Are you a small business owner struggling with high electricity or gas bills? Want to reduce your electricity bill but don’t know which upgrades are worth the investment?

You’re not alone!

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have great energy-saving potential. Depending on the type of building or store, small businesses can reduce their energy bills by 10 to 30% through competitive pricing, simple efficiency improvements, and simple behavioral changes without sacrificing service or convenience.

As small business owners, we know how important it is to keep costs down. We also understand that most small business owners are being pulled in different directions. Finding the time to look for the right power-saving upgrade can be difficult.

To make the process easier, we’re sharing the top 10 energy-saving tips for small business owners. Not every suggestion is right for your own business, but every strategy has the potential to quickly reduce your electricity bill. Some upgrades require a small investment, but many are inexpensive to implement and accessible to all.

Energy Savings Tips for Small Businesses: Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs)

1.     Know your tariff

The world of operational energy supply has evolved significantly in recent years. There is no one-size-fits-all fee. Options can be customized to match your organization’s energy usage exactly. Your first responsibility is to know your plan and determine if it’s right for you.

First, you can order a smart meter from your current provider. In theory, the meter helps you manage your consumption and expenses, providing more accurate readings at any time of the day.

With Smart Meter, you can quickly run an energy audit to see how your energy consumption changes over the course of the day and over time. Then you can start determining if your current plan is correct. For example, if you use more energy in the evenings, early mornings, and weekends, will your bill be cheaper at night and on weekends? Smart meters also lower the estimate. Create accurate bills based on usage and see if you can save money during busy periods.

Businesses need to often set time apart to evaluate their strength contracts and make certain that they are getting the exceptional deal for their usage. By additionally checking their renewal date, organizations can make sure that they are not robotically enrolled on the incorrect tariff as soon as their settlement is up.

2.     Switch to a retail energy supplier

Getting good electricity and natural gas rates is important. If your business is in a deregulated market, you can switch from an energy supplier to a retail energy supplier for price protection, real cost savings, world-class customer support, and access to the latest technology.

Do your homework when choosing a retail energy supplier. Visit the provider’s website to see pricing and plan options. In addition to price quotes, look at the vendor’s creditworthiness, customer service, and technology offerings. Your best option is probably an established and financially stable provider that can meet your billing, service, and pricing needs.

3.     Lock-in flexible electricity and natural gas rates

Energy prices can fluctuate in the blink of an eye. Therefore, you need to make sure you have the flexibility to take advantage of price changes that are beneficial to your business. Better Rate by Beta Energy Direct allows small businesses to choose new electricity or natural gas rates at any time with no fees or penalties. As long as you have Beta Energy Direct, you can switch rates at any time, even if rates drop.

4.     Protect your business from energy scams

The Financial Fraud Research Center estimates that a whopping £10 to £15 billion are misplaced to fraud every year within the United Kingdom alone. Energy scams — or schemes that especially target small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and home users — account for a huge component of these losses.

You can shield your enterprise with the aid of using taking some precautions in opposition to strength scams:

• Know your application and strength supplier and
• Protect your private statistics

5.     Investigate the energy-saving grants which may be available

The UK government has put together some valuable resources to explore whether you can get financial support for your energy-saving efforts. Depending on where your business is located, your local government may also be able to help.

Beta Energy Direct and Carbon Trust are good places to start your search for ideas if you are determined to make a radical change in how energy is produced and delivered. Ofgem also has a website dedicated to energy-saving subsidies and program options.

6.     Use energy-efficient appliances and lighting

Every new appliance you buy should have an energy efficiency rating. You can test your reviews by visiting various websites. Everything needs an evaluation, whether it’s a commercial refrigerator or a laptop. The lower the energy consumption, the better and modern devices are in many ways more efficient. Look for an A+++ rating. The initial cost can be higher, but the overall energy consumption is much lower, resulting in increased savings over the life of the device.

When it comes to green energy bulbs, they use up to 80% less energy and are slightly more expensive than standard bulbs, but they last longer, so you should save money on two fronts.

You can also install a motion sensor to reduce your utility bills or consider dimming control. And why not make the most of spring and summer days by pulling the blinds and flooding your office, warehouse, or business space with natural light? Fresh air and sunlight can act as natural disinfectants.

You have to find a balance between making sure the air conditioning in your facility is working properly while making sure your team is working at the correct legal temperature. Using heating and air conditioning together can be expensive and wasteful, so it’s up to you to find the right balance after consulting the staff. As a rule of thumb, you only need air conditioning from 23 degrees Celsius.

7.     Take advantage of tax breaks and other incentives

A company can claim an investment tax credit (ITC) by using a solar power system. There are also numerous local tax incentives to invest in making your business more energy efficient, especially when you purchase energy-efficient appliances and equipment.

8.     Encourage your team to adopt good practices

Consider putting up energy-saving posters throughout your company. Some energy suppliers have service options on their websites that you can print or order. For retailers, good energy-saving practices can extend to their customers as well.

You can also suggest outfits for your team according to the season (appropriate weather). You may also consider eliminating the need to wear a suit when you have.

9.     Connect with other businesses

Your business is not alone when it comes to finding the best deals. Connect with other business owners in your community to learn about energy challenges, strategies and providers. Hear from these Beta Energy Direct customer success stories.

It’s been a challenging year economically and small businesses have been hit hard. Now, with energy prices on the rise, many are looking for ways to cut bills quickly. If you’re in charge of paying the energy bills in your business premises, Contact Us Today, for the best energy deals.