Moving to a cheaper, greener energy system

A recent poll of small businesses showed that nearly two thirds (*) of Britain’s small business owners and senior decision makers think it’s important for them to reduce their business’s carbon footprint.

From those polled, 58% said energy efficiency is at the forefront of their decisionmaking when they are buying new equipment or appliances, with 57% prioritising buying goods from local suppliers and over half (**) saying being a sustainable business is increasingly important to their customers.

With running costs remaining a concern for many small business owners, 65% agreed that better managing their energy usage and costs is a priority for them this year. One small step small business owners can take to help with this is to get a smart meter installed. They are the next generation of gas and electricity meters that are being installed in small businesses and households in Great Britain, replacing traditional meters. When it comes to running a business, even making small changes and improvements can make a big difference, whether it’s saving money or being good for the planet. Getting a smart meter can help owners to understand exactly how much energy they are using and help them to control energy costs. A smart meter can also help identify ways to reduce energy consumption – which is good for budgets, as well as the planet.

Whether you own or rent your business premises, you may be eligible for a smart meter, and if you are renting, but pay your own energy bills, you can ask your supplier to install one (***).

Smart Meter Benefits

Smart meters have lots of benefits for small businesses, including:

• Accurate billing: smart meters measure energy usage in near realtime, so no more manual readings or estimated bills. This means you only pay for the energy you use, which can help with managing cashflow

• Control: the data provided by smart meters can give you more control over your business’ energy spend, helping you monitor energy usage and identify where cost savings can be made

• Access to historic energy usage data: small businesses with a smart meter can request free access to 12 months of data from their energy supplier. This could help with budgeting and reduce bill shock. It could also help you plan for your next bill by identifying any trends or patterns in your energy use across the year As well as helping to give you more control of your business budgeting, smart meters are playing an important role in Great Britain’s energy infrastructure upgrade, as we continue to increase our use of cheaper, greener renewable energy sources.

The data smart meters provide is key to this innovation, and will enable us to buy, store and consume energy differently to the way we do today, gathering the information the energy networks need that will help the energy system better manage supply and demand. This will make the whole system more efficient and able to use more renewables such as wind and solar power.

So just by having a smart meter installed, you’re helping to create a smarter, greener energy system that will benefit Britain, the planetand you.

Smart meters are currently available, and installations are happening now. To find out if your business is eligible, contact your energy supplier or broker; search “Get a smart meter for business” or visit smartenergyGB.org.

“By helping them to take steps to be more efficient with their energy use, smart meters can have a positive effect on a business’ carbon footprint, as well as helping them save money.”

"Smart meters give you access to free and regular information on your energy use. Your energy supplier may provide this via an online platform, app, smart meter display or other data tools."