Top tips to help your business use less energy this Autumn

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With energy bills in the news, businesses of all sizes are keeping a close eye on how much they’re using day to day.

We know that small business owners are working flat out to keep their business running and might not think they have the time – or brain space – to start thinking about this.  However, there are some simple hacks out there which can help businesses limit their energy usage.

For instance, did you know that in a single three bedroom house, turning the thermostat down by one degree can save 10% annually, according to the Energy Saving Trust.  So, imagine what dialing down the temperature by one degree in your offices could do for your business.

Here are five more simple and effective ways for SMEs to reduce their energy consumption this autumn:

  • Let’s start with a straightforward one!  Don’t forget to switch off electrical equipment overnight
  • Identify and defeat draughts and install wall insulation to stop heat disappearing
  • Keep radiators, heaters and air vents clean to help them work more efficiently
  • Make sure your thermostat is working correctly to make sure your boiler isn’t generating more heat than it needs to
  • And consider a smart meter, which could help your business avoid spending more on energy than it needs to, by providing insights on how you’re using it 

Smart meters offer SMEs a range of benefits which could come in helpful at the moment. 

They could help make your budgeting and forecasting more accurate as you only get a bill for what you’ve used, and they could give you valuable insights into how your business uses energy, day, and night.  Plus, they automatically send readings to your energy supplier – so you shouldn’t have to. 

Firms with 10 employees or less could be eligible for a smart meter.  To find out more please click here https://bit.ly/3SSMRIm

You can also contact your energy supplier or broker.

Don’t let the soaring temperatures mean soaring energy usage for your business

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This summer we’ve faced scorching temperatures across the UK and Europe.

The recent heatwave has had a real impact on businesses who have seen energy usage increase with the need for additional air conditioning and cooling equipment to keep staff, customers, and products fresh.

After all, who’s going to want to come into a stifling shop or a boiling office?  And that’s before you start to consider the challenges of keeping your chilled products chilled and your frozen products frozen.

So, no matter what the weather’s like, now is the time to start thinking about how you can control your energy usage. Making small steps, like installing a smart meter, could help your business avoid spending more on energy than it needs to.

How can a smart meter help me?

If your business has been running fans or air-conditioning units 24/7 in the hot weather, you may be thinking about how much energy you’ve been using.  A smart meter could give you valuable insights into how your business uses energy, day, and night.

Smart meters can help your businesses take control of energy bills as they enable accurate, not estimated billing. This means that you will only pay for what you use, helping to take the stress out of business budgeting.

Add smart meters to your business cash flow strategy

Every business owner knows that cash is king, and this is as true in hot weather as it is in the depths of winter!  Installing a smart meter can help you closely monitor where you spend your money, helping with planning and projection of costs in the short, medium, and long term. They allow you to spend less time worrying about cash flow and more time running your business. 

How do I find out if I am eligible for a smart meter?

Firms with 10 employees or less could be eligible for a smart meter.  To find out more please click here: https://bit.ly/3e9uIGN

You can also contact your energy supplier or broker.

Offshore wind would not completely fill the energy gap

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Rachel Anderson, Assistant Director of Policy, latest column for the journal

I’m going to start this column by looking at the events of the past week.  It’s hard to avoid phrases like blow hard, hot air, pressurised, blades and nuclear option.  Now I know there are several things I could be talking about, but I can assure you none of what follows will relate to anyone’s current tax affairs, party investigations or the sound of knives sharpening in Westminster.

What I am talking about is the long-awaited Energy Security Strategy announced by the Prime Minister.  We’ve been waiting for decisions from Government for a long time and it feels as though “events” elsewhere have forced action.  Leaving aside the debates about where the fuel for our energy generation comes from, we have a looming energy gap in 2024 as old nuclear stations decommission and fossils phase out.  Whilst we’ve made real progress on renewables, there is still a gap & a cold, calm, cloudy day pushes us very close to demand outstripping supply.

So, what does the document say and how might it affect the North East? The main focus is on the Nuclear option and 8 new power stations built on existing sites. Building new reactors adjacent to existing means, the skills, a ready and experienced workforce and much of the tertiary equipment is already there. A small nuclear station like Hartlepool contributes approximately £50 million a year to the local economy.

The strategy skirts around onshore wind. It’s obvious that offshore wind would not completely fill the energy gap – it is very important and can be done at scale (with huge benefits to Tees and Tyne) but it is just not enough. Onshore wind is potentially the most egalitarian, everyone has it so has the potential to see a turbine from their kitchen window (I can see one from mine). That doesn’t go down well with very planning sensitive backbenchers.

There is an opportunity for a policy reset if onshore does return but it will be a heck of a political fight 2 years out from an election. There is also a boost here for the manufacturers and we have more capacity in the UK than previously so there is a dividend there.

Hydrogen has real potential both in terms of transport and retrofitting domestic and commercial as well as industrial uses. We have an expanding hydrogen manufacturing capability on Teesside with the potential to significantly scale up.

What is lacking is any indication of solid funding for this energy list, it’s a solid investment and it is not a quick fix.

Maybe buy a few more candles just in case.

A straightforward solution in a world which is anything but

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If the last couple of years has taught us anything, it’s that businesses need to expect the unexpected. 

A period of massive political and economic change has meant trading has been extremely difficult, in particular for small- and medium-sized firms, who will have seen their cash flow significantly hit.

Some certainty in uncertain times

Recent times have been anything but straightforward for businesses and many are looking for ways to take control of their finances. The good news is that getting a smart meter for your business is a small change that could make a big difference.

A smart meter allows businesses to wave goodbye to estimated billing by securely and automatically sending meter readings to your energy supplier.  That means that you receive accurate bills, rather than estimated bills, allowing you the certainly of paying for exactly what you are using.

Plus you can also wave goodbye to time spent submitting regular meter readings, allowing you to focus on bigger things.

Doing your bit for the environment

As Glasgow hosts COP26 this year it’s a good reminder of everyone’s responsibility to become more conscious of their environmental impact.  Regardless of whether your business has three employees, or three thousand, we all should be aware of how much energy we’re using, and a smart meter is a step in the right direction.  From the moment your smart meter is installed, you’re helping create a smart energy system which could ultimately help reduce all our carbon emissions.

A smart meter is a positive step in taking control of business outgoings and if your firm has 10 employees or less your business could be eligible.

To find out more please click here https://bit.ly/3nBStrW. You can also contact your energy supplier or broker.  It could be one of the best calls you make this week.

Seeking smart solutions for your business? Try a smart meter

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Smart meters are the new generation of gas and electricity meters. Businesses across Great Britain are already reaping the rewards by gaining better control of their energy bills. Are you ready to join them?

A smart meter can be an invaluable asset for firms in Legal services, Accounting and bookkeeping, Marketing consultancy, Architecture, IT services, and more.

Your company is innovative, trusted, responsible, and engaged so you need business solutions which are the same. The key to greater productivity is to work smarter, not harder. Estimated bills can be inaccurate and inefficient which means that you might be overpaying for the services you are using.

With a smart meter, you can continue to do what you do best, while your smart meter provides accurate bills without needing to provide manual meter readings. This saves precious time and energy to focus on your business priorities.

Firms with 10 employees or less could be eligible and installations can be arranged at a convenient time to ensure minimal interruption to your business and your clients. 

Click here to find out more about what a smart meter can do for your business – https://bit.ly/3CoYPkm

Contact your energy supplier or broker today and see if you are eligible.  

Do you have enough on your plate running a business? A smart meter could help

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Running your very own restaurant, coffee shop or bar might be a dream, but you are up against huge competition, and it can be tough out there.  For survival and success, you may want to consider the following:

  • Find your niche: small independents can compete with the big chains – but you need to find your USP.  How are you different?
  • Location is key: aim for areas of high footfall with few competing businesses nearby
  • Build the right team: you need to find great staff who can deliver outstanding customer service – you can’t do it on your own
  • Pick your suppliers carefully: your customers will only turn into regulars if you’re offering quality food and drink
  • And finally, don’t forget your bottom line: you also need keep an eye on regular outgoings such as your energy bills

Energy is a key expense for small catering businesses which makes it a crucial area for these businesses to save money and take control of their finances.  Smart meters could give businesses additional visibility over energy use and costs to make it easier to identify where changes and savings can be made.

In addition, sustainability is a key focus for many businesses across Great Britain – the smart meter rollout is predicted to reduce CO2 emissions by an estimated 34.4m tonnes – so by getting smart meters installed in your business you’re helping achieve this, making your business that bit more sustainable.

Your smart meter works as hard as you do

Running an independent coffee shop, bar or restaurant is a round-the-clock job and supplying your energy readings is often not a top priority.  Smart meters send your gas and electricity readings directly to your energy supplier, saving you time to focus on other jobs.

Firms with 10 employees or less could be eligible and installations can be arranged at a convenient time to ensure minimal interruption to your business and your clients.

To find out more please click here https://www.smartenergygb.org/en/about-smart-meters/smart-meter-benefits-for-small-businesses?utm_medium=Email&utm_source=Newsletter&utm_campaign=Partnership&utm_content=North-East

Contact your energy supplier or broker today and see if you are eligible.

Could you trim, clip, and shave the costs of business energy bills with a smart meter?

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Hairdressers, beauty salons and other close contact services have made a welcome return in recent months, bringing much-needed services back to towns and cities across the UK.

While the impact of the pandemic is still being felt, business owners and managers have embraced the changes and adapted to new ways of working to protect their clients, their staff, their business and their bottom line.

Energy is a key expense for hairdressers, beauty salons and other close contact services which makes it a crucial area for these businesses to save money and take control of their finances.

Anyone who manages a business knows the importance of embracing changes, both big and small. A small change like switching to a smart meter could make a big difference to your business.

Now more than ever, it is important for business owners to know how much they are spending to keep track of unnecessary energy waste or additional costs.

A smart meter could give businesses additional visibility over energy use and costs to make it easier to identify where changes and savings can be made.

Mind the planet and your pocket

Sustainability is a key focus for many businesses across Great Britain and a smart meter is a step in the right direction, to help business owners and staff cut down on energy waste and make their business more sustainable.

A smart meter could help your business save energy, time and money

Working around clients’ schedules means that time is precious for business owners. Smart meters send your gas and electricity readings directly to your energy supplier saving you time too! 

Firms with 10 employees or less could be eligible and installations can be arranged at a convenient time to ensure minimal interruption to your business and your clients.

To find out more please click here: https://www.smartenergygb.org/en/about-smart-meters/smart-meter-benefits-for-small-businesses?utm_medium=Email&utm_source=Newsletter&utm_campaign=Partnership&utm_content=North-East

How smaller retailers can avoid spending more than they have to

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The outlook is tough; however here’s one simple step to control your outgoings

We have all heard about how the high street is under immense pressure, with smaller retailers taking the brunt of the impact of challenging trading conditions.

The shift to online shopping, rising costs and the reduction of footfall in town and city centres have already heavily impacted the retail sector, and that was before the monumental impact of the pandemic which accelerated these challenges.

Small and medium sized shops and independent retailers are particularly feeling the brunt of these pressures, as they tend to have fewer resources and rely more heavily on regular cash flow.  And the light at the end of the tunnel may be some way off for a lot of retailers, as they struggle to reopen amidst complex restrictions.

The short term outlook is looking tough; however there are ways in which all business can start to take control of their finances.

Running a retail business is challenging.  Here’s something which can help

Many businesses are looking for ways to save money and maintain a healthier bottom line. The good news is that getting a smart meter for your business is a small change that could make a big difference.

A smart meter can support businesses to take control of their energy bills as they enable accurate, not estimated billing– helping to take the stress out of budgeting.

Owning or running a small retail business is hugely exciting, challenging – and busy, and we are all looking for ways to work smarter not harder. Smart meters send your gas and electricity readings directly to your energy supplier so you don’t have to!

Manage your environmental footprint

It is also important to bear in mind that it’s everyone’s responsibility to become more conscious of their environmental impact.  Regardless of the size of your team, we all should be aware of how much energy we’re using and a smart meter is a simple way of doing this.

A smart meter is a positive step in taking control of business outgoings and if your firm has 10 employees or less your business could be eligible.

To find out more please click here https://bit.ly/3yYhQsi.

You can also contact your energy supplier or broker.  It could be one of the best calls you make this week.

How businesses can manage their cashflow as they start to reopen

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The impacts of the pandemic will be felt well into the future but for now, businesses are taking their first steps in gradually reopening.  Coffee shops and cafes are welcoming customers inside, hairdressers and beauty salons are switching on their lights and workers are starting to return to the office.

Despite these first steps, trading will continue to be difficult for small and medium-sized businesses, who will have seen their cash flow significantly hit and who need to take a firm control on what they are spending.

Smart meters enable accurate billing, helping to take the stress out of budgeting and putting you back in control. Plus, smart meters send your gas and electricity readings directly to your energy supplier so you don’t have to. Firms with 10 employees or less could be eligible and as a first step businesses should contact their energy supplier.

To find out more please click here