The secret to reducing your energy spend that many businesses are not aware of!

The cost of energy for people and businesses across the UK has been rising steadily for some time. A variety of socio-economic and political events have sent prices soaring in recent months and the internet is awash with advice on how people and businesses can reduce energy consumption by implementing a variety of practical changes to lower consumption.

However, what most businesses on half hourly meters don’t realise is that by analysing their half hourly data, they can make practical business changes that can significantly reduce energy spend, without having to decrease consumption.

What is a half hourly meter and how do you know if you have one?

A half hourly meter (also known as HH or 00) is a business electricity meter that sends consumption data to the energy supplier every half hour. HH meters are subject to two different rates, a day rate and a night rate. It’s mandatory in the UK for businesses with a maximum (peak load) demand greater than 100 kW in any given half hour period.

To tell if your business has a HH meter, you can simply ask your business energy supplier. You can also check your electricity bills – HH metered accounts have an MPAN number starting with 00.

What are the benefits of a HH meter?

The benefits of having a HH meter are vast and include:

• Not having to take meter readings yourself to get accurate bills
• The ability to better monitor and manage your energy consumption
• You will only have to pay what you owe
• It’s easier to predict your business energy usage

The secret to lowering energy spend

Possibly the most important benefit to having a HH meter is the ability to manage your energy consumption. At United Gas & Power we are able to provide HH data to our customers, and this allows our customers to be able to analyse exactly what energy is being used at specific times of the day. This information can be highly valuable for developing energy-saving measures without reducing your consumption.

For example, one of our most recent customers is a large independent hotel that has a HH meter installed. When we first spoke to them about their new contract, we advised looking at their HH data to configure the most appropriate consumption profile for their contract.

After analysing HH data, we found that the hotel had a huge spike in energy usage between the hours of 2 and 5pm. On closer examination we discovered the reason for this spike. Guests at the hotel typically checked out at 11am. By 2pm, rooms had been cleaned and at that time, the laundry room got to work on the bedding and towels. This surge in energy usage was happening in peak times, and at a day rate that was more expensive than the meters contracted night rate. By moving its laundry time to 5am the following morning, we calculated that there would be a 10% reduction in overall energy spend and was able to agree a contract with a consumption profile that reflected this change in business process.

Whilst this is a very straight forward example, it is possible for businesses with a myriad of high energy activities to use their HH data to re-configure how and when they conduct their activities in order to save money, without reducing consumption. It is however important to discuss these proposed changes with your supplier before making any changes so that together, you can develop an effective energy management strategy.

If you’d like to speak to one of our experts about how we can help you effectively manage your energy costs, or to discuss your metering options with us, call us on 0800 669 6698.