A large proportion of small business owners often struggle to deal with unpredictable costs from their energy bills. This is mostly because of the fluctuating cost of energy and the varying rates charged by some energy suppliers. If you are a small business owner who is having problems in keeping your electric bills low, the tips and tricks provided below can help you save money.
How to reduce energy use
There are countless ways you can save money and reduce your power consumption. For starters, you can notify your staff to be more mindful of their energy use. You can tell them to switch of the lights or adjust the use of the AC and heating. This small change alone can significantly contribute to the reduction of your power consumption.
Another important step you need to do is to request a business energy audit. Call your current energy provider and schedule the audit as soon as possible. Once you receive the audit, outline the most crucial adjustments you need to take. Determine if the current equipment you use is still energy efficient; otherwise, you should consider replacing it.
You can also switch to a new energy service provider if you are not happy with the service you currently receive.
Find a more suitable company using websites such as Electricityrates or Utility Bidder.
Lastly, you should consider reducing your peak demand hours. During these hours, the power usage of your company is very high, so the energy demand increases, causing a spike in your electric bill. You should try to reduce the energy demand by running your equipment early morning or late at night.
Say yes to natural lighting
If your shop or office is located in a well-lit area, you should definitely take advantage of natural lighting. It is a cheap and brilliant way to conserve energy.
Try replacing the windows to let in as much light as you can. You can also switch to glass doors to allow your customers to check out your product displays.
With glass windows and doors, you can minimise the use of internal lights and highlight the best features of your shop or office for less. Instead of turning on the lights during the morning, you can maximise the illumination provided by the sun.
Using natural light will not only help you reduce your power consumption but also provide you with a long list of health benefits such as improved mood and increased productivity levels.
Think beyond your power consumption
Aside from making necessary adjustments to how you consume energy, you should also think of working on outside your shop or office. For example, if you have full control of the area’s landscaping, you should consider growing more trees to provide enough shade during the warmest days of the year. This alone can help you lower your cooling and heating costs.
Switch to green technology
Nowadays, there are thousands of tools and equipment that use green technology. These consume less energy and leave a smaller carbon footprint. Some of these tools and equipment are a bit costly but you can get plenty of benefits from using them.