ENERGY
Tackling your energy use is one of the quickest ways to save money. Cut your overheads and reduce emissions with a few simple steps.
Your first priority should be energy efficiency - reducing the amount of unnecessary energy you use, through improved energy management as well as fabric insulation measures. Second, is switching to clean electricity, and ideally installing low-carbon solutions like heat pumps and solar panels to generate your own power and heat and gain energy independence!
If you're a supplier you'll need to start to report on your energy use (Scope 1 & 2), and how you're reducing it. So get started today and don't risk getting de-prioritised!
Get A FREE Energy Survey - To help businesses understand their usage the Sustainable Business Network has been offering FREE energy assessments. Register you interest here.
QUICK WINS
Switch to a green energy supplier
If your energy spend is large enough (>50,000 kwh/year), ask a specialist energy broker to find the best deal for you. B-Corp, Big Clean Switch, specialises in sourcing competitively priced green energy for businesses (they’ll also quote for non-green tariffs). Email them your details quoting ‘Surrey Sustainable Business’ to get a 5% discount on standard broker fees.
Use a Shutdown Checklist
Tesco saved 6% energy across all its smaller stores in Scotland by introducing a shutdown checklist. No matter what type of business, making sure everyone knows what has to be done at the end of the day saves money.
CASE STUDIES
Cost savings from a 7KW solar system and 10KW battery:
"We haven't paid Octopus Energy anything since March and are in Credit. With luck, we won't have anything to play for our electricity bill until November 2023... The payback, if prices stay the same, will be 3-4 years." Rebecca, Switchfoot Accounting
The installer followed outdated MCS guidance and didn’t install panels within 1.5m of the roof edge. Luckily, we were able to look up government guidance directly and didn’t need specialist skills. We signed a waiver of responsibility and got an extra 12.4 kW or 32 panels while the scaffolding was up.
Practical Guidance on Energy Saving
Know Your Appliances: If it heats, cools, or has a fan there’s a pretty good chance it’s a high-energy user. Make sure these devices are A-rated or higher for energy efficiency. Compare appliances via Sust-it.net and shop around for the best deal.
Get the Defaults Right: Space heating and cooling is a major source of energy spend - make sure your default settings are correct for the season (19°C winter & 24°C summer) and you’ve insulated everywhere possible.
Are You A Tenant? - From 2027 all leased business premises must have an EPC rating of C or above. You can swap to LED lightbulbs and draught proof to maximise bill reduction but you may need your landlord to do more. Nominate your business premises landlord with their name & contact details to take action here.
Owner / Landlord? Insulate those roofs, walls & floors, and upgrade to modern double or even triple glazing to boost your EPC rating. Only when you’ve upgraded the building’s thermal envelope are heat pumps and installing solar going to secure net rewards.
If you’re investing in Solar, don’t get shortchanged! Tannery Lane Studios in Send added an extra 30 Solar Panels with a waiver, check out how here.
Energy saving installation & advice you can trust
If you're a Micro-SME (< 10 FTE) the Sustainable Business Network can offer you a FREE energy assessment for your workplace. Email us with your address so we can check your eligibility.
At home, you can embed these top tips from the Energy Saving Trust. Check your eligibility for one of Zero Carbon Guildford’s free energy surveys.
WHERE CAN I GET FINANCIAL HELP?
Government support for energy measures comes in tranches, so keep checking back for updates:
Rural Prosperity Fund (Gfd, Wav, MV & Tan)
SDGs
Reducing energy use and exploring clean energy generation is one of the most impactful ways you can build on your SDG goals.
Industry is around 25% of emissions in our urban areas, and energy is a major contributor in most sectors
Key infrastructure is vital, but so is innovation via industry & academia - or a partnership of the two!
Decarbonising energy systems is a critical step for healthy, sustainable towns & cities
Cutting you energy consumption makes a huge contribution to global climate action.