How Does Business Electricity Pricing Work?
Business Electricity Bills can be astronomical, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Here at Smarter Business, we live up to our name by helping you to find the best prices* for your utilities. That allows you to use those savings to grow your business further instead.
How We Can Help You Reduce Your Energy Costs
Here at T Marketings, we help you run your business in a smarter way by driving down your energy costs. We have been assisting businesses across the UK to find the best business electricity deals for their own unique needs for years, helping them to save thousands of pounds. With our intervention, our loyal customers have switched electricity providers and saved so that they can divert that extra money into more important aspects of their business, rather than spending it on utilities.
Understanding Business Electricity Pricing
A number of factors affect business electricity prices, regardless of whether you’re running a small business or a large enterprise. While the wholesale energy costs tend to be lower for businesses, they typically consume far more energy than the average household would. In addition, other factors contribute towards bigger bills for businesses, such as a higher rate of VAT charged and environmental levies. These all impact on the total price, but there are often significant savings to be made if you understand business electricity pricing and know how to evaluate which is the best deal for your company’s unique circumstances.
So, what makes up the total electricity price that businesses pay?
- Wholesale energy cost or raw energy cost
- VAT charged at 20% (domestic customers pay at 5%)
- Transmission or distribution cost
- Unbilled volumes or losses
- Environmental costs or levies, like the Climate Change Levy (CCL)
- Operating costs of the supplier, TPIs (broker), and metering expenses
- Supplier’s profit
By the time your utility bills reach you, these costs have already been added.
The wholesale costs businesses pay vary between providers in part because it depends on how much electricity they have to route to their clients. As with any other wholesale business, the more electricity is bought, the lower the business electricity prices per kWh will be.
The network costs also cover transmission and distribution. The main provider takes the burden of transmitting electricity where it needs to be sent, equating to additional costs in terms of maintenance and operational expenses.
As for the environmental costs, these are mandated by the government for a good reason. It’s businesses’ responsibility to adopt more sustainable practices. Environmental levies help energy providers become more responsible in their own practices as well.
Other costs include taxes and other operating costs involved in suppliers transmitting energy to your business.
Our Practices
With our help, you can make your business practices more sustainable while also improving your financials by saving on electricity costs. Here are just some of the many ways you can save on energy costs while growing your business:
Switch to energy-efficient appliances
Did you know that a single LED light only uses 5 watts to give out the same amount of light that a halogen does at 30 watts? That’s an 85% decrease! In some cases, businesses opt not to switch to more energy-efficient equipment, simply because the initial outlay appears to be more expensive. But bear in mind that buying such appliances and equipment is a one-off cost. If you compute the amount you will save over the longer term, the benefits will become apparent.
Make sustainability part of your business practices
Even more than the kind of equipment you use, the way that you and your employees use energy matters. Many employees are not aware of the impact of their actions, especially when it comes to your business’s energy usage. When businesses become more intentional about sustainability, they contribute not just to their own financial health, but to that of the earth as well. Including simple yet sustainable practices in policies, like shutting down office equipment and other electrical fixtures when not in use, really can make a difference.
Perform regular energy audits
Energy audits give you opportunities to further reduce your overall energy usage. You may have the right intentions, but it’s less effective to transition into energy-efficient practices without knowing the current state of your business’s consumption and practices. After an energy audit, you will be given specific recommendations that fit your business. This way, you can monitor the successes against the original baseline and be more sure that every step you’re taking is heading in the right direction.
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Interested in finding out how to get started?
Call us here at T Marketings at 0151-3451543 or email us at info@tmarketings.co.uk and let us know how we can help you. We have a wide range of services, including sourcing the best business electricity rates, all designed to help you grow your business in the smartest way possible.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Smart Ways to Minimize Business Electricity Usage
Here are some tips to lessen your business electric power consumption
Buy energy-efficient appliances
The smartest way to save energy is to invest in appliances that are made to do just that. Having energy-efficient appliances in your place will keep your power consumption at a minimum.
Make the most out of natural sunlight.
If your office has an area where the natural light comes in, then it’s better to take advantage of that than turn lights on. Natural light is also better for employees’ well-being.
Use fans instead of an AC system.
Shut your AC off a few days a week and use fans to keep the space cool. Offices, warehouses, showrooms, and kitchens can all benefit from this.
Hire in an energy audit.
An energy audit will keep track of electricity consumption and include professional advice on how to reduce it.
Top Common Uses Of Electricity In Business
Common appliances in a business that uses energy at business electricity rates include but are not limited to:
- Air conditioners
- Heaters
- Water heaters
- Office lights
- Printers, computers, and laptops
- Telephones, modems, and routers
- Dishwashers and refrigerators
- TV and game consoles
Tips on Getting the Best Business Electricity Tariffs
To source the best business electricity tariff:
- Check your current tariff so you can compare rates
- Find out when your contract ends to avoid being re-enrolled in a disadvantageous new one
- Decide how long you want your new contract to last
- Research new suppliers, including smaller suppliers and suppliers who are new to the market
- Read reviews on suppliers you’re thinking of using
- Check your business electricity profile class to ensure you’re signing up to the right tariff
- Understand your current usage and patterns of usage
- Check your business’s credit rating
- Pay by direct debit to save money.
If you don’t have the time or inclination to do all of the above, a professional energy broker can find you the best deal for your circumstances.
Do's and Don’ts When Switching Electricity Providers
What to look for when switching business power providers:
- The ease of transferring. Don’t accept a provider who offers a complex, lengthy transfer process.
- Avoiding common pitfalls. Look beyond low initial prices to what happens when this promotion expires. If costs spike, avoid the deal. Watch out for contract auto-renewal as this is also likely to be disadvantageous.
For an easy and stress-free switch of business energy provider that will save you money, request a quote from Smarter Business now. Our knowledgeable team of professionals will guide you through your transfer every step of the way.