Useful Energy Links

Posted on July 31, 2012 by Emma

The Hub is here to provide you with business energy saving tips, information on how to switch energy suppliers, advice on how to find the details you need to compare prices and much more! Below is a list of resources and links which you may find helpful.

Business Energy Providers

Government & Legislation

Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC)

Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS)

Ofgem – Protects consumers by promoting competition and regulating the monopoly companies which run the gas and electricity networks.

Consumer Focus – Consumer Focus is the statutory consumer champion for England, Wales, Scotland and (for postal consumers) Northern Ireland.

Energy Ombudsman – If you have a problem sorting out a complaint with a gas or electricity (an energy) company, we may be able to help.

Energy Saving Trust – The Energy Saving Trust gives impartial, accurate and independent advice to communities and households on how to reduce carbon emissions, how to use water more sustainably and how to save money on energy bills. We work in partnership with government, local authorities, third sector organisations and businesses.

Carbon Trust – The Carbon Trust is a world-leading organisation helping businesses, governments and the public sector to accelerate the move to a low carbon economy through carbon reduction, energy-saving strategies and commercialising low carbon technologies.

Industry Bodies

Energy Services and Technology Association (ESTA) – ESTA, the Energy Services and Technology Association, is the UK’s leading Energy Management industry association.

Energy UK – Energy UK was established in April 2012 following a merger of the Association of Electricity Producers, the Energy Retail Association and the UK Business Council for Sustainable Energy.

Combined Heat & Power Association – The Combined Heat and Power Association (CHPA) is the leading advocate of an integrated approach to delivering energy services using combined heat and power and district heating.

National Energy Action – NEA is the national charity which aims to eradicate fuel poverty and campaigns for greater investment in energy efficiency to help those who are poor and vulnerable.

Energy Institute – The Energy Institute (EI) is the professional body for the energy industry, delivering good practice and professionalism across the depth and breadth of the sector.

Energy Networks Association – Energy Networks Association (ENA) represents the ‘wires and pipes’ transmission and distribution network operators for gas and electricity in the UK and Ireland.

Energy Intensive Users Group – EIUG is a single-issue lobby group which campaigns for secure industrial energy supplies at internationally competitive prices.

International Energy Agency – The IEA is an autonomous organisation which works to ensure reliable, affordable and clean energy for its 28 member countries and beyond.

National Grid – National Grid owns and manages the grids to which many different energy sources are connected.

National Grid Distribution Networks

National Grid Metering – National Grid Metering is a subsidiary of National Grid, providing metering services to around 17 million of National Grid’s gas meters within the regulated gas market.

Business Link – Business Link is government’s online resource for businesses.

RenewableUK – RenewableUK is the trade and professional body for the UK wind and marine renewables industries. Formed in 1978, and with 661 corporate members, RenewableUK is the leading renewable energy trade association in the UK.

Renewable Energy Association – The REA was established in 2001, not-for-profit trade association, to represent British renewable energy producers and promote the use of renewable energy in the UK.

GreenWise – An independent daily resource and information service for UK businesses that want to learn more about the opportunities and challenges of moving to a low carbon economy.

What Is The Fuel Mix Of Gazprom?

Posted on July 30, 2012 by Ollie

The Hub has looked at the fuel mix of eight business energy providers including the Big Six. Today we will look at the fuel mix of one of the newest business energy providers, Gazprom.

All energy suppliers have to provide a fuel mix disclosure showing how their electricity is generated and today The Hub will look at the fuel mix of Gazprom.

The majority of Gazprom’s electricity is generated by gas. Gazprom generates 49% of its electricity from gas, fairly close to the UK Average of 44%. The energy provider generates 36% of its electricity using coal, more than the UK Average of 29%. So the majority of Gazprom’s electricity is generated by coal and gas.

Gazprom generates 7% of its electricity using sources of renewable energy, almost the same as the UK Average of 8%. It only generates 5% of its electricity using nuclear energy far below the UK Average of 17%. It generates double the amount of electricity from other fuels – 4% as opposed to the UK Average of 2%.

Energy companies are quick to blame changes in wholesale gas prices for increases in both gas and electricity prices. Of the energy suppliers we have looked at so far most use more gas than any other fuel to generate electricity. This explains why both gas prices and electricity prices are so susceptible to changes in wholesale gas prices.

Solar Panels Cut Business Electricity Costs

Posted on July 30, 2012 by Ollie

A Scottish farmer has reduced his business electricity costs by installing solar panels on the roof of one of his poultry sheds.

Mr Ogg rears chickens and has invested in renewable energy to help reduce his business electricity costs and improve energy efficiency.

The farm, in Angus in the east of Scotland, has seven sheds of chickens and now has the addition of a 44.1kWP solar array on one of those sheds. The reduction in Feed-In Tariffs has not affected Mr Ogg because he uses all of the electricity generated on the farm and as such has significantly reduced his business electricity bill.

Mr Ogg said “We use our solar array to power our ventilation systems and for moving feed. Our demand peaks during the hottest time of the day, and hottest months of the year, which is when our 44.41kWp solar PV system is producing the most power. We use all the power that we generate, so our energy savings are considerable. The Feed-In Tariff will be reduced, so it’s not about generating income. For us it’s about boosting our efficiency and reducing costs”.

The panels have proved to be such a success that Mr Ogg says they are in the process of installing another 25kWP array on his pig unit.

One reason that Feed-In Tariffs have fallen is because installation costs and the cost of panels themselves have dropped, making it cheaper to consider solar as an option. This is really the whole idea of Feed-In Tariffs – to provide a subsidy until the costs of renewable energy fall.

Mr Ogg’s system was installed by Solar Technology. Managing director of the firm, Tom Morley, said “As installation costs have fallen, over its lifetime a solar PV system would pay for itself, regardless of any Feed-in Tariff. Installing a PV system fixes a proportion of your electricity cost, so helping insulate you against rising energy prices for the next 25 years. And of course, it will reduce the farm’s carbon footprint”.

DECC Reduces Business Energy Costs With Energy Efficiency Savings

Posted on July 27, 2012 by Kathryn

The Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) has improved the energy efficiency of its building which has been recognised with a new Display Energy Certificate (DEC) rating of C and at the same time reduced its business energy costs.

A building’s energy efficiency is measured using a DEC rating system which goes from A to G. A is the most efficient while G is least efficient.

The DECC moved into its new headquarters in the autumn of 2008 when it had a G rating. The DECC has worked on improving energy efficiency in the Whitehall Place building and the new rating shows how much it has improved over almost four years.

The Minister of State for Climate Change, Greg Barker, said “The new higher DEC rating of “C” represents a great achievement for the Department over the last four years. Only 23% of commercial buildings are rated C or above. Since 2008, the Department has cut its HQ building’s energy consumption by 60% and slashed carbon emissions by half. This is even more impressive when you consider that staff numbers in the building have risen since DECC took it on”.

He added “With the right commitment, large organisations can make a big difference to their overheads and to their environmental impact, and DECC’s achievement is proof of that”.

The DECC estimates to have saved around £156,000 between 2011/2012 on energy bills and predicts further savings for the year 2012/2013.

So how has the DECC managed to reduce its business energy bills? The Department has implemented a number of energy efficiency measures including occupancy controls on lighting, it’s installed intelligent boiler load optimisation control units to two gas fired boilers and installed variable speed drives to supply fans.

The Hub has provided a number of energy saving tips for businesses over the last few months and lighting controls feature frequently as a way of reducing business energy costs. Take a look at other ways to save energy at work and let us know if you have any of your own suggestions.

The DECC hopes to make further energy efficiency savings in the future but admits it will be much more difficult because all the easy and quick ways of saving energy have already been implemented.

What Is The Fuel Mix For Opus Energy?

Posted on July 26, 2012 by Ollie

All energy suppliers have to let consumers know how their energy is generated and they do this by publishing a fuel mix disclosure.

Here on The Hub we have already looked at the fuel mix for all of the Big Six energy providers and last week we looked at the fuel mix for Haven Power. Today we will look at another business energy provider, Opus Energy. We will use data which takes into account all sources used by Opus to supply electricity.

The majority of Opus Energy’s electricity is generated by gas. Of the energy companies we have looked at so far Opus Energy uses the largest proportion of gas to generate electricity. While npower generated 60% of its electricity using gas and British Gas generated 57% of its electricity from gas, Opus Energy generates 64% of its electricity using gas. This is well above the UK Average of 44%.

Opus Energy generates 35% of its electricity using sources of renewable energy. This is significantly higher than the UK Average of just 8% and slightly more than Haven Power which generates 31% of its electricity from renewables.

Opus generates only 1% of its electricity from coal, again significantly different from the UK Average of 29% and only Centrica comes close, using coal to generate 11% of its electricity.

We said last week that if your are looking for a business electricity supplier with a high proportion of green energy then Haven Power could be the supplier for you. However, you may decide Opus Energy is your preferred supplier.