Energy Efficiency Q&A Round Two

As promised here we are with the second round of question and answers about energy efficiency. Today we will answer questions about rebound effect and negawatt, so if you want to find out the meaning of these terms keep on reading.

What does energy efficiency mean for businesses?

For a business, energy efficiency mostly applies to electrical appliances, heating equipment and everything else powered by electricity. Governments have pushed manufacturers to produce increasingly low-energy devices, such as desktop computers, televisions, refrigerators, freezers and a wide variety of electrical appliances used in each industry.

Simple energy efficiency measures at work include installing loft and wall insulation, draught-sealing windows and doors and replacing incandescent bulbs with efficient, modern CFLs and LED lights.

Cars are covered by a different energy efficiency scheme, which looks similar to the red-to-green EU Energy Label and ranks vehicles on their carbon emissions per kilometre (CO2 g/km). The most efficient modern cars emit less than CO2 100g/km, and all new cars in the EU will be required to – on average across European fleets – emit less than 130g/km by 2015. But this is content for another article, lets get back to energy efficiency.

What’s the rebound effect, and what does it mean for energy efficiency?

In 1865, William Stanley Jevons suggested that improvements in energy efficiency could result in unintended “rebound effects” – such as behavioural changes – that offset the energy savings. For example, greater fuel efficiency in cars may actually lead to motorists driving more frequently and for greater distances, cancelling out the environmental benefits of efficiency.

A report from Cambridge University earlier this year suggested that such rebound effects could cancel out 52% of anticipated energy efficiency savings by 2030.

What’s a negawatt?

The IEA suggests that energy efficiency should effectively be viewed as just another energy source, much like coal or wind power. Following the spirit of the IEA, the US scientist Amory Lovins suggested using the compound “negawatt” (negative-watt) as a unit for expressing the energy waste avoided through energy efficiency.

We have reached the end of the second of our Energy Efficiency Q&A. We would love to have a third round but for this we’ll need your help. Head to our Twitter account or Facebook Page and leave your questions there or if you prefer you can use our comments section below.

If you would like more information on our range of energy broker services or would like to find out how this could benefit your business, simply call our energy team today on 0870 710 7560 or request a call back at time to suit.

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How much electricity power do we waste at work

As a business person have you ever thought about avoiding wastage of  your electricity supply to further reduce costs? If you haven’t done so already, then you might want to ponder your thoughts on that just for a while. Electricity power is wasted in different ways, and some of them are not quite  as obvious as you think.  Here are some pointers that will give you an idea:

1) Standby Power

Standby power is usually the power consumed by electronic appliances when they are in the standby mode. While using the standby mode for devices when you don’t use them is a good idea, substituting it for a shut down can be detrimental. In order to help the device in standby mode maintain its previous state, some power is used, which increases your expenses by quite a substantial amount over the long run. Therefore, use the standby mode when you go on a coffee break, however, remember to shut the appliance down when you leave for the day.

2) Overuse of cable modems and computers

While using cable modems, you might notice that they are left switched on at all times even when they are not in use.  It is usually assumed that computers draw almost an equal amount of power in the same way as a perfectly working refrigerator, which is between 70 – 250 watts. Therefore, you might want to take a closer look at how you use this equipment to save on your energy expenses.

3) Excessively charging your equipment

Do you have the habit of leaving the phone connected to the charger throughout the night? Do you always use AC power supply when you work on your laptop? Over charging battery-run equipments will further add to your expenses, and over time, these products will start consuming more electric power to run efficiently.

One way to avoid this is to unplug the gadget from its charger once it’s charged. On the other hand, if you’re too busy all the time to do that, you might want to purchase chargers that come equipped with a system capable of halting the power supply when the equipment is fully charged.

4) Plugged in phone charges

Look under the desk in  most businesses and you will probably find a mobile phone charger that has been left plugged in with no phone on the end.  What most people don’t realise is that even without the phone plugged in, the plug is still using the same amount of power.  Therefore avoid wasting excess power by removing these from the sockets when not in use.

5) Office Computers

Because of the increased boot up time of the new windows platforms such as Windows Vista, many people choose to leave their office computers on all night and over the weekend to avoid waiting for the lengthy boot up process in the morning.  Unfortunately your modern day computer is a hive of electrical activity when not in use, and a number of computers left on, can drain serious amounts of power over the course of a year.  Avoid this by switching computers off or using software to automatically schedule your computers to shut down and power back up at the right time.  Our PC Powerdown software allows you to activate your own schedule for only £12 per PC, an investment that will easily be paid for in just a matter of months.

If you would like more information on our range of energy services or would like to find out how this could benefit your business, simply call our energy team today on 0870 710 7560 or request a call back at time to suit.

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Energy Efficiency Q&A Round One

Every time we discuss the current and future state of Britain’s energy industry a certain subjects can not be avoided, such as energy efficiency, climate change, carbon footprint, green energy and few others that we will discuss in a series of two articles starting today.

So what is energy efficiency? Is energy saving the same as energy efficiency? What role does energy efficiency play in slowing climate change? Below you will find answers to all these questions.

What is energy efficiency?

Energy efficiency generally refers to achieving the same result – lighting up a house, for example – by using less energy. It can be used to describe everything from small-scale changes such as more energy-efficient refrigerators and PCs in homes right up to more efficient power stations or energy savings across a company’s supply chain.

Perhaps the most obvious example of energy efficiency is the energy-saving lightbulb. A compact fluorescent (CFL) bulb typically uses around fives times less energy than a conventional incandescent bulb, but produces the same level of illumination.

What’s the difference between energy efficiency and energy-saving?

Though the two are often used interchangeably, efficiency is just one aspect of energy-saving (sometimes called energy conservation). Energy-saving can also include, for instance, behavioural changes such as encouraging individuals to turn appliances off standby, or technologies such as automated lighting systems that only turn on when they detect movement.

How big a role does efficiency play in slowing climate change?

Alongside increased energy generation from renewable sources, it’s one of the two key strategies that governments are deploying to cut greenhouse gas emissions. The UN sees efficiency improvements as quicker and cheaper to implement than green energy, and such speed will be crucial to avoid tipping points – where dangerous runaway climate change occurs – that scientists believe may be less than a decade away.

Efficiency has a major role to play in cutting CO2 and other greenhouse gases. The International Energy Agency (IEA) believes that improvements in efficiency alone could be responsible for 65% of the reduction in emissions from developing countries over the next 20 years. The UK’s Committee on Climate Change places energy efficiency at the heart of its recommendations for meeting the UK target of an 80% reduction in emissions by 2050.

This is it for round one of our Energy Efficiency Q&A, hope you enjoyed it and make sure you don’t miss the second round on Friday.

Got a question you want to ask about energy efficiency? Use our comments section to do so or feel free to drop us line on Twitter or on our Facebook Page with your queries. You never know your question might be featured on the second round of our Energy Efficiency Q&A.

If you would like more information on our range of energy services or would like to find out how this could benefit your business, simply call our energy team today on 0870 710 7560 or request a call back at time to suit.

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Best Practices for Business Electricity Price Comparison

Think it’s time to reevaluate your business electricity provider and reduce your company’s energy costs? Here are some helpful pointers to get you started:

Ask for competitive pricing bids

To ensure your company continuously enjoys good energy rates from your chosen supplier, you should have multiple bids to rely on. Based on these bids, find out what the providers’ terms are like as well as risk factors. Bear in mind that those who offer the lowest prices are not always the best, because at the end of the day, you may find their services lacking in quality. Watch out for unwelcome surprises in the form of hidden costs in the price quotes.

Understand your electricity bill

Companies should prioritise energy suppliers based on who can provide electricity bills that are easy to read. There should be no hidden costs; rather, every cost including late fees should be outlined clearly on the bill. It goes without saying that the power bills should be delivered in a timely manner each month or on a quarterly basis, and disputes settled within 10 business days – quickly and amicably.

Rope in an energy broker to do the job

Energy brokers are considered bulk buyers for companies to increase savings on their energy consumption, but that’s not all they do! An energy broker also helps you compare prices and educate you on what the current market prices are for energy sources like oil and natural gas. Reputable brokers usually own comprehensive websites with guides to energy savings and lots of content to educate you. They will be more than happy to guide you through the process of comparing electricity prices for your business — in fact, at Catalyst we provide you with all these services at absolutely no cost.

Perform a background financial check on providers

Even if you do not enlist help from an energy broker, you should find out an energy provider’s financial status. Just as they have the right to perform credit checks on consumers, so do the consumers to do background checks on potential providers. They should ideally boast of good Better Business Bureau ratings and a solid financial statement for each year they have been in operation. Never hesitate to ask for their annual financial records to better understand their business operations and reliability.

If you would like more information on our range of energy services or would like to find out how this could benefit your business, simply call our energy team today on 0870 710 7560 or request a call back at time to suit.

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Compare Gas Electricity Prices – 3 FAQ’s to Help You Switch Providers Easily

With the fluctuating prices of energy, most business owners agree that saving money on their power bills can help lessen operational costs and lighten their financial burden. Besides saving more money that you can put to better use for your business, you will also be doing your bit for the enviroment and you could also benefit from renewable energy sources.  Something that your current provider may not be able to offer.

Here are the 3 frequently asked questions together with their answers to help you get started on the right step towards comparing gas and electricity prices.

1. How do I know if it’s time to switch and compare energy prices?

Listen to the industry news, and you’ll know when the suppliers have lowered their prices! Once they do, you’ll know it’s an opportune time to switch providers.

There are other benefits that should cause you to switch and compare prices. You may have been “hooked” into your current provider because of the initial deal you signed on. However, you quickly realised that the offer is not so great after a while, due to the fact that other competitors are now offering better packages. The best thing to do is to keep abreast with energy-related news, and constantly educate yourself by comparing prices.

2. Which provider should I choose?

When comparing energy prices online, you are required to key in your postcode. This is because the cost you will pay depends on where your business is situated in the UK. That said, it does not mean that you should choose the provider that boasts the cheapest prices. Quality matters too, and is usually evident in the course of dealing with the provider.

In fact, this being the most important step that will possibly affect you for a number of months in the near future, it’s best to use the help of a good energy broker, especially when it is available completely free of charge — at least at Catalyst it is.

3. What should I do after I have decided the provider I want to switch to?

Virtually nothing! You do not have to notify your old provider but you may need to verify details when the new provider or broker steps in. You also need to pay off any outstanding bills to avoid hiccups and possibly a hefty penalty.

If you would like more information on our services or would like to find out how this could benefit your business, simply call our energy team today on 0870 710 7560 or request a call back at time to suit.

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Ofgem Overhauling the UK’s Energy Regulation

Last week Ofgem, the UK’s energy industry regulator, unveiled its plans to introduce incentives for companies that develop creative solutions to reduce their business energy usage, improve energy efficiency and help them meet low carbon commitments.  Ofgem is conducting a major overhaul in the UK’s energy regulation, as part of its plans it will facilitate £32 billion of investment in low carbon networks and expand the low carbon innovation fund to encourage greater innovation across gas and electricity networks.

To give investors more security Ofgem is also studying the possibility of extending price controls for energy networks from five to eight years.

It is estimated that Britain needs £200 billion in investments over the next ten years in order to maintain renewable energy supplies at affordable prices for businesses and households alike. The £32 billion that Ofgem is putting forward to stimulate businesses to develop their own solutions to improve their energy efficiency is nothing compared to £200 billion needed, but it sure is a good start to help Britain achieve its low carbon society dream.

Alistair Buchanan, Ofgem’s chief executive, said: “If Britain’s energy networks are going to meet the challenge of delivering a low carbon economy then we need them to have innovation in their DNA.”

Meanwhile the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and Ofgem are trying to accelerate the roll-out of smart domestic energy meters.

The bodies released a prospectus outlining the government’s plans to roll out smart meters to every household in the UK.

This rollout aims to provide efficiency and interoperability by simplifying and improving industry processes, including changing suppliers, as well as enabling smart grid development.

For businesses looking to gain more control over their energy expenditures the installation of a smart meter is also highly recommended, simply request it from your energy supplier or from your independent energy broker.

Smart energy meters will empower you to make choices on how much energy your business is using in real time, precise data collection solutions all aimed at putting you back in control of your costs.

If you would like more information on our smart meter services or would like to find out how this could benefit your business, simply call our energy team today on 0870 710 7560 or request a call back at time to suit.

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Comparing Business Electricity Tariffs – Top Energy Saving Tips For Your Busisness

Did you know that your company can save up to 40% on its energy bills?  If you took the initiative to switch your electricity provider on a regular basis and let an energy broker negotiate better power prices for your company, you will indirectly lessen your company operational costs.  Here are some tips that can help you get started on your way to major savings.

1.  Compare business electricity contract terms amongst potential providers: Some business owners choose to deal with energy brokers rather than going directly to the suppliers.

This allows the brokers to negotiate on behalf of  a company, and allows the company to benefit from a range of supplier quotes.  Sometimes the broker will have a reduced business electricity tariff available to them as part of there overall product set.  Of course, it goes without saying that an energy broker should be able to negotiate a much better deal for a business than an individual business owner can directly.

However, whether you deal with a supplier directly or choose to use a broker, it pays to scrutinise the business electricity contract terms.   Contract duration is an important issue you should carefully consider.   Most contracts last between one to five years, but remember,  some providers will charge an early termination penalty if you decide to end the contract prematurely, so plan carefully ahead before you decide to enter into a long-term contract.   A profesional energy broker will always remind you about the impending contract renewal and should present you with a new electricity tariff comparison.

2. Let your new provider make the switch easier: You don’t need to worry about contacting your old provider should you decide to go with a new supplier directly or through a broker.  Your broker or supplier will take care of everything and make the switch as seamless as possible.  However if you have a current contract with your current provider or have an outstanding debt with them, then expect them to object to the transfer.

3. Educate yourself on who are the top energy suppliers: E.On, Npower, EDF Energy, and Scottish & Southern Energy are some of the more reputable suppliers in the market.   It pays to know more about your chosen supplier and their background in the industry, which will definitely help you make a more informed final decision about whom to consider for any potential savings and better service and support.

For more information on energy brokers, and the services that they offer, have a quick look through the rest of our site.

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Yes to Renewable and No to Nuclear – Says the Energy Secretary

Energy Secretary wants to Shield Britain’s Energy with Renewables.  Ahead of today’s Commons statement on energy policy, speaking to the Sunday Telegraph and Sky News the Energy Secretary Chris Huhne made quite clear what will be the Government’s plan to prevent Britain from suffering a power crisis.  Mr Huhne was very clear when he spoke out in favour of harnessing onshore and offshore wind power and that there won’t be any Government money to subside new nuclear power plants.

With flows of North Sea oil and gas diminishing in future years, the Energy Secretary’s intention is to strengthen Britain’s energy production by making it more independent, allowing it to withstand “shocks from the outside world” which could send prices soaring for both households and businesses.

We have to agree with Mr Huhne to a certain extent because right now, the UK imports nearly a third of its energy from unstable regions such as Russia and the Middle East.   Which we already know makes energy prices move up and down through out the year.  A 100% nationalised energy production would be virtually impossible these days but if the Government had more control over it, energy prices could become more stable.

“There is going to be a strong emphasis on the economic benefit of becoming more independent of energy imports.  The lights will not go out on my watch,” – declared Mr Huhne

It would be ideal for Britain and any other country in the world, if it could be totally self energy sufficient relying only renewable energy generation.  Even though this is a futuristic dream to say the least, Britain has got great potential to increase its renewable energy generation not only with wind power but also with wave and tidal power.

As stressed by Mr Huhne, all three technologies are in their infancy and there is room for a lot of improvement.

To date there are approximately 262 wind farms operating in the UK counting on & offshore farms. These wind farms have the capacity to power more than 2.5 million homes on ideal wind conditions.  Right now there are 27 onshore and 5 offshore wind farms under construction not to mention the 468 winds farms planned to populate Britain over the next decade or so.

Last December, figures showed proposals were under way to increase Scotland’s total from 1131 turbines to at least 3855 with nearly 1000 already given consent or under construction.

Despite the fact that the Energy Secretary stated that there won’t be any subsidy to build new nuclear plants he expects that such power station will still be built to help secure the safety of the UK’s energy generation.

We want to hear from you now. What is the best way to secure Britain’s energy generation? Nuclear or Renewables?  Share your thoughts on our comments section below.

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Business energy bills to rise due to higher gas prices.

Business energy prices as well as household energy prices are set to rise as a consequence of a 32% increase in wholesale gas prices over the past 7 months.  The forecast comes from Nera an economic consulting firm.  The company has been monitoring the UK´s wholesale gas market since January and reveals that the 32% increase in wholesale prices, will translate into higher energy bills for businesses and households across the land.

The surge is being attributed to a combination of lower Qatari liquefied natural gas imports and the fragile pipeline supply from the Norwegian North Sea.

“In the long run, it’s true, gas prices do feed into retail prices. That’s been observed over a long period. What happens is the pressure builds up and there’s a mismatch between wholesale and retail prices, then one of the companies move and the others follow.”  Explains Nera director Graham Shuttleworth.

This is despite the decline in energy prices in March, when watchdog Ofgem published a report suggesting Britain’s ‘big six’ suppliers should pass wholesale price cuts on to consumers.  Economists and energy brokers alike are now concluding that the reductions weren’t as good as they thought it would be.

Such market variations only stress even further the need for businesses to have a reliable and competent energy consultancy firm.  One that understands with perfection how the complex UK energy market works and is able to find the right business gas contracts based on the clients requirements.

Hiring an energy consultancy company simply provides an independent and fresh approaches that help businesses achieve tangible results and save money on gas and electricity bills.

To learn more about how and independent energy consultancy service can save your business thousands of pounds each year on energy bills contact Catalyst or give us a call at 0870 710 7560 and speak with a friendly UK based energy broker.

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Why every company should monitor it’s energy consumption

There’s a reason why you do business, and that is to make profits.  As the saying goes, “a penny saved is a penny earned,” it goes without saying that a very important way of making profits is cutting down on your overheads or costs.  This is where monitoring and optimising energy consumption comes in.

Energy is the single most important attribute for everyone in the world –  regardless of whether you’re into manufacturing, IT, communications, or any other line of business.  However, despite such a huge demand for energy, its supply is limited, and if we do not optimise our use and continue to burden the supply ever more, we can end up facing seriously steep prices for the same commodity that we seem to take for granted at the moment.

Another aspect to consider for most businesses is that most developed nations in the world have become very aware of their carbon footprint these days.  More energy consumption means a higher carbon footprint, therefore, if you’re using a certain amount of energy, you better have good reasons for doing so.  Otherwise, not only would you be throwing away all the potential savings you could have made, but also adding a carbon tax component to your overall bills.  Of course, this can be avoided if you simply monitor your energy consumption and learn exactly where it is you’re spending most of your energy supply.

Now that we’ve seen the importance of trying to monitor energy consumption and optimizing it, let’s look at some of the ways in which you can do that.

Smart Meters

Or sometimes called electricity AMR meters,  these are truly revolutionary devices, and if until now you’ve been hiding behind the excuse that your old clunky meter never gives you an exact reading, you can’t do it anymore.  A smart meter can precisely calculate the energy consumption on your premises and provide you with a detailed report on your usage patterns. Using this information, you can easily figure out whether it’s possible for you to change your operating time to a slot when the energy supply is cheaper or identify wasted energy during non working hours.

Choosing a good supplier

This is obviously quite an important step. If you’re doing everything right and monitoring your energy usage daily to keep it under check, why not go a little further and see if there’s someone who can supply you the same energy at a lower cost?

Searching for energy leaks:

If you don’t need it, why waste it? Enlist professional help and ensure that no part of your precious energy supply that comes to your premises gets wasted simply due to a fault or a leak in your supply chain system.

These are some of the most important reasons for keeping an eye on your energy consumption and some basic ways of doing it.

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UK Gas prices eases as Langeled supply return to normal

On Tuesday, July 6th, UK gas prices rose after an unexpected sharp drop in the supply from Norway through the Langeled pipeline.  But thankfully early on Wednesday Langeled supply rose to its average flow and gas prices eased across the board.

Out of the blue gas imports from Norway dropped to around 20 mcm/day (million cubic meters) on Tuesday morning and the continuing lack of LNG (liquefied natural gas) to compensate made gas prices rise to 50.70 pence per therm by 10:40 GMT, off earlier highs of 51.50 and compared with 49.40 pence paid for gas to be delivered on Tuesday in the previous session.

“The market hasn’t gone nuts because people don’t believe the gas is going to be turned down for too long,” one gas broker said.

The gas broker’s predictions were correct as Langeled flows rose to 38 mcm/day at 22:00 GMT on Tuesday.  Gas prices for delivery on Thursday fell to 48.50 pence per therm at 09:00 GMT on Wednesday, well below the day-ahead contract high reached in the previous session.

“The market doesn’t like big amounts of movement,” stated an energy broker, referring to the downward corrections seen on the UK’s gas curve on Wednesday.

The front-month August contract, who determines whether to send LNG cargoes to Britain, fell 0.40 pence and was traded at 48.60 pence per therm ($7.39 per mmbtu).  Such fluctuations in natural gas prices are a clear signal that we need LNG and three more LNG ships are expected to arrive in the UK between now and July 23rd.

UK natural gas has rallied 38% in the first half of 2010, but may ease off as European gas stocks refill and supplies recover.

In the over-the-counter power market, prices were stable despite rising fuel prices for so many of Britain’s power plants and strong imports from France early on Wednesday helped counter balance the impact from increased gas prices.

The day-ahead power price was last dealt at £44.50 per megawatt hour (MWh), slightly above Tuesday’s trading level of £44.00 to £44.25 per MWh.

“Domestic demand is not a factor at the moment, the production and supply side is more important, such as problems with peaking plants,” said an energy broker.

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British Gas to donate £15 million worth of solar panels to British Schools

Last week British Gas announced an audacious scheme that will help the nation’s schools meet their carbon reduction targets through the use of solar panels.  For the first stage of the scheme British Gas will invest nothing less than £15 million in solar panels worth between £20,000 and £40,000 per school – in up to 750 schools.  This will allow each school to generate its own free, renewable energy.

The energy produced will help each school save as much as 20% on their annual electricity bills.  During a 25 year period it is estimated that the energy generated by these solar panels will create around £1.3m per year. The money will then be returned through the Government’s Clean Energy Cashback scheme.  This will be reinvested by the British Gas Energy For Tomorrow Trust, a ‘not for profit’ trust fund established by British Gas to invest in low carbon projects in the UK, which could allow more schools to benefit every year over the same period.

British Gas plans to install free solar panels in total of 1,100 schools over the next five years.  As mentioned these panels will help selected schools reduce emissions by up to 1,400 tonnes per year.  Equivalent to taking almost 400 mid-size 30mpg cars with average CO2 emissions of 3.55 tones per year off the roads.

But British Gas efforts towards helping Britain achieve its carbon commitment reductions target don’t stop there.  Together with the solar panels each school will also receive a smart meter, offering real time information for students allowing them to see the difference their solar panels are making.  To extend even further the consciousness towards a low carbon economy there will be specially created Generation Green lessons.

These lessons will help teachers engage their students in learning more about renewable energy generation and its importance to the future of a secure British energy market.  With the use of a specially designed website associated with the data provided by the smart meters, schools will be able to track their performance against others and share tips and advice.

Phil Bentley, Managing Director, British Gas, said:

“This is the biggest investment of its kind in solar technology for our nation’s schools, which will help them, cut both their carbon emissions and their electricity bills – as well as learn about renewable energy in a hands-on way.

“The electricity generated by these schools will help pay for the scheme to be extended to even more schools throughout the country, which is great news for school leaders, parents and pupils who are all looking for ways to save money during these tough economic times.”

Schools Minister Nick Gibb said:

“This is a very generous offer and I’m sure many schools will feel they can benefit from solar panels.  Cutting down on energy costs and reducing carbon emissions are absolutely the right thing to do. It’s a valuable lesson for pupils that we can all help to use energy sparingly, and where possible, generate it from sustainable or renewable resources.”

All schools in the UK can register for an application form at http://www.generationgreen.co.uk/ there you will also find more information about Generation Green itself and you can help your local school by donating leaves collected by switching to paperless British Gas billing or completing an energy saver’s report online.

We want to hear from you now.  What do you think of British Gas initiative? Should other energy companies follow suit to help Britain achieve its Climate Change Bill Agreements?

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How to save money with LED lighting for your business

There are many aspects of Business LED lighting that are not commonly known – aspects that make LED lights the most superior of any other contemporary type of lighting.  Here are a few of the reasons why using LED lights would be to your benefit.

LED light bulbs use up to 90% less energy than typical conventional bulbs. If your business consists of a large area that needs to remain well-lit throughout the day – or night – you can probably imagine the kind of saving it could generate for you in a short span of time.

In addition to consuming less energy, LED lighting produces less heat than regular bulbs, which can make it a lot easier for your air conditioners to cool the entire office space.  That means even more savings on your electricity bills.   To give you an idea, LED lighting can bring about a reduction of 15% on your air conditioning bill, which is quite significant.

Another very important factor that makes LED lighting ideal for both homes and offices is the longevity.  Commercial LED bulbs can typically last about 10-15 years once they’re installed.  This is quite incredible even for a small office, but it is significant in cases of a large industrial facility or a warehouse when you consider the amount of replacements and manpower that is wasted in maintaining tungsten bulbs or other forms of lighting.

The design on these lights is also more durable than standard filament bulbs so there is less likelihood of these bulbs being damaged by excessive heat or vibration.

So far, the only thing that does seem to work against LED lighting is the initial cost of purchase.   However, anyone with a calculator and an ability to do basic calculations will be able to see things in a better perspective.

Or you could qualify for free commercial led lighting as discussed in a previous post.

The kind of saving each LED bulb can bring about over its lifetime of 10 years is really unmatched and definitely way more than what you spend purchasing it.

In fact, when you do those calculations, you’ll realize that business LED lighting pays for itself soon enough considering its massive life span.

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Britain Needs £1 trillion to meet its Climate Change Bill Agreements

If England is to meet its 2030 Climate Change Bill agreements it will need 1 trillion in investments to turn the country’s infrastructure green. Nothing less than £50bn in investments every year will be required.

According to Bob Wigley, Chairman of the Yell Group and member of the Green Investment Bank Commission, stated that the work needed was “on a scale not seen since reconstruction after the Second World War.”

Mr. Wigley’s statement is based on a report commissioned by the Labour Party in 2009.  The report is in other words a blueprint of how the Green Investment Bank (GIB) will need to be set up to attract investments in low carbon energy generation from the public and private sector.

The GIB will need to have a social purpose and create income streams for investors.  It’s job will be to raise the necessary equity and debt finance to fund nuclear power stations, wind farms, smart grids and all the other paraphernalia of a low carbon future that the private sector is currently failing to do.

Right now UK energy markets are not doing a good job in signalling investment opportunities.  One of the main purposes of a Green Investment Bank will be to take the existing money paid into energy and infrastructure together with other funds, such as the new bank levy or a levy on consumers’ energy bills which could then be securitised, to create large pools of investment funding.

Investment banks have earned a poor reputation over the years due to bad administration issues.  First and foremost for the GIB to succeed it will need a strong and clear governing body with the discipline and commercial knowledge of the private sector blended with the Government strictness.

The Labour report estimates that a Green Investment Bank could raise about £12bn a year by issuing green bonds and from green ISAs, and take control of existing Government grants, such as those currently managed by the Carbon Trust.

Getting the GIB’s governance right will the corner stone of this whole operation, because no self respecting investor will commit funds to a bank, or its products, that are subject to political interference.

Chris Hurcombe one of our leading energy consultants said he envisages the GIB as an independent institution that reflects the status of the Bank of England – independent but regularly accountable.  But it will have to accept political presence and some times interference on its board, given that the issues involved around a Green Investment Bank are related to the execution of national policy.

According to Gregory Barker, the Energy and Climate Change Minister, the Coalition will take for granted the Labour study findings but no decision will be possible until after the Comprehensive Spending Review in October 2010.

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Business Smart Meter News

UK Company develops revolutionary online smart meter system and receives investment to go Global.  Northampton based Intamac Systems (Intamac), which has developed a new “online smart meter” service that allows a remotely activated energy use management and control, has received a £4m investment from Carbon Trust Investments Ltd, Seraphim Capital and Chandos Fund (both managed by YFM).

The funding has been given to speed up the development process of Intamac’s web-based system, which will help households to monitor and manage home energy use online.  Right now the system is being developed for home use only but nothing stops it from expanding to businesses in the very near future.

The Government’s commitment to establishing a smart grid and roll out smart meters, lends urgency to the development of new technologies like those of Intamac which offer a step change from existing meters on the market.

Instead of simply monitoring energy usage, data can be fed back through the Intamac monitoring platform to the utility provider, which will allow for bills to be managed much more effectively. The modular design of its online platform also means easier adaptation to future developments like the introduction of new standards.

Itamac’s online smart metering technology will put consumers in control of their energy use as well as their carbon emissions, not to mention that it will also help reduce the cost of energy bills.

Kevin Meagher, founder and CEO of Intamac comments,

“Our revolutionary remote monitoring and control technology will transform the way people use energy in their homes, helping them cut carbon emissions and reduce utility bills. We are delighted to receive this funding to support our continued growth to become the global market leader.”

Adam Workman, Partner at CT Investment Partners LLP, which advises Carbon Trust Investments said:

“Intamac’s technology opens up a new level of energy management to consumers enabling greater energy efficiency and carbon savings in the home.  We’re delighted to be making this investment in a market that has huge potential for growth in the UK and abroad.”

About Intamac

Intamac Systems is a market leader in the integration and networking of devices within the connected home. Founded in 2000 and based in the UK, Intamac was the first company in the world to exploit cloud based computing to support the deployment of value added services to the Connected Home.

About The Carbon Trust & Carbon Trust Investments

The Carbon Trust is a not-for-profit company with the mission to accelerate the move to a low carbon economy, providing specialist support to business and the public sector to help cut carbon emissions, save energy and commercialise low carbon technologies.  By stimulating low carbon action we contribute to key UK goals of lower carbon emissions, the development of low carbon businesses, increased energy security and associated jobs.

Carbon Trust Investments Limited is the venture capital investment subsidiary of the Carbon Trust. Carbon Trust Investments has invested in 25 businesses over the last seven years. Two of these companies, Ceres Power PLC and CMR Fuel Cells PLC listed on AIM. A further portfolio company, Heliswirl Technology Ltd, has achieved a partial exit.

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