COVID-19 has had an impact on everyone’s life, and we are all suffering from the economic and social consequences of the pandemic on a global scale. Although lockdown restrictions seem to be easing, it is still too early to really understand the consequences the coronavirus pandemic has had on the energy market, and business energy quotes in general. Business, in general, has felt the squeeze, with many firms finding their commercial activities have been curtailed since lockdown began, with many countries reporting a slump in GDP. The UK seems to have fared the worst, with France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the US also suffering too. This general decline in revenue means that it is now more important than ever for companies to have a better handle on their costs and energy consumption in order to ensure they stand a chance of recovering from the impact of COVID-19. Should I get a business energy quote now? The last few months have forced many companies to urgently review their expenses in order to navigate their way through the lockdown period successfully, by maintaining financial stability. The Government has tried to help with things such as the Furlough scheme, VAT deferral, and business grants – but a lot of people have neglected to look at one of the most important things – energy costs. Energy costs are often overlooked, but they are one of the most important supply elements when it comes to the smooth running of your business on a day to day basis – especially if you are in the manufacturing sector. In fact, for manufacturers, energy costs come in a close third behind labour costs and materials when it comes to noting down expenditure. On the other hand, the global energy market is sitting at a low, the likes of which haven’t been seen for around 70 years. So, yes, now is the time to get a business gas and business electricity quote to take advantage of some of the drastically reduced long-term fixed energy contracts that are currently on offer. Why has COVID-19 impacted on the energy market? From March 2020, when the COVID-19 lockdown began, commercial activities dropped sharply and so the demand for energy dropped dramatically as well. Hand in hand with this was a sudden increase in the amount of gas being supplied to the global market, from countries such as Qatar and Russia, as they fight to establish their dominance in the gas supply market. What should you do? In order to capitalise on the heavily reduced energy prices, caused by lack of demand and an excess of supply by contacting D-ENERGi to get a new business electricity and business gas quote now. Reviewing the offers that are available in the market at the moment, may lead to significant savings for you in the coming months.

Every type of business, whether small or large, local, or a global multi-national, faces the same kinds of financial challenges. Making smart decisions about how they spend their money is critical for business success. However, these smart business decisions can sometimes come in parts of your business you didn’t think they would – such as when it comes to looking at your business gas rates.  Did you know, your business could save hundreds of pounds by just simply switching your business gas supplier? Why should you switch your business gas supplier? Running a successful business is not an easy job – you will find yourself undertaking multiple tasks on a daily basis – and spending money wisely is just one of these tasks. This can leave you with not a lot of time to think about whether your existing business gas supplier is the right one for you. However, switching business gas suppliers doesn’t have to be as time-consuming as you might think. All you have to do is contact the team at D-Energi, and we will undertake the search for you. Once we have searched, we will call you back to offer you the best quotes in the market place. You can then look through them, decide which is the right one for you. There is no obligation for you to switch, but you may find that you save hundreds of pounds if you do. You shouldn’t only consider the financial benefits of switching, but also: Whether your current supplier offers you the customer service experience you expect Whether your current supplier reflects your business values when it comes to sustainability Is your current supplier reliable at offering you the support you need?   What information will you need to get the best quote? If you are thinking about switching your business gas supplier but don’t know where to start, the D-Energi team is here to help. All you will need is: Business postcode Current business gas consumption Date your existing contract is due to end Existing business gas suppliers name Your meter number   Don’t worry though, all of this information should be easy to find on your latest business electricity bill. So, get in touch with the D-Energi team today and take control of your spending on business gas. We make it as easy as 1,2,3.

If you have heard of the term half hour electricity, but are not sure what it is or how it could benefit your business, then read on. What is a half hour electricity meter? A half hour electricity meter is a metering system based on automatic meter reading (AMR) technology, which is used to give a more accurate meter reading. The meter is attached to a fixed-line which sends a meter reading to the half hour electricity suppliers every half an hour. The benefit, therefore, of half hourly electricity for businesses is that it offers you an accurate and up-to-date billing with no need for estimations or monthly meter readings to be undertaken. You can also access your consumption data from your business electricity supplier, which will allow you to get a good handle on when during the day you are using the most electricity. This can then allow you to work on reducing your operational energy use and work more efficiently. How does half hour electricity pricing differ from regular pricing? The ongoing nature of half hour electricity readings means that your consumption data will be much more accurate, and this will eliminate the need for estimated billing which can vary wildly from the actual cost of electricity used. So, half hour electricity pricing is much better tailored to your business and your business usage than regular pricing. What do the P272 mandatory HH meter changes mean? Back in April of 2017, Ofgem revised their documentation concerning profile class meters of 05 06 07 or 08 with an advanced meter capable of recording HH consumption data. This revision, called P272, means that these businesses are no longer settled against a Non-Half-Hourly read but instead use HH data and are settled as half hourly rates. Does my business need a half-hourly meter? If your business uses more than 100kw electricity per hour or more, then having a half hourly meter is compulsory. Check here http://www.sandiegodowntown.com/. If you have usage of 70kw or more, then it is up to you whether you have a half hourly meter installed or not. If you have recently moved to new premises and are not sure whether you have a half hour meter or not, just check the most recent electricity bill. In the top left-hand corner will be an ‘S’ number – and if this starts with 00 then you have a half hour electricity meter installed. If you are unsure of anything to do with half hourly electricity, including how to compare half hour electricity prices, then please get in touch with our customer service team on 0800 781 7626.

Comparing your business electricity supplier, and their tariffs are generally more complicated than comparing domestic electricity suppliers. This is because there are a lot more business electricity tariffs out there than there are domestic ones. So, finding the right business electricity plan for you will depend on the type of business you have, as well as its size and location. For this reason alone, it is essential that you compare several quotes before you decide which is right for you. Here are some things you need to keep in mind when comparing business electricity suppliers: Average Price per kWh for business electricity The UK Government has set different rates in p/kWh depending on the size of the business, and at the moment (July 2020) they are: Very small business: 16.09 p/kWh Small business: 13.95 p/kWh Small/Medium business: 12.44 p/kWh Medium business: 11.51 p/kWh Large business: 11.25 p/kWh Very large business: 10.01 p/kWh Extra-large business: 9.68 p/kWh   So, on average the price per kWh for business electricity is around 11.66p/kWh. This is important to know, especially if you are a small business who is paying more than 13.95 p/kWh for example, as you will then know that you are paying more than the average. It is important to remember, though, that the Government themselves has said “the average price of electricity (including CCL – climate change levy) has risen by 8% in real terms over the past five years and by 4.6% on the previous year.” The difference between unit rate and standing charge Business electricity prices tend to be made up of two separate charges, and these are: Unit rate. The price you pay for the electricity you use – usually given in kWh. Makes up the bulk of what you pay for electricity Standing charge. The price you pay for your business to have access to electricity – usually priced in pence per day.   When you are comparing business electricity suppliers it is important to take note of the standing charge, and not just the unit rate. Although the unit rate will have the biggest impact on your bill, the daily standing charge can also make a big difference to the amount you will pay. Should I switch business electricity suppliers? If you have looked at the average business electricity rates listed above and realised that you are paying more than average then you definitely should consider switching suppliers. It is a relatively easy process to undertake if D-Energi helps, and you shouldn’t see any effect on your actual supply. The best way to get the cheapest business electricity rates is to get the D-Energi team to take a look at the best quotes on the market on your behalf.