Little power, big punch

Saving what?
Whether it’s a home owner or a business owner, everyone has to pay the monthly energy bill; and from the look of it, small businesses are the ones that can have a considerable dent in their earnings by the amount of energy consumed in a small office. A refrigerator alone can put in a major punch to dent the earnings sheet. Add in an air conditioner, a coffee maker and the regular lights, not to mention the machines involved – even computers consume electricity.

The meteorically rising costs of everyday fuels are certainly of concern to the small business owner. Managing small business energy is where energy service providers are stepping in, to give an accurate picture of the energy consumed and also recommendations to improve energy consumption.

Taking the hit
The best way to reduce small energy business costs is to get help! Energy professionals around the world are available as service providers or consultants to help in making the organizations energy efficient. Audits by a consultant or maybe, self-audit, using online tools can be a big help to prioritize small business energy. There are several online calculators out there to help business owners with this. The next step would probably be to go out and buy some new equipment for the place. The replacements will mostly provide expected results.

While these costs are only within the building, a major part of consumption of energy could be through travel. Conventional fuels are required for travel and a simple two way trip to another office location could also put in a dent on the balance sheet. Adopting car pools or other mass transit options could be a way forward. Technology can be a big help here. Getting a webcam to conduct a meeting is possibly the easiest way out.

Punching back
Although all of the above are practical means, they can’t be achieved without some inside help. Educating employees on the importance of going green can be the best self-help available to the business owner.

In most countries, there is a tax credit or some sort of tax saving initiative for those willing to make their offices more green-compliant. Getting a tax credit or securing financial help from the government on going green or producing greener machines can pop the dent in the balance sheet back to normal. For small business owners, fighting small business energy costs along with providing for employee salaries can be a big fight. It’s only natural that they look for all the help they can lay their hands on.

Using modern technology and online analytics could be a step in the right direction for small business owners; so also, the use of renewable sources of energy. A simple solar water heater could save substantial costs in the long run as compared to paying a large amount each month.

Winning together
That said, it is still open to debate how much of these solutions will be adopted by developing countries the world over. Small business owners in countries like India could certainly do with a bit of help in reducing energy costs. But, behind every smoke riddled cloud of small business energy costs, there is a cleaner and more efficient silver lining of cost reduction and happiness.