Buying energy in bulk can help SMEs reduce their energy bills
Saving money on energy bills should be a top priority for every thoughtful manager, especially since energy expenditure represents the main overhead (second to salaries) for many companies across the UK.
While most companies have to set aside a part of their available budgets in order to implement various energy efficiency measures, some local authorities also try to help out, and that’s exactly the case with Brentwood Borough Council, who’s trying to help SMEs established in its London area reduce energy bills by buying energy in bulk with others.
The scheme is managed by independent energy consultant Energycentric and energy supplier Opus Energy is providing the discounted rates, a news report on the matter was able to reveal.
As part of the scheme, businesses can get extra services from Energycentric including monitoring of energy consumption, a cloud-based system enabling organisations to shut down computers at night remotely without loss of data, discounted boiler care packages and liaison with an energy specialist on their bills.
Councillor John Kerslake, chair of the Performance and Resources Committee and spokesperson for finance and procurement at Brentwood Borough Council adds: “Businesses are always looking for ways to manage costs and overheads better, so this scheme is a great alternative to the conventional way of buying energy and actively supports the army of SMEs that are vital to our borough.”
Energy bulk buying schemes certainly have their merits but, unfortunately, they’re available to a relative small number of SMEs.
SME owners who’re particularly worried about the adverse effects energy price hikes might have on their bottom lines should seriously consider investing in a high-end solution designed specifically to help them optimize their energy consumption, and this is specifically where the HeatingSave Building Energy Management System could help.
By using data coming from a variety of sources (boiler flow and return sensors, internal and external temperature sensors, occupancy sensors, humidity sensors, etc.), HeatingSave optimizes a building’s boiler-based central heating system and helps customers save anywhere between 20 and 30%+ on their bills.
HeatingSave is also approved to work and save fuel within the Energy Technology List, which is managed by the Carbon Trust on behalf of the Government. It is also approved by the Department of Energy & Climate Change and the Energy Savings Trust and was specified by the Building Research Establishment for the energy efficient homes retro-fit program, called The Greenhouse Project.
