Energy Efficiency: The Ultimate Guide for Your Business

Energy efficiency is essential when it comes to managing your business's overheads and utility requirements. A well-thought-out and adequately implemented energy efficiency plan can help reduce your business's gas and electricity bills.

Aside from reducing your expenses on business energy, it also has a positive effect on the environment. Nowadays, there's a lot of energy efficiency business opportunities out there. When you have low-carbon incentives and schemes, your business can be more sustainable while saving money in the long term.

So what does it take to make your business energy efficient? If you want to know more, here's the ultimate guide to energy efficiency.

What is Energy Efficiency?

It reduces energy wastage when you maximize your operation using electronic devices that fulfill the same purpose but use less energy. For example, using LED lights rather than traditional light bulbs.

LED lights fulfill the same purpose as traditional light bulbs; they both illuminate the area when turned on. However, LED lights use less energy compared to conventional light bulbs. So investing in energy-saving devices help reduce your carbon footprint, decrease your energy bill and at the same time help the planet.

Energy auditing is usually implemented to figure out where to take aggressive steps to improve their energy efficiency. An energy audit will look in crucial areas such as:

• building structure
• equipment
• devices
• activities
• modes of transport
• energy consumption

Nowadays, you can use many services, systems, and products to improve your business's energy efficiency.

According to the Carbon Trust, most UK businesses can reduce their energy costs by ten percent (10%) with a few changes. For instance,  replacing old and power-hungry electronic devices with newer energy-efficient models can save energy.

Saving energy can also bring in a five percent (5%) increase in the sales of many businesses. Why? Because you can use the savings from your energy bill to improve your products and services.

Can I Calculate Energy Efficiency?

Yes, you can calculate the energy efficiency of your business equipment and electronic devices. The energy efficiency of a device is the proportion of useful energy taken with the total energy supplied for the electronic device to function:

However, it will still vary depending on many factors such as the following:

• it's function
• it's age
• how often it's used
• how well it is maintained

For example, the efficiency of a typical filament light bulb is only ten percent (10%), and a LED light's efficiency is seventy-five percent (75%). This example shows that switching to LED lights is sixty-five percent (65%) more energy efficient.

Is There A Distinction Between Energy Efficiency and Energy Conservation?

Both are closely related, and both can help households and businesses reduce energy wastage consumption. But, there are several differences between the two.

Energy efficiency involves equipment, devices, and appliances that require less energy but can still perform the same purpose as older, less efficient models. This can include upgrading your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.

Energy conservation refers to the practice of adjusting your habits and behaviors to cut down on unnecessary energy wastage. This includes training staff to turn electrical equipment off when not used and promoting green initiatives throughout the business.

Examples of Energy Efficiency

There are many ways for businesses to change and adapt so they can reduce energy wastage.

The most common energy efficiency practices include the following:

• Installing LEDs and motion sensor lighting
• Installing energy-efficient equipment
• Switching to a smart thermostat
• Installing an energy management system (EMS)

Climate Change Levy

It's an environmental tax that is charged to businesses based on the energy consumed. This is designed to encourage companies to invest in technologies that will make them more energy efficient.

Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme

It's a mandatory assessment scheme that needs to be completed by all large enterprises. It is designed to ensure that these businesses are doing their part in becoming more energy-efficient by reducing their carbon footprint.

These companies are required to assess their energy consumption every four years. Furthermore, they need to present how they are actively trying to save energy. If they do not follow, they can face financial penalties.

Conclusion

There are many straightforward actions you can take so that your business can become more energy-efficient. When you do so, you can take control of your energy use, reduce avoidable loss and cut your energy bills.

According to research, installing energy efficiency measures can reduce your energy bill by twenty-five percent (25%). In addition, there is an estimated forty percent (40%) savings with zero capital cost.

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