The Suppliers We Tender Across
Not one price from one company. A genuine market tender.
Compare Business Electricity – Comparing business electricity is not like comparing at home. Day and night rates, capacity charges, half-hourly data and a large slice of non-commodity cost all sit underneath the headline price. Get the comparison wrong and the cheapest-looking quote can be the dearest deal.
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Why Electricity Is Harder to Compare Than Gas
Four things that make a like-for-like comparison genuinely difficult.> Multiple unit rates. Half-hourly and many other meters have day, night and sometimes evening and weekend rates. A quote can win on day rate and lose overall.
> Capacity charges. Larger sites pay for agreed capacity (kVA) whether they use it or not. Two quotes can treat this very differently.
> Fixed versus pass-through. One quote fixes the non-commodity charges, the next passes them through. They are not the same product and cannot be compared on unit rate alone.
> Half-hourly data. Without your actual consumption profile, any comparison is an estimate. With it, the comparison is exact.
The Only Number That Compares: All-In p/kWh
Total annual cost, every charge included, divided by usage.Reduce every offer to a single all-in p/kWh and the differences become obvious. That means including the standing charge, the capacity charges and the non-commodity element, not just the day rate a supplier leads with.
It is the same discipline we bring to gas, but electricity rewards it more, because there is more hidden underneath the headline. See how electricity rates are built for the full anatomy.
Beyond the Unit Rate: The Terms That Cost You
Two quotes can share an all-in p/kWh and still be worth very different amounts.> Contract length. Most business electricity contracts run one to three years, and some suppliers offer five. Longer terms usually carry a lower unit rate but leave you exposed if wholesale prices fall. Check whether early exit is possible at all, and on what terms.
> Renewal and rollover. Notice windows and out-of-contract rates vary enormously between suppliers. Miss a notice deadline with the wrong supplier and you can be locked onto a rollover rate that undoes every penny you saved at the tender.
> Fees and standing charges. Meter reading charges, billing administration and payment handling fees are easy to skim past and land on the bill every month. Compare the full annual outgoing, not the rate in isolation.
> Payment terms. Monthly direct debit, quarterly billing and prepayment hit cash flow differently. Some suppliers also want a security deposit on a new account, particularly where the business has limited credit history.
> Data and metering costs. On a half-hourly site, check whether data collection and aggregation (DC/DA) sits inside the contract or is billed separately, and the same for meter asset provider charges if you lease rather than own the meter.
What You Need Before You Can Compare
Accurate site data is what separates a real comparison from a guess.Suppliers cannot price a meter properly without knowing what they are pricing. To run a genuine comparison we need four things: twelve months of consumption history, your MPAN, your current contract end date and notice period, and the meter type at the site.
If you do not have all of it, that is not a problem. Most of it sits on a recent bill, and we can obtain your half-hourly data for you. What matters is that every supplier prices the same information, because quotes built on estimated consumption are not comparable with each other and rarely survive contact with your actual usage.
Timing is the other half of it. Start three to six months before your contract end date. That leaves room to tender properly, weigh the terms rather than just the rate, and complete the switch before the existing contract expires, instead of drifting onto out-of-contract rates while you decide.
What Our Comparison Involves
We do the analysis a comparison site cannot.Your Real Profile
We use your half-hourly data to model exactly when you use power, so the comparison reflects your site, not an estimate.
Whole of Market
We tender your meter across suppliers and normalise every offer to all-in p/kWh, fixed and pass-through side by side.
Bill and Capacity Check
We check your non-commodity charges and agreed capacity are right before you sign, because that is often where the money is.
Comparing Business Electricity FAQs
How do I compare business electricity prices properly?
Reduce every quote to an all-in p/kWh: total annual cost including standing charge, capacity charges and non-commodity element, divided by usage. Comparing headline day rates alone will mislead you, especially on half-hourly meters.
Do I need my half-hourly data to compare?
Not to get an indicative comparison, but it makes the result exact. Half-hourly data shows your true consumption profile, so we can price your meter accurately rather than working off an estimate. We can obtain it for you.
Is it free to compare business electricity through you?
Yes, and there is no obligation. If a switch is not worth doing for your site we will tell you that instead.
Should I choose a fixed or pass-through contract?
Fixed gives budget certainty because the supplier carries the risk of non-commodity charges rising. Pass-through can be cheaper but exposes you to those movements. The right answer depends on your consumption and appetite for risk, which is exactly what we advise on.
How much can I save comparing business electricity?
It varies widely by site, but because so much of the bill is non-commodity, savings often come from correcting charges and capacity as much as from a lower unit rate. We look at both.
Why do quotes for the same meter differ so much?
Suppliers have different positions, different appetites for risk, and different ways of structuring non-commodity charges. That variation is exactly why tendering the meter beats accepting one renewal quote.
How far in advance should I start comparing business electricity?
Three to six months before your contract end date. That gives time to tender the meter, compare the terms as well as the rates, and complete the switch before the current contract expires. Leaving it late risks rolling onto out-of-contract rates, which are the most expensive electricity you will ever buy.
Is the cheapest unit rate always the best deal?
No. A low unit rate can be offset by a longer term, an unfavourable renewal clause, administration fees, or a supplier that bills your capacity and non-commodity charges wrong. Compare the full annual cost and read the contract terms before signing.
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Totally on their game!
Have been with Catalyst for several years, the service we receive is professional and trustworthy, and totally on their game! Would recommend to anyone.
Helen · 13 June 2017
Business energy advice made simple
I have always received prompt, straightforward advice from Catalyst. Their agents are down to earth, polite and happy to oblige any task you ask of them.
Nigel Green · 28 April 2017
A professional approach and knowledgable
Catalyst are honest in informing you whether the contract (electric in my case) is the most cost effective.
Les, Devon · 26 May 2017