to the website enables a business owner to check their current rates against what’s available and commence the switch there and then should they wish to, so don’t relax, not for one minute and save some money on your business energy bills visit www.energyadviceline.org.uk or call 0800 915 1800

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Business electricity prices guaranteed in the future?

17 December 2010

Electricity prices are to be guaranteed to help encourage the private sector to invest in low-carbon electricity generation.

Energy Secretary Chris Huhne announced the plans as part of a range of proposals to encourage investment and secure Britain’s electricity supply, as well as to meet tough climate change targets. But what will the attempts to get the energy giants investing in low carbon generation – including solar power, clean gas and nuclear energy – mean for business electricity customers?

Under the proposals energy companies will have to pay for the carbon used in generating gas and electricity and the main worry is that these costs will be passed on to home and business electricity customers in the form of higher bills. The notion behind this move is that energy companies will be more inclined to invest in renewable energy sources.

Mr Huhne denied that the measures would cause massive price rises and said that domestic and business electricity customers would see smaller rises with the measures than without them.

He described the measures to the BBC as “a once-in-a-generation chance to lay the foundations for the sustainable economy of the future.”

Ofgem has previously predicted that bills could rise by as much as 25% over the coming decade.

David Porter, chief executive of the Association of Electricity Producers backed this up when he told the BBC: “Politicians and the regulator seem to recognise that the huge cost of doing this will push up customers’ bills.”

While many of the stories focus on the impact these measures could have on domestic electricity bills, it’s important that business electricity customers are not forgotten – commercial electricity prices will rise too.

While these measures go out to White Paper stage, as a small or medium sized business owner you should remember that there are several different business electricity tariffs available and it always pays for businesses to shop around.

Energy Advice Line is a business electricity and gas adviser that can help you to find the best deals for their business electricity.

Contact Energy Advice Line today to see how they can help your business save money on commercial electricity prices.

You can read the full story at the BBC online: here

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Business energy customers await Darling’s budget

23 March 2010
The Conservatives plan to incentivise energy suppliers to store gas and electricity in reserve.

The Conservatives plan to incentivise energy suppliers to store gas and electricity in reserve.

Small business owners will be watching Alistair Darling’s budget closely tomorrow in the hope of some announcements that will help them continue on the road to economic recovery. One announcement that will be music to the ears of many SME owners will be new bank lending targets that mean Britain’s state-backed banks, Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group, will be forced to make more than £80bn credit available to UK businesses. However, both banks have already confessed they will miss previous lending targets set for them because many businesses have paid down loans.

Speaking to the BBC, Chancellor Darling described the forthcoming budget as “sensible.” This means that, despite the imminent general election, there are unlikely to be any headline grabbing announcements about supporting businesses.

Of course, with the election now a matter of weeks away, it’s debatable how much of the budget will be actioned. Even if Labour return to power after the election (widely rumoured to be May 6), according to the BBC report it’s practically a given that Ed Balls will replace Darling as chancellor.

Meanwhile, in a move welcomed by business energy customers, the Conservatives have announced a 12-point green energy plan that will be introduced should they win power. This is the biggest shake-up of the UK energy market since the 1980s, and includes a commitment to force firms to provide sufficient gas and electricity supplies.

By using incentives, David Cameron said, this would guarantee the security of energy supply even in harsh winters like the one just passed, when many domestic and business energy customers worried about the prospect of cuts and excessive costs.

Commercial electricity and commercial gas customers fear they will have to bear the brunt of any disruptions to supply, as many business energy contracts are “interruptible” contracts that mean supply can be disrupted or disconnected during a shortage. This happened to many businesses last winter.

Renewable energy promotion also featured prominently in the Conservatives’ announcement, which included a Green Investment Bank to attract private funding into the renewable energy market.

Both main parties support both nuclear and renewable energy, while the Liberal Democrats have a green energy focus. Business energy customers should be pleased that all parties are aware of how important secure and affordable energy is to all customers – for both private and commercial energy.

Business energy customers await the budget announcements with anticipation. Whatever is announced tomorrow, it’s always worth shopping around for your business gas and business electricity. By seeking advice from an independent service such as Energy Advice Line, you can save time, money and hassle on your business energy overheads.

Read the BBC stories about Alistair Darling’s budget plans.

Read the Daily Telegraph story about bank finance.

And read about the Conservatives’ energy overhaul at Let’s Recycle.

Picture credit: Gas Works by Pavel Tcholakov from Flickr.

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