Since late 2021, the UK (and much of the world) has suffered from a critical energy crisis. This crisis has driven the cost of household and business bills through the roof, with the annual average small business energy bill currently standing at £9,074 and £4,495 for microbusinesses  (Bionic, September, 2023).

Alongside the cost-of-living crisis, these high prices have put many business owners in a pinch financially. That’s why so many people are choosing to use smart meters to track their business energy consumption.

A smart meter is the new generation of energy meters for gas and electricity. And, while they won’t automatically save you money, they can help you budget your energy bills and even reduce their cost over time. But how?

We spoke to Smart Energy GB, the voice of the smart meter rollout, to discover how you can use a smart meter to your advantage and what you can do to save money on your gas and electricity. Here are your most frequently asked questions on smart meters.

Watch the full video below or read on for the quickfire answers.

Can you tell us what a smart meter actually does?

[Smart Energy GB] Your smart meter simply measures how much gas and electricity you use and automatically shares your usage directly with your energy supplier at least once a month. This means you shouldn’t need to take any manual meter readings.

Are there any benefits to measuring energy use like this?

[Smart Energy GB] The supplier knowing exactly how much gas and electricity you’re using not only ensures you only pay for what you’re utilising (rather than paying your bills based on estimates, but if you are eligible for an in-home display, you can also track exactly how much you’re using in near-real time. That way, if you notice you’re spending too much on your energy bill, you’ll know it and can make changes to how you use gas and electricity.

Are smart meters mandatory for small businesses?

[Smart Energy GB] It is mandatory for the government to offer a smart meter to every small/micro business which meets supplier eligibility. However, you don’t have to accept the offer if you don’t want to.

What if I run my small business from my home? Can I still get a smart meter?

[Smart Energy GB] Absolutely! By the end of 2025, all homes and businesses in the UK will be offered a smart meter. So, you can benefit from a smart meter even if your home is run from a domestic premises.

How does the in-home display work?

[Smart Energy GB] If you are eligible for an in-home display, you can track how much energy you have used so far that day and see what it’s costing you in near-real time.

Not all smart meters are the same, but for the most part, your in-home display will show you the breakdown of your electricity and gas usage and how much energy you have used so far that day. Tracking your energy use could help you identify areas to make changes to cut back on wasted electricity or gas.

To help you understand your device, the engineer who installs your device should show you how your in-home display works during the installation. However, it should be noted that while some businesses will be offered a smart meter with in-home display, there is no obligation on suppliers to offer one and it is therefore not guaranteed.

I’ve heard smart meters could help me save money, is this true?

[Smart Energy GB] Unfortunately, no one can tell you you’ll definitely save money with a smart meter. However, smart meters do make it easier to budget and save when it comes to your energy. And, if you are eligible for an in-home display, it can potentially help you reduce your bill.

Additionally, if you’ve been paying estimated bills, you might save money by only paying for what you actually use as bills are often over-estimated with a standard meter.

Is my personal data safe when I have a smart meter?

[Smart Energy GB] To make sure you’re only paying for what you use, your smart meter shares details of your usage securely with your energy supplier at least once a month.

This information is shared with your supplier via a dedicated and secure wireless network, and they cannot share that information with anyone else unless you provide permission.

Additionally, your smart meter does not hold personal information such as your address, name or bank account.

Do smart meters work with Economy 7?

[Smart Energy GB] Yes, they do! If your home is currently benefiting from an Economy 7 tariff, just tell your provider you’re interested in a smart meter and make sure they know you wish to continue your Economy 7 tariff.

Do smart meters work with solar panels?

[Smart Energy GB] Yes, latest SMETS2 smart meters are deemed to have excellent solar panel compatibility (ESE, 2023).

Can a smart meter work without Wi-Fi?

[Smart Energy GB] You do not need Wi-Fi to run your smart meter. Smart meters do not use Wi-Fi to power the in-home display or send your energy information to your supplier. So, no matter whether you have Wi-Fi in your home or if your Wi-Fi goes down, your smart meter will not be affected. 

Does a smart meter still work if I change supplier?

[Smart Energy GB] If you decide to change supplier while using a second-generation SMETS2 smart meter, the switch should be automatic and won’t disrupt your energy readings, supply or payments. 

If you’re interested in installing a smart meter at your workplace, find out more here.

This article is part of a paid-for information campaign for Smart Energy GB.

The post Ask the expert: How do smart meters work? appeared first on Small Business UK.

Finding even small ways to save money on your business energy bills can make a big difference in the long term, and lowering your average energy bill is a good place to start.

That said, even though managing energy costs is achievable, many businesses don’t make it a priority, or don’t do so in the most effective way, due to some commonly held misconceptions.

You might think lowering costs simply means cutting down on usage, and that reduction implies sacrifice – but it doesn’t have to, and there are many other creative ways to reduce your average business energy bill.

In this article, we’ll bust five enduring myths about how to lower your business energy bills and demonstrate why getting a smart meter is one of the most business-positive choices you can make.

Myth 1: My energy will cost more if I have a smart meter

The smart meter rollout is currently underway for small businesses across the UK. However, many business owners mistakenly think they could increase the cost of their bills.

But this isn’t usually the case (unless your supplier has been underestimating your usage). Your energy bills could even cost you less after installing a smart meter if your supplier has been overestimating how much you use.

This accuracy simply means your bills are fairer and more transparent, and understanding your bill is even easier – no more estimated billing.  

And, in fact, by giving you a clearer picture of how your business is using energy, your smart meter can help efforts to reduce costs.

Myth 2: Switching suppliers is more hassle than it’s worth

Many business owners think that the effort required to switch energy suppliers is more hassle than it’s worth. Some even think it will end up costing more.

On the contrary, switching suppliers might be one of the most effective things you can do to reduce your energy bills.

You should always have one eye on the market to see if you can find a cheaper tariff elsewhere. Then, provided you’re out of contract or you’re on a deemed contract (one you didn’t choose), you can make the switch. Your current supplier may even offer you a better deal in response, but you’re under no obligation to stick with them.

Myth 3: Energy-efficient equipment is expensive

Rather than trying to remember (and remind people) to constantly switch off lights and their devices, energy-efficient equipment makes it easy to reduce business usage.

And while some businesses think that investing in such equipment is too expensive, in the long run, it could save you money on your average business energy bill.

An energy management system is a great example. It manages and optimises how your business hardware uses electricity without affecting performance. Similarly, smart power strips automatically switch off equipment if it’s been left on standby for a certain period of time.
Timer switches can be used in the same way to automatically turn off lights at the end of the working day. And sensors are also useful, especially in rooms that are infrequently used like bathrooms and store cupboards.

Alternatively, simply buying newer equipment can save energy and, therefore, cut down on bills. For example, new laptops use less energy than ancient desktops and can be hooked up to a monitor for a more practical desk setup.

Finally, relying on cloud computing is also an excellent way to save money on your energy costs. By outsourcing the hosting of your key business systems to third parties, you use less energy managing and maintaining expensive hardware on your business premises.

All that said…

Myth 4: Technology can do all the work

However, that doesn’t mean you should completely disregard good energy-saving habits. Instilling a culture of switching off equipment and lights when not in use is always a good policy. Training your staff to be mindful of energy consumption can be as important as upgrading equipment.

Myth 5: Energy saving means sacrificing performance

Another myth is that, by cutting down on energy, you’re sacrificing the performance of your business on the altar of cost savings.

But that is absolutely not the case. As we’ve seen, lowering your business energy bills doesn’t have to come in the form of reducing the amount of energy available to power your progress; it just means making smarter and more efficient choices about where you get your energy from and how you use it.

And this pays dividends. By saving on energy costs, you free up cash that could be put to more effective use elsewhere, actually helping you to achieve your goals faster. Not only that, making energy cost reduction a critical goal, and incentivising your team to drive together towards energy efficiency targets, feeds into the creation of a goal-oriented, collaborative culture.

Finally, in the modern economy, where many consumers’ spending habits are influenced by their desire to see businesses actively pursuing a green agenda, demonstrating energy-efficient practices can boost customer loyalty and, in turn, revenue.

To sum up

We hope that, by dispelling these five misconceptions, we’ve shown you that lowering your average business energy bill is an achievable and effective strategy to save your company some much-needed money.

And by embracing energy-efficient practices and technologies, and understanding that energy conservation is an ongoing effort, businesses can not only save money on energy expenses, but increase their sustainability and contribute to a brighter, greener future.

If you’re interested in installing a smart meter at your workplace, find out more here.

This article is part of a paid-for information campaign for Smart Energy GB.

The post 5 misconceptions about how to lower your business energy bills appeared first on Small Business UK.

The benefits of smart meters should be compelling enough reasons to install one at your business premises: more accurate billing, a better understanding of your energy usage and bills, and a lower carbon footprint.

But that’s not all. Smart meters have many other knock-on benefits that might surprise you, including cost savings, access to more flexible tariffs, and even strategic advantages that could help you streamline your operations.

In this article, we’ll delve into the 5 key reasons to get a smart meter that you might never have considered. 

Cost savings

With global events pushing up the cost of energy, many businesses are feeling the pinch. According to Smart Energy GB, there’s even been a 13% increase in the number of business owners receiving estimated energy bills, meaning they could be paying more than necessary, making budgeting and forward planning more difficult.

With a smart meter, estimated billing is a thing of the past. You know exactly how much energy you’re using and how much it’s costing you, and you can use that data to track usage and manage your costs effectively.

For many businesses, this could be as simple as realising how much energy is being wasted by unused appliances or lights and equipment left on overnight. By only turning them on when you need to, you can start making small savings that really add up over time. Best of all, if you are eligible for an in-home display, you can measure these savings in pounds and pence, by day, week and month on your smart meters’ in-home display.

Better business decision-making

If you are eligible for an IHD, you can get near real-time data on your energy usage, which can be hugely valuable for business planning and budgeting.

Smart meters can also help you to identify irregularities in energy usage that could be a sign of an equipment issue. For instance, if a piece of machinery is consuming significantly more energy than usual, it could be an early warning sign that it needs maintenance or repair. Addressing these problems promptly will minimise operational downtime, and could spare you from a minor hitch turning into a major headache.

Unlock more cost-effective tariffs

Smart meters allow for more flexible energy pricing, such as dynamic time-of-use tariffs. Under this model, the cost of electricity varies depending on the time of day or the level of demand on the grid. This way, you can plan to run high-energy operations during off-peak hours when electricity is cheaper, or on sunny or windy days when more renewable energy is being produced. Over time, this could lead to significant cost savings for your business.

Alternatively, you can use the more detailed picture of your energy usage provided by your smart meter to select the tariff that is most suited to your usage patterns.

Flexibility

Having a smart meter installed doesn’t tie your business into a uniform way of managing your energy. In fact, you still have a great deal of flexibility and control.

For example, you may be able to choose how often your smart meter automatically submits readings to your energy supplier depending on your preferences. This can either be every half hour, once a day or once a month – different suppliers have different standards. Every half hour gives you the most accurate picture of your energy usage, but you may have good reasons for an alternative submission frequency.

Whatever you decide, know that, by 2025, Ofgem’s Market-wide Half-Hourly Settlement will mandate half-hourly readings as the standard for all businesses and consumers. 

Additionally, there should be fewer issues with switching suppliers when you have a smart meter. With a second-generation smart meter, you should be able to do so without any interruption to your supply. Likewise, it’s just as easy to change your tariff, and you can carry on using the same meter if you do.

You can even choose smart prepay if you prefer, which, with a smart meter, is as easy as mobile pay-as-you-go. You can choose to top up online at home or in person at your local store, and you’re free to switch between prepay or credit without the need to change your meter.

A smarter energy future for all

When you install a smart meter, you’re not only making a smart decision for your business, you’re making a smart decision for all. Firstly, you’re contributing to the nation’s transition to cheaper, cleaner and abundant renewable energy, and you’re helping to modernise the entire UK energy system.

But also, by providing better usage data – especially if you opt for half-hourly readings – you’re helping suppliers buy more accurate amounts of energy on the wholesale market. This reduces wastage, improves efficiency in the electricity system, and ultimately, brings down costs for the end user. Ofgem estimates these cost savings could amount to between £1.6bn and £4.5bn by 2045.

What next?

Lower costs, better operational efficiency, and a cleaner, brighter energy future for all – the multitude of benefits of smart meters are clear.

Click here to get a smart meter for your business.

This article is part of a paid-for information campaign for Smart Energy GB.

The post 5 benefits for your business of getting a smart meter you might not know appeared first on Small Business UK.

Whether you need to reduce your expenses to make it through economic headwinds or you want to improve your margins to free up more working capital for growth, budget control is an ever-present challenge for business owners.

This is especially true for microbusinesses, where resources can be limited, and maximum value must be squeezed from every pound spent.

But with so many inflows and outflows to keep abreast of, optimising your business expenditure can feel overwhelming. However, there are a few simple strategies that you can implement to quickly get more control over your business budgeting.

From managing your energy usage to setting goals and being responsive to changing circumstances, here are our top tips for small business budget control.

Set clear targets and delegate

Smart budget control starts with establishing clear business objectives and short-term and long-term financial goals, including revenue targets, profit margins, and growth plans. These objectives will serve as the foundation of your budgeting process and provide a clear direction for your financial planning.

If your business has department heads, or even if it just has a handful of team members covering different roles, delegating budgeting control to these individuals for specific business functions will share the administrative burden and make it easier to meet your goals and successfully manage costs.

​​Track and monitor your expenses

You should regularly track and monitor your expenses to ensure that you’re sticking to your budget. The best way to do this is by using accounting software, which allows you to automate expense tracking, analyse business data, and forecast projected costs and revenues.

You can generate financial reports to show trends over time, which you can then use to spot any discrepancies between your planned budget and actual spending that could impact your cash flow. That allows you to respond quickly to any changes before they become a problem.

Categorise expenses and implement consistent processes

Organise your expenses into fixed and variable categories. Fixed expenses, such as rent and salaries, stay relatively constant over time, while variable expenses, like advertising and raw materials, can change based on business activities. By categorising your expenses, you’ll have a clearer understanding of where and why you’re spending money and you can identify areas for potential savings.

Monitor and control your energy usage

Business energy usage is an expense that’s well within your power to control, and with a smart meter, it’s easier than ever.

Smart meters allow you to track your energy usage and costs over time, so you can see how much energy you’ve used and when.

You can then identify where you might be wasting energy and make improvements to be more efficient. This could be as simple as turning off lights and appliances when they’re not in use or investing in energy-efficient equipment.

Switch suppliers

Whether it’s your energy, software, or broadband, switching to a supplier that offers your business a better deal is one of the easiest and most proactive budgeting control measures you can make.

You should regularly review the market and compare quotes to see if you can find a more cost-effective supplier or simply a better tariff with the same supplier. As long as you’re not bound by any contractual terms that would prevent you from doing so, in the case of energy and broadband, the switch can often be arranged for you by your old and new providers, meaning less work for you, and more time to spend on growing your business.

Review and revise your budget

Circumstances won’t stay the same and neither should your budget. Whether global events drive up the cost of raw materials or growth plans need to be rejigged, as the needs of your business and market conditions change over time, review your budget, and make adjustments as needed to account for those changes.

For example, If your expenses are consistently exceeding your budget in one particular area, identify the cause and take action to reduce costs. Or if you find yourself consistently under budget, re-evaluate your goals and consider investing in new opportunities for growth.

Reduce unnecessary costs

Even with advanced accounting software, it’s not always easy to see exactly how expenditure translates into meaningful value for your business, but waste doesn’t just come in the form of energy usage.

If you suspect something is an unnecessary cost, conduct a cost-benefit analysis to check whether the former outweighs the latter.

For example, if you have a software subscription to a platform that you don’t use or that isn’t helping your team’s productivity, cancel it. If you’re spending money on a Facebook advertising campaign that’s getting very little engagement, ditch it and explore more worthwhile marketing channels. If you offer a product line or service that isn’t selling, it might be time to withdraw it and rethink your strategy.

Final thoughts

The task of controlling your business budget will never end. But by applying the strategies outlined above, it can be a rewarding exercise for you and your team, helping you to ease your administrative burden, take charge of your finances, and freeing up time and resources that can be directed towards growing your business.

And remember, you’re not alone. Delegate expense management to responsible colleagues, communicate budget control measures effectively to your team and invest in technology that drives real value for your business.

Click here to get a smart meter for your business.

This article is part of a paid-for information campaign for Smart Energy GB.

The post How to get more control over your business budgeting  appeared first on Small Business UK.

You may have heard that installing a smart meter can give your business a boost, but how exactly can one device have such a big impact?

There’s no doubt that as a business owner in 2023 you’ll have heard about the drive to install smart meters. But we know what you really want to find out is how they can benefit your business both practically and financially.

So, here are five key areas where smart meters can really make a difference to your company and help you grow your customer base.

Improve your finance transparency

Running a small business is tough enough without nasty surprises that impact your bottom line. So, with every opportunity you get, it’s a good idea to agree deals with suppliers that are clear and understandable.

While your energy bill is liable to change, regardless of who provides your power, smart meters can provide a level of predictability when it comes to costs.

Not only are your bills calculated automatically, eliminating the need for an engineer to visit and read the meter, but certain energy providers will give you the option to install a smart meter featuring an in-home display (IHD), showing your gas and electricity use in near real-time. This doesn’t come as standard, so it’s worth speaking to your provider about what is available.

When it comes to managing expenses, this is just one more cost centre in your business where knowing what you owe is a big help.

Get more control over your costs

In business, they say cash is king, and many businesses (even successful ones) have been forced to close their doors permanently because of unexpected costs that sent them spiralling into the red.

A smart meter won’t magically reduce your outgoings, but if you can procure an IHD-equipped meter detailing your costs, you can take greater ownership of your business’ energy bill.

Not only can you make bills more predictable, but having the information at your fingertips allows you to take action if you discover areas of waste within the business. It’s possible to isolate wasteful infrastructure, machinery and usage patterns, and pivot to tools and systems that reduce the impact on your business.

And, by taking more control over your outgoing costs, you’ll be able to more effectively budget your finances, allowing you to spend more on making your clients happy.

Protect the environment

With the power to control costs comes the added benefit of a new weapon in the fight against climate change. With an IHD-enabled smart meter, you can chart not only the impact of energy use on your business’s bottom line but also reduce your carbon footprint through environmental and cost-friendly measures like switching off lights when not in use.

>See also: Environmental checklist for small businesses

More generally, smart meters are the foundation of a smarter and more flexible energy system for Great Britain. A smart energy system uses digital technology and data to improve its efficiency.

This helps the energy system better manage the supply and demand of energy in order to reduce waste. It will also be able to integrate more renewables into the system.

With future demands for electricity set to increase, it has never been more important to upgrade Britain’s energy system to one that is more sustainable and less reliant on non-renewable fuel sources.

Focus on your customers

Scheduling a meter reading is a small job, but it can be a pain, especially when it’s mixed in with all the other little jobs that fill your day as a business owner. Then there’s the issue of waiting for an engineer, showing them the meter and waiting until they’re finished.

A smart meter eliminates the need for any of this, meaning you can devote more time to impressing your customers with top-notch products and services. With an IHD-enabled smart meter, you also have the opportunity to find and eliminate costs, potentially diverting revenue into surprising and delighting the people who buy from you regularly.

Happier, more engaged staff

By cutting wasted hours dealing with the meter reading process, receiving accurate bills first time instead of estimates, and potentially reducing energy expenditure as a by-product, you could have more time and money to spend inspiring your employees.

Successive studies show that a growing number of highly skilled people want to work in businesses that can give them time and attention, not just a pay cheque, while related data points to the fact that people increasingly want to work at organisations that can demonstrate care for the environment.

Installing a smart meter won’t achieve these goals on its own, but with a rounded strategy for boosting morale, rewarding loyal workers and providing a working environment that is lighter on carbon, you stand a much greater chance of recruiting and retaining employees who care about their employer’s sustainability practices.

With a smart meter, your energy readings will be sent directly to your supplier, bringing an end to estimated bills. If you don’t have one already, there’s never been a better time to book an installation.

Click here to get a smart meter for your business.

This article is part of a paid-for information campaign for Smart Energy GB.

The post What are the benefits of smart meters for business customers? appeared first on Small Business UK.

You may have heard that smart meters can benefit small businesses, but you might not know how.

In this helpful video, we break down three important ways a smart meter could help you and your business. 

#1 Accuracy

Smart meters track your energy use in near real-time and automatically send readings directly to your supplier.

This means your bills will be accurate and not estimated, ensuring you only pay for the energy your business uses.

#2 Sustainability

By having a smart meter installed, you’re helping to build a smarter energy system for Great Britain.

They send accurate meter readings, so there’s a much clearer picture of how energy demand changes throughout the day, month or year.

This helps our energy system to better cope with surges in demand and in the future, prioritise the use of renewables over fossil fuels.

#3 Control

Smart meters could give you more control over your business’s energy spend thanks to the data they provide.

You may be able to get a display with your smart meter or track your usage online and could see how much energy you’re using in pounds and pence by day, week, and month.

Being more aware of how much energy you’re using and when you’re using it means you can make small changes to make your business more efficient.

For more information about the benefits of installing a smart meter in your workplace, visit the Smart Energy GB at smartenergyGB.org.  

This article is part of a paid-for information campaign for Smart Energy GB.

The post 3 simple ways a smart meter could help your business  appeared first on Small Business UK.

A smart meter automatically sends gas and electricity readings to your energy supplier, which ensures your bills are accurate. This has a couple of key benefits. 

It frees you up to focus on the more rewarding and important aspects of running your business – the big stuff.  

By giving you the opportunity to monitor your energy usage, smart meters also give you greater control. This allows you to identify times of peak use, reduce unnecessary spending and budget better.   

You can contact your energy supplier or broker to find out if your business is eligible or search ‘Get a smart meter today’. 

For more information about the benefits of installing a smart meter in your workplace, visit the Smart Energy GB at smartenergyGB.org.  

This article is part of a paid-for information campaign for Smart Energy GB.

The post Why your small business needs a smart meter in 2023 appeared first on Small Business UK.

With global events pushing up wholesale energy prices, and despite limited government intervention to control costs, there’s never been a better time to adopt any measures you can to better manage your business energy usage and budget.

Smart meters, which are currently being rolled out across Great Britain, can help you just do that.

Using a secure smart data network, smart meters automatically send monthly gas and electricity readings directly to your energy provider. This means your bills are more accurate and there’s no longer a need for you to submit manual readings.

If your business has fewer than 10 employees, you may be eligible for a smart meter. But first, check out the three biggest smart meter benefits for business below.

Simplified and more accurate bills

As a small business owner, it’s easy to get bogged down in all those essential but menial day-to-day tasks, meaning you can struggle to find time to devote to your grander ambitions. That’s why anything that can reduce the burden of administrative tasks is such a godsend.

With a smart reader, readings are taken in near real-time and sent directly to your supplier once a month. That means your bills are more accurate, you’ll only pay for the energy you actually use, and with no need to take manual readings, you’ll have more time to spend on the most important task of all: growing your business. 

Gain greater control over your energy usage

Understanding and gaining control over your business energy usage with a traditional meter can be challenging.

With a smart meter, it could be much easier. If you receive an In-Home Display (IHD), you can see exactly how much energy you’re using in pounds and pence by day, week, and month. This gives you greater control by helping you to identify when and why you’re using more energy and take steps to cut down and save money.

Help protect the environment

Every business needs to do their bit to reduce carbon emissions and help achieve Net Zero by 2050. But how can a smart meter help?

In two ways. Firstly, by having a smart meter installed on your business premises, you’re contributing to the creation of a smarter nationwide energy system. By providing suppliers with more accurate readings, they gain a much clearer picture of how energy demand changes throughout the day and year. This helps them to plan for peak times and prioritise the use of renewables over fossil fuels when meeting demand. 

Secondly, if you are able to monitor your energy usage with an IHD, you can cut down on unnecessary usage and help to reduce carbon emissions.

Next steps

Any small business with fewer than 10 employees could be eligible for a smart meter. So, if you’re ready for more accurate billing and greater control of your energy usage, contact your supplier for more information about smart meter installation. It takes just two hours and can take place at a time that’s convenient for you.

If you run your business from a domestic premises, you should also be eligible for a smart meter – every home in Great Britain will be offered one by the end of 2025. And if you’re in a rented premises, as long as you pay the bills, you can request a smart meter.

Depending on your supplier and your tariff, you may even be able to get a smart meter at no extra cost. However, some businesses may still be charged for a part of the upgrade or for access to their energy data usage.

For more information about the benefits of installing a smart meter in your workplace, visit the Smart Energy GB at smartenergyGB.org.

Read more

Smart meters for business: Your FAQs answered

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Net zero is the global goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions to zero, either through complete elimination or by balancing emissions with removal.  

In order to prevent a climate catastrophe, the international scientific consensus is that we need to achieve net zero by 2050.  

It’s a big target, and it’s going to require the effort and cooperation of many nations and organisations around the world, so what can one single small business do to help? 

Well, as SMEs make up 99% of the UK’s business population, every business counts. 2050 might seem like the distant future to some, but you need to start taking steps to eliminate or reduce your carbon emissions now. 

Here are six tips you can use to start limiting the carbon footprint of your small business. 

6 small business net zero tips 

Improve your supply chain sustainability 

With freight and logistics contributing around 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, every stage of your supply chain is ripe for reduction, and the first step is to identify where in the sequence the sustainability issues are.  

If you work with a manufacturer that has poor environmental practices, see if you can find the same products or components with a more sustainable supplier. Likewise, if you currently rely on a foreign supplier, try to source from closer to home. The shorter the supply chain, the lower the emissions.  

You should also try to adopt a circular supply chain, which reduces or even eliminates waste. You can do this by recycling reusable products or components and sending them back to your manufacturer to repurpose.  

Finally, even if you can’t avoid using aviation or shipping, you can choose a sustainable last mile delivery company or ensure that your current logistics provider uses a green mode of transportation for the journey from the distribution hub to your business.  

Encourage remote working and green commuting 

Commuter journeys account for 15% of all journeys in the UK, and, according to DecarboN8, carbon emissions from commuting fell by between 30% and 38% during the first lockdown.  

While there are many benefits to having team members back together in the office again, reducing the amount of commuting your employees do is clearly an easy sustainability win. If a fully-remote workforce isn’t practical, then allow your employees a certain number of home working days a week.  

When employees must travel in, encourage them to use public transport or to cycle. Cycle to work schemes, which allow employees to pay off the cost of a bicycle in instalments without any tax or interest, is a great way to incentivise cycling. And don’t forget to provide a bike storage facility.  

Likewise, you can encourage employees to purchase electric vehicles through a salary sacrifice scheme, and install EV charging points at work. If this is unfeasible, give them a travel allowance for public transport or encourage carpooling.  

Incorporate sustainability into your KPIs 

Helping to achieve net zero by 2050 is an admirable goal, but it’s also vague and over too long a time frame to be practical. You can make net zero a SMART goal by breaking it down into smaller, more achievable KPIs that your whole team can work towards.  

For example, you could track your carbon footprint with quarterly or annual reduction targets or you could aim to recycle a certain percentage of your waste.  

Get a smart meter 

When it comes to reducing energy usage, a smart meter is an extremely valuable tool.  

If you receive an In-Home Display (IHD), you can use it to monitor your real time energy usage and spending. You can identify when and why you’re using energy, and when you might be using it unnecessarily. You can then make behavioural changes such as turning off devices when not in use and limiting temperature control measures, which can save the environment and potentially save you money.  

Additionally, your smart meter sends accurate information about energy usage back to your supplier, who can use it to manage supply and demand more effectively and to make better use of renewables.  

Foster a sustainable company culture  

If you want your business and your employees to be proactive about reducing emissions. you need to embed sustainability into your company culture. You can include sustainability as one of your company values and ensure that understanding your business’s sustainability practices forms a part of the onboarding process for new employees.  

Most importantly, you need to lead by example. Sustainability should be a do as I do not just a do as I say policy. It’s no good preaching about reducing your carbon footprint while failing to take any steps to do it yourself. Your team will notice if you commute in a gas guzzler every day, throw recycling in the waste, and fail to make any practical changes to improve sustainability in your business operations.  

Conclusion 

The good news is that, as well as the knowledge that your efforts are helping to protect the environment, being more sustainable can also be more cost effective and even boost your revenue.  

Primarily through cost savings on energy, but as sustainability becomes a deciding factor for consumers, customers are rewarding green businesses with increased loyalty and purchases.  

That’s not to say it will always be easy. You might have to make difficult decisions in the pursuit of net zero, and you may even have to face higher costs – but it’s a small price to pay for improving the world of tomorrow.  

Visit Smart Energy GB to find out more about how installing a smart meter in your workplace can help you to be a more sustinable business and help the environment.   

This article is part of a paid-for information campaign for Smart Energy GB.

The post What can your small business do to help achieve net zero by 2050?  appeared first on Small Business UK.

The smart meter rollout is well underway, and every home and small business in the country is due to be offered one by 2025. 

Here we answer all your frequently asked questions about smart meters, including how much they cost, which businesses are eligible, and whether they’re secure. 

For more information about the how to install a smart meter in your workplace, visit the Smart Energy GB website at smartenergyGB.org.

See also: 5 benefits for your business of getting a smart meter you might not know

This article is part of a paid-for information campaign for Smart Energy GB.

The post Smart meters for business: Your FAQs answered appeared first on Small Business UK.

If your business hasn’t already been swept up in the smart meter rollout, it’s time to familiarise yourself with the technology that’s aiming to make business energy easier, fairer, and more transparent. 

It’s not yet compulsory to have a smart meter installed, and some small business owners might still have unanswered questions about how exactly a smart meter works. 

If you do have questions, this is the page for you. We’re going to explain what a smart meter is, why it’s important, and how you can get one.

What is a smart meter?

Put simply, your business’ smart meter automatically sends gas and electricity readings to your business energy supplier. By reducing the need for manual readings, your life is easier and your bills are more accurate, as you’re only charged for the energy you use. 

How does a smart meter for your business work?

In order to submit your readings, a smart meter for business uses similar technology to a mobile phone (though you don’t need a mobile phone signal to get one) with energy data transmitted to your supplier through a wireless network. 

With the help of top cyber security experts, including the government and GCHQ, smart meters have been designed specifically to operate on their own dedicated communications system.

By default, readings will probably be collected once a month, though you can request to have more regular readings if you’d prefer. However, later this year, new microbusiness customers won’t be able to opt out of sharing their electricity meter readings on a half-hourly basis, though existing microbusiness customers will continue to be able to opt out until they change supplier or contract. 

And although the process is entirely automatic, if you are with a supplier that provides them, the in-home display enables you to monitor your energy usage. This could help you to reduce costs and improve your business energy efficiency.

Smart meter benefits 

Smart meters for commercial premises have a number of key benefits over your traditional energy meter. 

Improved accuracy

As accurate, up to date information is delivered direct to your supplier straight from your meter with no need for a manual reading, this reduces human error and ensures that your bills are completely fair and correct.

Increased control

If you receive an In-Home Display (IHD), smart meters make it easy to monitor your business energy usage by day, week, and month. You can then identify periods of increased usage and look for ways to cut down and save money. 

Save the environment

One of the main drivers behind the smart meter rollout is their superior green credentials. By installing a smart meter in your business, you can help the UK reach its net zero targets in several ways. 

Firstly, with an IHD, the ability to monitor your energy encourages you to cut down on unnecessary usage, such as turning off unneeded appliances and limiting temperature control measures, which reduces emissions. 

Secondly, by providing accurate information about how much energy people are using throughout the day and the year, suppliers can manage supply and demand more efficiently, which should help reduce reliance on fossil fuels in favour of renewable energy sources. 

How to get a smart meter for your business

Small businesses with fewer than 10 employees, or their full time equivalent may be eligible for a smart meter, and your business energy supplier is legally obliged to offer you one if you are. 

However, if the signal at their premises is not yet strong enough or they have limited space, some businesses may not be quite ready to have a smart meter installed.

If you think you are eligible for a smart meter, and you haven’t already been contacted by your energy supplier, you should reach out to ask them when one is likely to be installed. 

Also, be aware that you have no obligation to remain with your current supplier in order to get a smart meter, or even if they’ve already installed one. The second generation of smart meters, SMETS 2, allow you to switch supplier without any disruption to your meter readings.

If you have a first-generation smart meter (SMETS1) and you switch supplier and get a new smart meter installed, you may have to provide readings manually until you get your new meter. However, you don’t need a new smart meter if you switch supplier as the SMETS1 will be enrolled into the Digital Communications Company (DCC).

Costs and installation 

You can have a smart meter installed at no extra cost to your business. Once you’ve agreed to have a smart meter, you just need to arrange a suitable time for an engineer to visit your premises and install it. Your new meter should be installed in the same place as your old one. Some suppliers will do so at no extra cost to your business, though it’s not a guarantee.

In total, the whole process should take between one and two hours, during which time your electricity and/or gas will need to be switched off. 

While you have the engineer on site, don’t hesitate to ask them any questions. They should show you how to read the display if you get one with your supplier, give you a copy of the instructions, and ensure you know who to contact in the event that something goes wrong with the smart meter for your business. 

For more information about the benefits of installing a smart meter in your workplace, visit the Smart Energy GB at smartenergygb.org

This article is part of a paid-for information campaign for Smart Energy GB.

The post Smart meters for your business: Everything you need to know appeared first on Small Business UK.

The climate crisis is rarely out of the news, and people throughout the UK are taking steps to reduce their impact on the planet, but data suggests this is not always reflected in the workplace. 

Large organisations have a natural advantage in this area, with bigger budgets and more scope to deploy resources into green initiatives, but what about smaller firms?  

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) recently surveyed attitudes within its membership and uncovered a high level of concern, but also room to do more. 

According to the research, more than half (56%) of small businesses agree that the planet is facing a climate crisis, yet little more than a third (36%) have a strategy in place to do something about it. 

While 67% have taken steps to reduce energy consumption, including 64% increasing recycling and 22% installing a smart meter, only nine per cent have committed to making their vehicle fleet emission-free by 2030. 

Commenting on the findings, FSB national vice chair of policy and advocacy Martin McTague said small businesses faced challenges in converting to lower-impact systems. 

“In the face of many competing priorities, taking action on sustainability has been a ‘nice to do’ challenge for small businesses, who often find themselves cash, resource, and most importantly, time-poor,” he said. 

“Now, however, with increased levels of environmental awareness and the pressing need to reduce our impact on the environment before it’s too late, this is no longer a ‘nice to do’, but a ‘need to do’.” 

>See also: Environmental checklist for small businesses

Energy saving tips for small businesses 

Sweeping changes to operations and infrastructure are naturally a daunting prospect for small business owners, but taking small steps can lead to a big saving on energy and cost. 

1. Install a smart meter 

Smart meters eliminate the need for engineer visits to read your electricity and gas meters. Bills are calculated automatically, meaning a saving on trips as well as red tape.  

By acquiring a meter with an ‘in home display’ (IHD), you can get real insights on your energy consumption, potentially isolating equipment and usage patterns that are a drain on resources.  

Contact your energy supplier to find out if your small business is eligible for an installation.

2. Run an audit  

A light audit of your business should return plenty of information about where you could make changes, either straight away or gradually in coming months and years. 

An IHD-equipped smart meter will tell you a lot about usage trends and centres of high energy consumption. You could also assess your vehicle fleet, working patterns (incorporating working from home or hybrid models), business trips and even low-efficiency legacy infrastructure. 

3. Communicate effectively 

Sometimes it just takes a few small nudges to change people’s behaviour. By pointing out the location of recycling bins and encouraging people to switch off when devices are not in use, for example, you’ll remind people that conservation can happen at work, not just in the home. 

4. Consider government incentives 

The government regularly introduces new incentives to promote greener practices. Admittedly, these are just as regularly changed or even halted depending on priorities, but it’s worth keeping an eye on which grants and discounts are available for business. 

Could you save on microgeneration systems, such as solar panels? Would a cycle-to-work scheme cut your small business’ carbon footprint? There is plenty to consider – and you could save money by grabbing opportunities. 

5. Involve your people 

These are just a handful of ideas on how your small business can contribute to the fight against climate change, but there are many other opportunities out there. Often, the best ideas come from the grassroots, so involve staff members in the conversation. 

Invite ideas, either in a meeting or via your preferred messaging platform; you could even offer a prize for the most impactful suggestion. It could prove a big morale-booster, as well as a way to uncover clever ways to make your business more efficient. 

For more information about the benefits of installing a smart meter in your workplace, visit the Smart Energy GB at smartenergygb.org

This article is part of a paid-for information campaign for Smart Energy GB.

The post Do small businesses care about climate change? appeared first on Small Business UK.

The smart energy system isn’t just a way of cutting down on the need for engineers to take meter readings; it’s also part of a process that is transforming the energy sector. Energy consumers are gradually moving from passive receivers of quarterly bills, to active players in the fight against waste. 

This is happening, according to experts, because they are being handed more information about their energy use and, in many cases, also the power to do something about it.  

This trend, and the opportunities and threats associated with it, were discussed by a group of leading industry thinkers at COP26 in Glasgow; a meeting hosted by Daisy Cross, head of the smart energy programme ay Energy UK. 

On the panel, Dan Brooke, chief executive at Smart Energy GB, said smart meters were creating an energy system that is “more flexible, (and) more dynamic”. He compared it with the development of satnav systems that provide up-to-date information on journeys, as opposed to the historic use of maps. 

Some smart meters come with in home displays (IHDs), giving users near real-time data about their energy consumption and equipping them with the tools to adapt to more energy efficient living. This could be by switching activity to off-peak periods or by generally cutting down on intensive usage patterns. 

The same is true for the engineers whose job it is to balance the energy system: “A satnav gets me to meetings in the quickest, most efficient way. Data from smart meters helps engineers get energy around the system with the greatest efficiency,” said Brooke. 

It’s a concept that excites many energy users, but, Brooke acknowledges, mainstream users are playing catch-up when it comes to concepts such as ‘time of use tariffs’ – which refers to the different price of energy at different times of the day. 

But innovation in the space is pushing technology to consumers that’s easy to understand and to deploy. Soon, says Brooke, electrical vehicle drivers will be able to set charging rules via their smartphones, giving them the power they need at the lowest possible tariff.  

“When energy is at its most expensive, you’ll be able to draw electricity from your car, which is basically a big battery on wheels.” 

For this to become a reality, people need to get used to utilising their energy information to take an action.  

Jason Stevens, principal consultant at Engage Consulting, agrees with the role that IHDs play in bring people closer to their energy data, and during the COP26 discussion he said this will result in greater decision-making opportunities down the line, as well as more convenient pre-payment and remote top-ups. 

Not only will humans understand more about energy, but so will machines. Steve Cunningham, chief executive of Geo, an energy technology provider, said: “There are already some white goods and thermostats that talk to smart meters to control things like heating and power, avoiding peaks and cutting carbon emissions.” 

>See also: Driving energy transformation with smart utilities

He admits that the industry is only beginning this journey, but believes “interesting products” and use cases such as these will bring more consumers on board. Taking the satnav analogy a step further, he said it will be like going from maps, to GPS, to autonomous vehicles. 

“Over the next couple of years, we’ll see a real evolution of capability in these products to deliver seamless benefit to customers. That’s the key step: visibility,” he said. 

Andy Manning, head of energy systems at Citizens Advice, said this ability to “flex” power consumption will provide “real value” to consumers. He pointed out that generation companies make revenue by providing extra capacity to the grid at peak times and suggested it’s possible to “move that value to consumers”. 

The panel were unified on the potential, but also on the importance of consumer understanding.  

Energy users can play their part, by researching the opportunities that appear in coming years, by adopting energy saving technology like smart meters and practices, and by engaging with the growing opportunity to build knowledge, control costs and protect the environment.    

For more information about the benefits of installing a smart meter in your workplace, visit the Smart Energy GB at smartenergygb.org

This article is part of a paid-for information campaign for Smart Energy GB.

The post How smart meters can empower consumers to engage with their energy use appeared first on Small Business UK.

There is roughly the same number of connected devices as there are people on Earth, but experts expect the current stock of gadgets to swell to 24 billion by 2030. The Internet of Things universe represents a vast number of different tools performing a litany of tasks, from enabling smart motorways to alerting homeowners when someone rings their doorbell.

“To build efficiency, we need large sets of data to be collected from multiple points in the supply chain, analysed and used to dynamically adjust and streamline processes,” says Nick Sacke, head of IT solutions at Comms365.

“We’re seeing a big push towards creating smarter street lighting installations to reduce energy consumption. This use slow power IoT networks to connect and control the lights. Similarly, in buildings, IoT-enabled measurement of people movement and energy consumption is being patched into the building management system, allowing dynamic control over heating, cooling and energy resources.”

The IoT and utilities

A leading use of the IoT is driving efficiency in energy consumption, both at the consumer end of the market, with smart meters,and,for utilities, by monitoring and assessing consumption and waste, fixing issues as they arise.

With global supply chains under strain and, partly as a result, wholesale gas prices increasing fast, the need to regulate and conserve energy has been brought into sharp focus. If network efficiency was a priority in the past, todays cost pressures mean collecting and analysing consumption data is critical for households and businesses alike.

Sacke says: “IoT can aid the energy sector by providing massive data in near real time that will enable comprehensive analysis and transformation from a highly centralised model to an agile, distributed, fully integrated, ‘smart’, sustainable energy network.

“Millions of smart meters are becoming IoT enabled to report back regularly on consumption, ensuring a highly efficient supply chain to the customer that minimises wastage. IoT can play a key role in infrastructure monitoring also – a key example of this are oil and gas pipelines, which have parts of the network in remote or challenging locations.

“IoT can keep a watchful eye on all the miles of pipelines to ensure integrity and report on anomalies before they turn into major incidents.”

The same can be said for water supply, with IoT-powered smart metering not only reducing the time and cost involved in manual meter readings, but also providing detailed information about consumer behaviour – which shifted radically during lockdowns – as well as pinpoint damaged pipe, so leaks can be repaired faster with less cost and disruption.

>Read more: How to turn a crisis into an opportunity for small businesses – going green during the pandemic

Ever-expanding uses

Smart meters are helping to create a smart energy system which provides more reliable, efficient and low-carbon energy to households & businesses. This helps to manage valuable resources more efficiently, as energy use evolves.

For example, with the popularity electric vehicles on the rise, the smart energy system will help suppliers predict fluctuating periods of demand and supply more reliable, efficient and low-carbon energy to drivers.

A related technology, smart energy storage, is another growing use of IoT aimed at motorists. Housing renewable energy in the batteries of electric car fleets, for example, and coinciding charge times with off-peak periods, helps to balance demand.

Moixa, the UK-based smart battery business, uses data-driven energy storage and sharing to avoid peak times, lowering its carbon output and controlling costs.

“We apply this to smart charging vehicles such as the e:PROGRESS service we run for Honda-E electric vehicle (EV) customers which links to the Octopus Agile tariff,” says Simon Daniel, the company’s CEO.

“Being able to remotely manage vehicle charge times ensures more renewable energy can be harnessed to charge EVs. Smart charging can also help prevent the grid from becoming overloaded and the increased risk of blackouts.

“By offering internet connected energy storage [which serves to increase energy stability, by storing excess energy for later use when demand is higher] to their customers, energy suppliers cannot only expand their offering and be more proactive in the renewable space, but they can also create new revenue streams for themselves by supporting the grid.”

But the development of the IoT solutions in the utility sector presents challenges as well as opportunities. From the cost of materials and infrastructure to system complexity and data security, technologists building smart systems must navigate the future with care.

Anthony Coates-Smith is managing director of Insite Energy, which launched app-based heat metering solution KURVE in 2019. The app has been selected by several housing developers and Coates-Smith says the company’s commitment to addressing customer pain points has been key.

“There is a tendency for people to think IoT is easy, that it’s just about linking things up. But you’re dealing with people’s accounts, their data, their money. Everything is possible but certainly not out of the box ‘click and go’.

“In the built environment IoT needs to have a long shelf-life. Building technology has to last at least 20 years; it’s expected that our assets will last that long as well.”

The future is bright for the IoT, with experts agreeing it will contribute meaningfully to the way we power the future. For utility companies, it will improve efficiency, lower costs and, ultimately, help to serve customers better.

For more information about the benefits of installing a smart meter in your workplace, visit the Smart Energy GB at smartenergygb.org

This article is part of a paid-for information campaign for Smart Energy GB.

The post Driving energy transformation with smart utilities appeared first on Small Business UK.