Beat rising energy prices by understanding your energy usage

As Victorian businesses make the shift towards a low carbon economy, energy costs for small and medium businesses (SMEs) appear set to rise.

To reduce the impact of rising energy costs businesses can focus on better understanding their day to day, seasonal and overall energy usage patterns.

Businesses that have an understanding of their energy usage will be best placed to pinpoint opportunities and the associated benefits. Recognising and knowing which times, processes, appliances and practices contribute to your business’ energy consumption will enable you to identify ways in which you can use energy more efficiently.

More efficient usage may mean exploring ways to run energy intensive processes and machinery during cheaper, off‐peak times or amending processes or practices that might be using unnecessary energy, such as appliances, air‐conditioning or lights left on overnight or weekend.

With an ever increasing variety of energy supply contracts available for businesses to choose from, understanding how your business uses energy will enable you to choose a contract that best suits your business’ unique needs.

The following actions will help you better understand your business’ energy usage patterns:

  • Observe what’s happening: take time out to walk around the site and look at what, where and how where energy is used. Do this both during operating and non‐operating hours.
  • Conduct an energy audit: collate and use your energy bills to determine your annual energy usage. This will help you better understand your seasonal usage patterns as well as form a baseline to compare future improvements against.
  • Speak to your energy supplier: find out what sort of contracts are available for your business, and choose one that suits your unique energy consumption patterns.

Visit www.whatcanidorightnow.com.au and download an energy visual inspection checklist.

Contact VECCI Sustainability on 03 8662 5490 and have us complete a free cost comparison for your business to switch to GreenPower. You may find it will actually save you money! (valid to 30 June 2010)

See www.carboncompass.com.au to understand what energy saving solutions may be available to your business.