Review your business energy contract before October renewals

One of the most effective energy-saving tips for businesses is reviewing energy contracts early.

Many commercial electricity and gas agreements end around 1 October, meaning renewal conversations with suppliers often begin several months beforehand. Starting this review in spring gives businesses more time to compare tariffs and identify opportunities to save money.

Leaving a contract until the last minute can result in businesses moving onto expensive out-of-contract tariffs, which can significantly increase gas and electric bills.

Reviewing your contract early allows you to:

• Compare available energy tariffs across multiple suppliers.
• Identify cost effective fixed-rate deals.
• Plan procurement based on current market conditions.

This approach helps businesses manage future energy costs and secure long term savings.

Monitor energy use patterns across your premises

Understanding how your business uses electricity and power throughout the day is another practical way to improve energy efficiency.

Many businesses operate equipment continuously even when demand is low. Reviewing energy usage data can highlight periods where systems are consuming more energy than required.

This analysis allows your business to:

• Identify equipment running outside business hours.
• Shift energy demand to off peak hours where possible.
• Reduce unnecessary energy waste.

Better visibility over energy consumption allows your organisation to make informed decisions when selecting the most suitable tariff structure.

Align tariffs with how your business actually uses energy

Different tariffs suit different operating patterns. Some businesses benefit from fixed pricing for predictable energy bills, while others benefit from tariffs linked to usage patterns.

If a tariff does not match how a site consumes electricity, businesses may end up paying higher energy costs than necessary.

For example, businesses that operate heavily during daytime hours may benefit from tariffs designed for that usage pattern. Aligning tariffs with actual energy use can help organisations save energy costs without changing daily operations.

Explore longer-term efficiency measures

Alongside operational improvements, businesses can also reduce energy costs by considering longer-term efficiency initiatives and government-supported schemes.

• Sign up to a CCA: eligible businesses can receive a discount on the CCL in return for meeting agreed energy efficiency targets. These agreements are commonly used by energy-intensive sectors such as manufacturing and food production to reduce tax exposure while improving energy performance.
• Review energy procurement strategies: regularly reviewing contracts and comparing tariffs helps businesses align energy purchasing decisions with market conditions and operational demand.

Combining day-to-day energy saving measures with wider efficiency initiatives allows organisations to reduce overall energy consumption, improve long-term planning, and create more predictable energy costs.

Reduce operational energy waste and explore efficiency schemes

Many businesses use more energy than necessary because equipment, lighting and climate systems continue running outside working hours. Office technology, kitchen appliances, refrigeration systems and lighting can all increase energy bills when left operating or in standby mode.

Taking simple operational steps can help businesses save energy, reduce energy waste, and control energy costs. For example:

• Switch off equipment at the end of the working day: turning off devices rather than leaving them in standby mode reduces unnecessary electricity demand.
• Install timers or automated shutdown systems: these make sure artificial lighting, air conditioners and other appliances only run when they are needed, to conserve energy.
• Review lighting and equipment schedules: aligning operating hours with business activity reduces energy use outside working hours.
• Improve efficiency in commercial kitchens: using energy efficient appliances, preparing food with batch cooking, and using smaller equipment such as an air fryer where appropriate can reduce electricity consumption.
• Maintain refrigeration equipment: refrigerators should operate between 3-5°C and freezers around -18°C. Regular maintenance helps systems run efficiently and prevents excess power use.
• Manage heating and cooling zones: heating or cooling only occupied spaces, and closing internal doors, helps maintain a comfortable temperature while using less energy.

Small operational improvements like these will reduce unnecessary energy consumption across day-to-day operations. Over time, even modest adjustments can produce measurable reductions in electricity demand and help businesses keep ongoing energy costs under control.