How To Improve Your Business’ Electricity Bill

steps you can take to reduce your energy bills this winter.Most small business owners will agree that their most unpredictable bill is energy costs. Unfortunately, due to increased demands, supply shortages and the conflict in Ukraine, this is still a huge concern for businesses across the UK. But don’t worry, there are steps you can take to reduce your energy bills this winter.

HOW CAN I SAVE ON ENERGY COSTS IN THE OFFICE?

There are a few ways that you can save electricity for your business this winter, and most can be done with minimal disruption to your office. It’s not a secret that energy costs are rising, so it’s extremely likely that your staff are already taking some of these steps at home!

Below are some of our favourite and most effective tips on how to save energy for your business this winter.

1. ENCOURAGE YOUR EMPLOYEES TO PRACTICE ENERGY-EFFICIENCY

As mentioned, the rising cost of electricity isn’t just hitting employers but will also affect your employees. Chances are they are already taking steps at home to reduce their own energy bills, and encouraging that behaviour at work can help reduce yours.

Get your staff involved from the start, ask for their ideas and opinions and challenge them to come up with innovative solutions to save energy. It might even be beneficial to assign someone as an ‘energy champion’ who is responsible for the upkeep of energy-efficient practices in the workplace.

2. GET AN ENERGY AUDIT

An energy audit can help you fully understand the efficiency of energy usage in your office. It will help you outline ways in which you can minimise energy waste and helps you save money!

In addition to saving money, by reducing your energy consumption, you can also help reduce your company’s carbon footprint and improve your CSR efforts.

Once you’ve got a better understanding of where your energy is being used and wasted, you can take steps to resolve this.

3. TURN OFF LIGHTS WHEN NOT IN USE

This might seem like an obvious one, but it’s suggested that by turning off lights when not in use, you could save up to 19% on your monthly energy bill. That’s a big saving at the tip of your fingers.

Alternatively, you could look at installing PIR sensors. PIR sensors switch on when they detect heat and movement and could massively help reduce energy costs. These lights will turn on when a person enters the sensor range by detecting infrared waves emitted by the individual. When the person moves out of range, the infrared waves are no longer received, and the lights will turn off automatically.

Also, consider installing energy-efficient lightbulbs. It’s one of the easiest energy-saving ideas in the workplace. Switch out your incandescent bulbs with energy-efficient bulbs such as CFL or LED.  Lighting is often the first thing businesses change when looking to save energy, and LEDs have become the go-to upgrade.

4. REMOVE PHANTOM ENERGY

Phantom energy is energy that is still being used by your equipment even when not in use. A great energy-saving tip for this is to have all your equipment connect to power strips (surge protectors), so they can all be turned off at the flip of a single strip.

5. INVEST IN SOLAR

This tip may seem daunting but in reality, investing in solar for your office is a great and very feasible solution. Solar can greatly benefit your business, whether you’re an international business or SME.

While converting to solar energy is attractive, you must consider how beneficial this conversion will be for your business. So whether you’re using it as a primary energy source or a backup, your business enjoys far-reaching benefits. You can read more about those benefits here.

Not only can installing solar panels reduce energy costs, but it is also environmentally friendly. It boosts your reputation as a sustainable and responsible company and demonstrates your willingness to reduce your carbon footprint.

But it’s expensive, right? Actually, no, not really. Solar systems come in many different forms but in most cases, and depending on the system, they will usually start paying for themselves between 3-10 years. If you want to take your first step in installing solar, contact us today.

You can also install battery storage in your commercial property. These batteries store surplus energy generated by your solar panels so you can use it when needed. Not only will this save you money, but it also means that your business will remain operational even when there is a power outage. Batteries tend to use hybrid inverters that create a DC-coupled system. These systems require less conversion of energy generated from your solar panels, which results in better energy efficiency and, therefore, more energy generated for your business.

CONCLUSION

At Fusion, we’re experts in all aspects of commercial electrical work.

From electrical installations to regular electrical maintenance, our fully qualified commercial electricians have the experience to ensure that your facility is safe, efficient and compliant.

We’ve provided just about any and all electrical services, from upgrading electrical wiring and data cables in a prison to providing a complete electrical installation for a new retail facility. We’ve even worked on conservation projects as specialists in solar power.

If you’re looking for help improving your commercial electrical efficiency, contact us today.