Lower energy consumption
Lower carbon emissions
Lower energy bills
Practical energy efficiency advice for businesses
Helping you to:
• Use less energy
• Spend less on bills
• Improve environmental credentials
TM
The road to greater energy efficiency
starts here…
Saving energy delivers real benefits
3
How to get the most out of this guide
3
Office equipment 4
Space and water heating 5
Buildings 6
Air conditioning 7
Lighting
8
Electric motors 10
Compressed air 11
Commercial boilers 12
Refrigeration 13
Process plant 14
Microgeneration – could you make your own energy?
15
Putting ideas into action
16
Extra help from npower SmartStart
16
Funding for energy efficiency measures
17
Further help with energy efficiency 17
Sample Action Plan and Energy Policy
18
Need more help or advice?
Our expert Energy Efficiency team is on hand to help. Just call the helpline on 0845 070 4019.† Or visit our website at
www.npower.com/SmartStart, where you’ll find lots more useful information and advice.
All saving figures quoted in this guide are taken from The Carbon Trust 2008 - 2010, www.carbontrust.co.uk
† We may monitor and/or record calls for security, quality or training purposes. Calls from BT landlines to numbers beginning with 0800 and 0845 may be free. The price of calls may vary with other operators and calls
from mobiles may be considerably higher. Please check with your operator for exact charges.
Saving energy delivers real benefits / How to get the most out of this guide / Page 3
Saving energy delivers real benefits
There’s a simple business case for being more energy efficient – it could have a direct impact on your bottom line. In short, reducing energy waste reduces energy spend. But alongside saving money, you could also reduce the level of carbon emissions your
business is responsible for. And as carbon emissions are linked to climate change there’s also a strong environmental case for using
less energy.
The Carbon Trust estimates that most business can cut energy spend by around 10% by taking some simple efficiency measures. And
if you’re prepared to invest a little, you could increase this even more and start offsetting the cost against savings from day one.
How to get the most out of this guide
Whatever business you’re in – and whether you’re a small company or a larger organisation – this guide details a number of actions
you can take to become more energy efficient.
Clearly, not all will apply to you. But have a read through and perhaps mark all those that do. At the back of this guide, you’ll find a
template for an action plan where you can list ten key priority measures with a timescale to implement. Most efficiency measures
can be delivered quickly and simply, but others may require some planning or investment.
You’ll also find some useful contacts for further help and support, including details of organisations that can provide funding and
loans for energy efficiency measures that require some capital outlay.
If at any stage, you have any questions or need some more help, please contact us – our Energy Efficiency team are always happy to
talk to you. Just call the helpline on 0845 070 4019.†
Office equipment / Page 4
Office equipment
Whatever your business, the chances are you need some office equipment to operate, whether it be computers, photocopies,
printers, fax machines etc. In some companies, office equipment can be responsible for up to around 30% of total energy
consumption. Using equipment more efficiently can therefore make a significant difference to energy spend.
Savings in practice:
Just by turning off the TV in their café when no-one’s watching it, Independent Motor Auctions in Leeds could cut their energy
bill by around £26 a year. (Based on prices in 2008)
Easy ways to save on office energy expenditure
Only switch on what you need
A photocopier left on unnecessarily could increase your energy
bill by up to around £194 a year.
Consider whole life cost approach when you buy equipment
An energy star compliant laser printer could reduce your energy
bill by around over £19 per year.
Turn off computer monitors when you leave
A 17” tube monitor left on unnecessarily could cost up to
around £37 per year.
Save up photocopying until you have a batch
Photocopiers use a lot of energy when they’re first switched
on and when they’re left on because they need to be warm to
work. For maximum efficiency, save up copies into a batch and
then turn the copier off again. This could save you up to around
£194 a year.
Avoid copying documents unnecessarily
Cutting down on paper, toner (or ink) and energy could lead to
a saving of around £50 per year.
Enable energy saving features on all equipment
Power consumption could be reduced by up to 80%. Enabling
power save on a laser printer could save up to around £11 per
year or more.
Avoid using screen savers as they rarely save energy
Sometimes screen savers use more energy. Turning off a screen
saver and activating the power save function on a computer
monitor could save around £25-£45 per year per monitor.
Keep photocopiers outside air conditioned spaces
This may save up to around £200 per year in ‘warming-up’ costs
for each copier.
Avoid printing emails
You can save paper, toner/ink and energy by not printing emails
and documents that aren’t strictly necessary. The energy alone
could be worth around £6 or more per year, per printer.
Find out more ways of saving energy with office equipment
Contact The Carbon Trust at www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/energy, or call 0800 085 2005
Space and water heating / Page 5
Space and water heating
Heating your business premises and ensuring adequate hot water can use up a lot of energy. For maximum efficiency, aim to match
your space and water heating to the occupancy of the building and regulate it to maintain the desired temperature.
Top tips to reduce heat waste
Ensure thermostats are set to the desired temperature for
heat and hot water
For every 1˚C of extra heat, your heating bill increases by around
8%. For warehouses, 16˚C is usually an acceptable temperature,
and 20ºC for offices. For hot water, between 60˚C and 65˚C
is suitable for catering and washing to avoid Legionella (any
higher can also increase limescale build-up).
Reset timers after clock change from BST to GMT
If the heating is on at the wrong times, you could be paying for
an extra hour of heat made up from portable heaters – up to
around £95 per heater per year.
Ensure radiators are unobstructed
This will increase circulation of heat. If you have to resort to
using portable heaters to make up for insufficient heat, these
can cost up to around £95 per heater per year.
Fit insulation material behind radiators on outside walls
This could save you around £10 in a year, although
circumstances do vary.
Fit thermostatic radiator valves
If your radiators are on full without any form of regulation, you
could be overheating a room and increasing your heating bill.
Get a new boiler
If your boiler is over 20 years old and you spend around £1,100 a
year on your heating bill, you could save around £330 simply by
fitting a new condensing boiler.
Have boilers professionally serviced
Maintaining your boiler could save you up to around £120 per
year in efficiency costs, if you currently spend £400 on space
heating bills.
Turn off boilers during the summer months
Using an immersion heater during the summer could save
around £20 per year, although circumstances vary.
Ensure your hot water cylinder (calorifier) is well insulated
If you spend around £160 per year on hot water, this could be
halved with an insulated cylinder.
Ensure adequate insulation on all hot water pipes
Insulate all hot water pipes, flanges and valves to prevent heat
loss and cut down on your hot water bills.
Want to know more about space and water heating?
The following organisations can help with queries about space
heating and hot water and the various methods of control:
• The Carbon Trust
www.thecarbontrust.co.uk Tel 0800 085 2005
• The Heating and Ventilating Contractors’ Association www.hvca.org.uk Tel 020 7313 4900 (provides information on local contractors)
• The Combustion Engineering Association www.cea.org.uk Tel 029 2040 0670
Buildings / Page 6
Buildings
Effective insulation and draught proofing is essential to reduce heat loss from buildings – as well as limiting any noise and airborne
pollution. Most buildings have scope for improvement. Good insulation is best fitted during the construction or refurbishment of a
building when it is more cost effective and less disruptive. However, there are still changes that you can make to existing buildings at
any time.
Good housekeeping for more energy efficient buildings
Seal external doors and windows with draught excluders
By fitting self-adhesive draught excluders to outside doors and
windows, you could save around £20-£40 on a typical heating
bill of £400.
Don’t heat unoccupied rooms
Check to make sure that radiators or heaters are turned off in
rooms that aren’t used.
Keep doors closed between heated and unheated areas
This could reduce your energy bills by around £40-£80 on a
typical cost of £800.
Want to know more about buildings?
For help with queries about buildings and the various methods
of control, contact:
Add a lobby to cut down on heat loss
If your reception costs £200 per year to keep warm, around
£50 could be wasted by allowing heat to escape through a
frequently used door.
• The Carbon Trust
www.thecarbontrust.co.uk Tel 0800 085 2005
Fit automatic sensors on loading bay doors
If your loading bay costs £160 per year to keep warm, you could
save about £40, depending upon how many times the door is
opened, by installing an automatic sensor.
Insulate cavity walls and roof spaces
Prices will vary depending on circumstances but your
investment could typically be recouped within five years.
Ensure room temperatures are thermostatically controlled
If you spend £600 per year on space heating, you could reduce
your energy bill by about £48 for each degree the temperature
is reduced.
Air Conditioning / Page 7
Air Conditioning
Air conditioning can be a blessing during summer months, but it doesn’t need to run 24/7. Nor should it run too cold. Both will
increase energy costs considerably.
Savings in practice:
By adjusting temperature settings on air conditioning from 21˚C to 23˚C, the Queen’s Arms pub in Brighton could save around
£232 a year. (Based on prices in 2008)
Keeping cool for less
Ensure thermostats are set to the desired temperature
For every 1˚C below 24˚C, you could be adding 8% to your air
conditioning bill so check regularly that your room temperature
thermostats are set correctly. Cooling to 23˚C or 24˚C is normally
quite acceptable.
Avoid simultaneous heating and cooling
If you spend £80 heating a space in winter and a further £120
cooling the same space in the summer, your annual bill is £200.
But if the systems are both running simultaneously, it could cost
you around an extra £50.
Check humidity controls
Unnecessary humidity control could double the energy required.
Replace air handling unit dampers with variable speed drives
This will significantly reduce running costs and provide a return
on investment typically within three to five years.
Use the right filters and keep them clean
Blocked or incorrect filters could be adding to your energy costs and lowering the overall efficiency of your air conditioning system.
Keep condensers clean
Blocked, damaged or dirty condensers can increase air
conditioning bills by around as much as 25% and may also lead
to inadequate cooling.
Remove or insulate all heat sources in air conditioned spaces
Identify and eliminate all heat sources – uninsulated hot pipes,
photocopiers, etc – as they can cause your air conditioning
system to work a lot harder.
Minimise the use of other office equipment that generate heat
One 17” desktop PC monitor left on unnecessarily could cost
around £74 per year in direct energy costs plus a further £20 per
year for additional air conditioning costs, although circumstances vary.
Minimise solar gain
Control excessive heat from the sun by using blinds or shades.
All chilled water pipes should be well insulated
By insulating chilled water pipes you could be saving on your
energy bills, as the chiller plant could operate more efficiently.
Portable air conditioners should reject heat directly outside
Maximising the efficiency of portable air conditioners could save
as much as around £50 per year for each externally ducted unit.
Want to know more about air conditioning?
The following organisations can help with queries about air
conditioning and the various methods of control:
• The Carbon Trust
www.thecarbontrust.co.uk Tel 0800 085 2005
• The Heating and Ventilating Contractors’ Association
www.hvca.org.uk Tel 020 7313 4900 (also provides information on local contractors)
Lighting / Page 8
Lighting
Every business needs lighting in one form or another and uses a significant amount of energy simply so that people can see to do
their jobs properly. Retail outlets also rely on display lighting so that their goods are correctly lit to make them visible and appealing.
While natural lighting is often preferable, it’s not always available or practical. Many businesses also have changing needs
throughout their work hours. So artificial lighting is a necessity.
The key to being more energy efficient with lighting is having a system that produces the maximum amount of light for the input
power and is flexible and responsive to changing circumstances. The control system is therefore crucial.
Savings in practice:
Simply by replacing 4 x 58 watt T8 fluorescent tubes in their main office with T5 conversions, Regency Press in Birmingham
could save more than £30 a year. (Based on prices in 2008)
Simple steps to reduce lighting bills
Check lighting levels
You may have more light than you need. Removing an
unnecessary 100 watt incandescent bulb could save about £20 a year.
Turn off fluorescent lights when not needed
A popular myth is that it’s not worth turning off fluorescent
lights for short periods. This isn’t true. Turning off a single 65
watt fluorescent fitting at break times could save around £4 per year.
Turn off unnecessary lights
Each twin 58 watt fluorescent fitting costs about £23 a year to run.
Rewire lighting controls for small groups of lights, or even
individual lights
The more control you can have over the light you use, the
less likely you are to waste energy. So consider fitting dimmer
switches, automatic presence or sunlight detector sensors.
Fit a time switch to control fixed hours of lighting
Each 70 watt lamp lit all night, when part night operation would
do, costs around an extra £14 per year.
Label light switches
Only turning on lights that are needed will save money – a
fitting with 4 x 18 watt lamps will cost about £17 a year to run.
Fit daylight and/or occupancy sensors to lights
For a group of 6 x 80 watt fluorescent fittings, savings in the
order of £51 per year could be achieved.
Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs
Standard incandescent lamps are inefficient, generating 10%
light and 90% heat. Swapping a 20 watt low-energy lamp in
place of a 100 watt incandescent lamp could save you around
£16 a year.
Lighting / Page 9
Use task lighting rather than light the whole area
A single 18 watt task light instead of an overhead fluorescent light
with 4 x 18 watt tubes could save about £12 per year – enough to
cover the cost of buying the task light.
Replace 38mm fluorescent tubes with 26mm tubes
For each 65 watt bulb substituted with a 58 watt lamp, you’ll
save around £3 per year – more than the cost of the new bulb.
This will usually work with lamps that have starters, excluding 8ft
fittings. If in doubt, try one first.
Consider whole life cost approach when buying lighting
By replacing twin 80 watt fluorescent fittings with new twin
58 watt high frequency fluorescent fittings, you’ll make energy
savings of around £13 per fitting. Plus, you’ll have the benefit of
lamps that last twice as long and operate flicker-free.
Replace or remove flashing fluorescent tubes
A 100 watt fluorescent tube flashing every couple of seconds
could waste £72 worth of energy in a year.
Consider turning off external lighting
Rather than leaving lights on all night, fit motion sensors. For a
typical 300 watt tungsten halogen lamp, you could save up to
£20 a year. Where lights are required to be lit all night, choose
discharge lighting – a 70 watt high pressure sodium lamp rather
than a 300 watt tungsten halogen lamp saves around £42 over
the year.
Want to know more about lighting?
The following organisations can all help with queries about
internal and external lighting and the various methods of control:
• The Carbon Trust
www.thecarbontrust.co.uk Tel 0800 085 2005
• UK Lighting Manufacturers’ Trade Association
www.lif.co.uk
Tel 0207 793 3020
Electric motors / Page 10
Electric motors
Electric motors are major users of electricity in industrial plant and commercial premises. Motive power accounts for almost half
the total electrical energy used in the UK and for nearly two thirds of industrial electricity use. Consider what the motor is actually
doing. Is it doing useful work? If not, turn it off.
Maximise motor efficiency
Prevent unwanted motors running
A 4kW motor turned off for an hour a day could save about
£100 a year. A 50kW motor turned off for an hour a day could
save over £1,200!
Slowing down a motor could make significant energy savings
Fitting variable speed drives could lead to significant energy
savings with paybacks between three and five years. A motor
taking 14kW at 1,500 rpm and costing £1.19 per hour to run
could drop to around 9p an hour to run if adapted to around
1kW at 750 rpm.
Use direct drives rather than belt drives
A 12kW motor driving a pump directly, rather than via a belt,
could save about £260 throughout the year.
On belt driven systems, ensure pulleys are properly aligned
A 10kW motor driving a pump with pulleys that are not
properly aligned could add around £220 to the annual energy cost.
Changing pulley ratios on fixed speed motors could lead to
significant energy savings
Slowing a motor down by simply changing the pulley ratio is
very cost effective for fixed speed motors and could achieve
paybacks in under a year. A motor taking 6kW at 3,000 rpm and
costing 51p per hour to run, for example, could take less than
1kW and cost less than around 7p per hour to run at 1,500 rpm.
Connect oversized motors in permanent star configuration
An oversized motor costing £200 per year to run could reduce its cost to around £180 if connected in permanent star formation.
Use high efficiency motors
A high efficiency EFF1 rated motor used in place of a 25kW
basic motor running continuously all year, could save about £400.
Want to know more about motors? Then contact:
• The Carbon Trust
www.thecarbontrust.co.uk Tel 0800 085 2005
Compressed air / Page 11
Compressed air
Compressed air is a convenient and often essential utility, widely used in industry. However, it takes a lot of energy (usually
electricity) to generate and consequently is very expensive. For example, it costs up to ten times more to run air tools than their
electric equivalent, because only 10% of input energy to a compressor is doing useful work while the other 90% is rejected as heat.
Up to 30% savings are possible by following some simple good housekeeping measures, often achievable at no or low cost.
Steps to reduce the cost of compressed air
Consider heat recovery
It could yield up to 40% of the compressor’s input power as a
‘free’ heat source.
Ensure compressed air is used appropriately
As an energy source, compressed air costs ten times that of
electricity (90% is wasted as heat in the compressor) so it
should be used sparingly. Using compressed air to dry products
when a simple 3kW blower would do, for example, means that
you could be wasting more than £2 for each hour of continuous
use – and maybe as much as £4,000 in a year.
Locate and fix air leaks
If you have a 30kW compressor running on load for eight hours
per day and 40% is wasting away, then you could be losing the
equivalent of £1,600 per year.
Switch off compressors when not needed
A 30kW compressor running offload over lunchtime all year
round, could be costing you more than £200 in wasted energy a year.
Maintain compressors properly
A 15kW compressor running inefficiently could be costing you
more than an extra £850 a year.
Reduce compressed air generation pressure
Compressors that cost £1,500 a year at 7 bar pressure could
only cost around £1,400 if reduced to 6 bar.
Avoid unnecessary filtering or drying
Providing ultra clean air when basic filtered air is all that is
required could be costing you dearly in energy and filters. Drying
also costs significant amounts as the air has to be cooled to
separate the moisture. Ensuring that you are filtering and drying
to the required standard and no more could lead to significant financial savings.
Ensure that multiple compressor installations are properly sequenced
Exact savings will depend on your own system.
Ensure air inlets are clear and unobstructed
If your 40kW compressor is drawing air from within a room with
an ambient air temperature of 33˚C, you could be adding about
4% to the running cost, which could mean around an extra
£800 per year, based on a 40-hour week.
Isolate redundant pipework to areas that no longer need
compressed air
Exact savings will depend on your own system.
Want to know more about compressed air?
The following organisations can help with queries about
compressed air and the various methods of control:
• The Carbon Trust
www.thecarbontrust.co.uk Tel 0800 085 2005
• British Compressed Air Society
www.bcas.org.uk Tel 020 7935 2464
Commercial boilers / Page 12
Commercial boilers
Many boilers are small and compact and are used for space and water heating applications, particularly in the smaller commercial
and retail business sectors. Some larger buildings and many industries will have much bigger boilers (or a combination of boilers)
and these need to be considered more specifically than the smaller, individual packaged boilers.
It’s worth noting that not all of the heat produced by a boiler is useful. Some is lost up the flue, some through the boiler case and
some through leaks in the system. With steam boilers, heat will also be lost during blowdown (a process that helps to prevent the
boiler clogging up with particles left over when water is converted to steam). Further losses can occur if the condensate (what’s left
when the steam turns back into water) is not collected and re-used. So there are lots of ways to limit energy waste and maximise efficiency.
Savings in practice:
Updating their old hot water boiler with a new energy efficiency boiler could save Bristol-based pie makers Pieminister around
£155 a year, with a payback period of less than three years. (Based on prices in 2008)
Getting the best from boilers
Replace old boilers
All modern boilers have a better efficiency than their older
counterparts, so replacing an old boiler with a new one could save as much as around 30% depending upon individual circumstances.
Ensure that a minimum number of boilers are running
In multiple boiler installations, a sequencing control device
should be used to ensure that the minimum number of boilers
are running fully loaded, rather than all boilers running on part load.
Downsizing a boiler could lead to savings
Boilers were often oversized, so there may be an option to
downsize, which could lead to additional savings. However,
replacing a boiler can be an expensive option and may cause
considerable disruption, so it may be worth considering other
measures first.
Maximise condensate
Maximise the amount of condensate being returned to the
boiler, as this could save heat energy and save on water
treatment costs. Consult an expert for advice.
Insulate all hot water pipes, flanges and valves
Insulate all hot water pipes, flanges and valves to prevent heat
loss and you could save up to around 10% of supplied energy.
Ensure the boiler is only running when it needs to
Check the timer and review what’s required as the seasons change.
Ensure the boiler is only heating to the required temperature
This will vary according to what you need it for, but for every
1˚C of extra heat, your bill could increase by around 8%.
Deal with variable needs for heat
Where there’s a variable need for heat in particular areas, ensure that the steam or hot water pipes can be isolated when
not needed.
Check for water or steam leaks and rectify as necessary
Leaks waste heat – and therefore energy.
Ensure boilers are regularly serviced
Boilers should be professionally serviced at least once a year to
ensure optimum efficiency.
Insulate boiler casing
Insulate (or add extra insulation) to the boiler casing. Consult an
expert if you are unsure.
Act to detect problems with boilers
Regularly monitoring flue gas temperatures and the
composition of the flue gas itself can lead to early detection
of a problem with your boiler. Either consult an expert or have
automatic monitoring equipment fitted.
Position new boilers effectively
If you’re considering getting a new boiler, site it as near to the
heat demand as possible.
Want to know more about boilers?
The following organisations can help with more information and
advice about boilers:
• The Carbon Trust
www.thecarbontrust.co.uk
Tel 0800 085 2005
• The Heating and Ventilating Contractors’ Association
www.hvca.org.uk Tel 020 7313 4900 (provides information on local contractors)
• The Combustion Engineering Association
www.cea.org.uk Tel 029 2040 0670
Refrigeration / Page 13
Refrigeration
Refrigeration energy costs British industry around £300 million a year and rising. In certain sectors – notably food and drink,
chemicals, food supermarkets and cold storage – it accounts for a significant proportion of overall site energy costs. A small
percentage reduction in refrigeration energy could therefore represent huge financial savings.
Many refrigeration units can be improved to save up to around 20% of their energy consumption. Much of this can be done at little
or no cost, with paybacks on any investment of well under two years being the norm.
Chilling at maximum efficiency
Is cooling really needed?
A freezer cooling 2˚C lower than necessary and costing £190 a
year to run could be wasting around £30.
Minimise the number of times that doors are left open
Each time the door is opened, cold air escapes and warm moist
air enters – both of which lead to greater energy use. The warm
moist air has to be cooled down and in the process ice forms,
leading to more frequent defrosting as the ice builds up.
Keep evaporators and condensers clean and unobstructed
If your freezer costs around £1,500 a year to run, then it could
cost you about an extra £150 if you allow the evaporator
temperature to rise by 3˚C – and twice this amount if the
condenser temperature also rises by 3˚C.
Fix all refrigerant leaks
Refrigerant gas is expensive and lack of it will severely limit the
performance of your system and add to the running costs.
Keep door seals in good condition
Replacing a bad door seal with a good one will often pay for
itself in less than 12 months for example.
Insulate refrigerant pipes
Pipe insulation is very good value for money and will keep
running costs down. Often the outlay can be recovered in less
than two years for example.
Ensure adequate insulation around the cooled space
Insulation will keep running costs down, with any outlay often
recovered in less than three years.
Want to know more about refrigeration?
The following organisations can help with queries about
refrigeration and the various methods of control:
• The Carbon Trust
www.thecarbontrust.co.uk Tel 0800 085 2005
• The British Refrigeration Association
www.feta.co.uk Tel 0118 940 3416
• The Institute of Refrigeration
www.ior.org.uk Tel 020 8647 7033
Process plant / Page 14
Process plant
Process plant covers a diverse range of equipment, including dryers, furnaces, baking ovens, mixers and blenders, crushers and
grinders, tanks and vats, treatment booths and many others used for specialist jobs in industry. However, this equipment is often
overlooked when people are thinking about energy efficiency because it’s seen as too specialist. Concern about product quality can
often hinder trying anything new. But there are some simple house-keeping measures that can reduce energy costs significantly.
Using process plant effectively
Shut down unnecessary plant
Preventing any unwanted plant from running will save the full
input power to the plant. For example, a 15kW kiln turned off at
night when not needed could save over £2,000 in a year.
Consider options for improved controls for existing processes
A control system that maximises through put but minimises
costs is the ideal set-up and could lead to savings.
Plan for energy efficiency in new installations
An investment in energy efficiency at an early stage could yield
good results in the longer term.
Consider opportunities for heat recovery
This could yield up to 40% of your compressor’s input power as
a ‘free’ heat source.
Ensure plant is used at its optimum level
It’s always better to run plant at its optimum, as this is when
efficiency is greatest. At quiet times, it may be better to
shutdown the plant and allow for the workload to build up again.
Want to know more about process plant?
The following organisation can help with more efficiency
information about process plant and the various methods of control:
Monitor energy performance of key processes
Monitoring consumption patterns on a regular basis will help
keep track of costs, but may also give an early indication of
equipment malfunction, as increasing consumption is often
associated with imminent plant failure. Monitoring equipment
and software could help you to keep track these costs without
having to manually check through energy statements.
Ensure plant is properly maintained
Poorly maintained plant could use up to 30% (sometimes
more) energy for the same production and is more likely to
break down.
• The Carbon Trust
www.thecarbontrust.co.uk Tel 0800 085 2005
Microgeneration – could you make your own energy? / Page 15
Microgeneration – could you make your own energy?
Businesses are now being encouraged by the UK government to invest in small-scale electricity generation – from mini wind turbines
and solar panels to tapping energy from on-site hydro sources and installing anaerobic digestion units. It’s all part of Britain’s low-carbon strategy to cut greenhouse gas emissions and help meet future renewable energy targets.
As a result, the Feed in Tariff (FIT) scheme became effective on 1 April 2010. FIT is a ‘clean energy cash-back’ scheme designed to
incentivise businesses and households to invest in small-scale renewable technologies in return for guaranteed payments.
Tariffs are set taking into consideration the technology costs and expected electricity generation, with an approximate rate of return
of between 5 percent and 8 percent for well-sited installations.
To find out more about the benefits of FITs, please contact one of our specialist Feed in Tariff advisors on 01905 340646.
Next steps / Page 16
Next steps
Now you have reviewed the key areas for saving energy, the next stage is putting this information into practice – and getting the
help and support you need to make this happen.
Putting ideas into action
Once you’ve identified the key measures that can help your business, you might find it helpful to list ten key priority measures you
can start with to help reduce energy waste. There’s an action plan over the page which you might like to use as a template.
It can also be useful to appoint a person, or a team of people, to take lead responsibility for making your organisation more energy
efficient and help get your whole team on board. So if you don’t already have this in place, you may like to consider finding one or
more staff to take on this responsibility.
Once you have your energy efficiency ‘champion(s)’ decided, defining an energy efficiency policy that best suits your business is an
ideal next step. For a small business with limited energy use, the policy shown in Appendix 2 may be appropriate. However for more
complex businesses or those with more demanding energy needs, a bespoke solution may be needed. Again, if you need help or
advice, do contact our Energy Efficiency team on 0845 070 4019.†
Extra help from npower
We have developed a range of products and services under our SmartPower brand to support our business customers in successfully
reducing energy waste, carbon emissions and energy bills.
For smaller businesses, SmartStart offers a range of advice and expert help. The advice is free to npower business supply customers
and includes an Energy Monitor to help you understand more about how your business uses energy – and how you can become
more efficient. Plus there are lots of helpful tips, a personalised energy audit with tailor-made efficiency recommendations, and an
online Carbon Footprint Calculator. For more information, see npower.com/SmartStart or call the Energy Efficiency team on 0845 070 4019.†
Next steps / Page 17
Funding for energy efficiency measures
Many energy efficiency measures cost nothing to implement, while others require minimal expenditure with a short pay-back
period. However, some efficiency improvements may require more significant investment – and where that’s difficult to fund, you
may be able to get some help.
• Loans
interest free loans for energy efficiency investments may
also be available, particularly if you are a Small to Medium
Enterprise (SME) and plan to repay the loan from the
energy savings the investment will generate. The amount
available from The Carbon Trust scheme is currently £3,000
to £100,000 at 0% interest and no fees. More details are
available on the Carbon Trust website at www.thecarbontrust.co.uk.
•The Enhanced Capital Allowance (ECA) scheme
this scheme offers tax incentives if you invest in energy
saving equipment, including claiming 100% first year
capital allowances for approved energy saving equipment.
The ECA website has a list of eligible energy technologies
and equipment – these currently include lighting, heating
ventilation and air conditioning equipment, boiler equipment,
compressed air equipment, refrigeration and more. For full
details, visit the scheme’s website at www.eca.gov.uk or call
The Carbon Trust Energy Helpline on 0800 085 2005.
Further help with energy efficiency:
• The Carbon Trust
a government-funded organisation that provides energy
efficiency information, advice and funding for UK businesses
looking to save energy and carbon emissions. The trust
promotes best practice and encourages action, with advice
and support at every stage – from planning to design,
implementation and management. Key services include:
• Free information and advice, whether basic or technical.
• Professional, independent and objective advice about
energy-efficient and environmentally-conscious building design.
• Free on-site energy surveys, conducted by professional
energy consultants who will draw up an action plan
showing how your business could save money, energy and
reduce emissions (usually for larger customers spending
over £50,000 per year on energy and subject to availability
and eligibility criteria).
• Possible funding for energy efficiency improvements (again,
subject to availability and eligibility criteria).
For further information, visit www.thecarbontrust.co.uk or phone 0800 085 2005.
• The Energy Systems Trade Association (ESTA)
an energy management trade association, focusing on
the energy efficiency of buildings, building services and
process services for businesses. ESTA represents over 100
suppliers of products and services covering the energy
efficient monitoring, control, operation and management of
buildings, building services and process services. For further
information, visit www.esta.org.uk or phone 07041 49 20 49.
• The Chartered Institution of Building Services
Engineers (CIBSE)
produces a range of publications on energy efficiency issues
related to buildings. CIBSE also offers professional training,
education and membership services. For further details, visit
www.cibse.org or phone 020 8675 5211.
• The Energy Institute
provides individuals and organisations with professional
training, education and membership services in energy and
environmental management and awareness. The Institute
is also an NVQ delivery centre and accrediting body for a
variety of company and university courses. For further details,
visit www.energyinst.org.uk or phone 020 7467 7100.
• The National Energy Foundation
an organisation that manages the Energy Efficiency
Accreditation Scheme, which provides independent
verification of the achievements of organisations
implementing energy efficiency and management measures.
For further information, visit www.nef.org.uk
or phone 01908 665555.
Sample Action Plan / Page 18
Appendix 1:
Item
Sample Action Plan
What will be done
Who will
When
1
Ensure all computer monitors are turned off at night
All
Every night
2
Fit door closer to external door
Fred
By 20 March
3
Change T12 fluorescent tubes to T8
Bill
By 25 March
4
Undertake compressed air leak test
Harry
By 2 April
5
Check thermostat settings on space heating
Bill
By 25 March
6
7
8
9
10
Appendix 2:
Sample Energy Policy
XYZ Co Ltd Energy Policy
XYZ Co Ltd is determined to conserve all forms of energy to reduce operating costs and to minimise damage to the environment.
With volatile and increasing fuel prices, it has become imperative that we all seek to use less energy. As well as moving towards
more efficient use of energy, XYZ Co Ltd will strive to source its energy needs from renewable sources, which will further protect the environment.
It is hoped that over the next two years, XYZ Co Ltd will have saved a minimum of 10% of its energy use by the adoption of best
practice, modern engineering solutions and by the encouragement and commitment of its employees to use less energy. These
savings can be channelled into further energy saving initiatives and front line services in support of our main business activities.
We’ll renew this energy policy at regular intervals and update it to take into account changing circumstances and to ensure it
provides opportunities for continuous improvement.
The responsibility for overseeing the energy policy and for subsequent reviews has been delegated to Mrs Somebody, who will be
supported by Mr Someone. Please give them your whole hearted support.
President’s, Chairman’s or Chief Executive’s signature:
Date:
Sample Energy Policy / Page 19
Energy Policy Statement
This document sets out the goals, objectives and targets for the sustained reduction in energy use throughout the XYZ Co Ltd
organisation. This energy policy forms the basis of a two-year energy saving plan, which will lead to environmental benefits and
lower operating costs. The energy policy will run between August 2011 and July 2013 and will be reviewed every six months to
ensure the goals, objectives and targets are on track and to incorporate any necessary changes.
It is the intention of XYZ Co Ltd to:
• Publish our corporate energy policy.
• Purchase environmentally friendly energy, where we are not disadvantaged by so doing.
• Adopt a whole life costing approach to purchases, where particular attention is paid to energy efficiency.
• Reduce energy consumption, and thus reduce carbon emissions.
• Improve overall energy efficiency.
• Engineer solutions for saving energy rather than rely solely on manual intervention.
• Encourage and motivate employees to save energy.
• Publicise these objectives.
• Ensure all items identified in our action plan have been implemented.
• Introduce energy conservation into the induction process for all new employees,
Targets
XYZ Co Ltd has agreed to a sustained reduction in energy consumption, year on year, by the adoption of the two-year energy saving
plan. The individual targets for reductions in gas and electricity are detailed below. The base year for statistical purposes will be 2008
and all targets will be set and measured against this.
Gas
For gas, the plan is to reduce consumption by around 5% per year over the next 2 years, leading to a total reduction of 10% in gas
usage by 2013. This will be measured by kWh/m2, and weather conditions will be taken into account.
Electricity
For electricity, the plan is to reduce consumption by around 5% per year over the next 2 years, leading to a total reduction of 10% in
electricity usage by 2013. This will be measured by kWh/m2.
Date:
Date:
Don’t miss out
– your business could profit from
using energy more efficiently.
For further information call our expert Energy Efficiency helpline on
0845 070 4019†
† We may monitor and/or record calls for security, quality or training purposes. Calls from BT landlines to numbers beginning with 0800 may be free. The price of calls may vary with other operators and
calls from mobiles may be considerably higher. Please check with your operator for exact charges.
npower is a registered trademark and the trading name of Npower Limited (registered in England and Wales no. 3653277), Npower Direct Limited (registered in England and Wales no. 3782443), Npower
Northern Limited (registered in England and Wales no. 3432100) and associated companies. Registered office: Windmill Hill Business Park, Whitehill Way, Swindon, SN5 6PB.
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