What are the barriers to energy market liquidity? You don’t know and you don’t care? Well, maybe it’s worth a little of your attention because as business energy users, it affects you and the future of your energy supply and billing in the UK.

Disfunctional Market

Economists probably have a more technical term, be it ‘closed market’ or similar but we consider the energy market to be a disfunctional one – and one that is in need of the energy brokers such as Torse, making sense of it. continue

Haven Power it seems have taken an Autumnal leaf out of the fashion industry’s book lately. They have taken the view that if you continue offering the same product year after year, season after season, interest can stagnate and relying on the simple core demand for your product is not sufficient in what is becoming a much less straightforward energy marketplace. So, as we head into Winter, Haven are announcing a whole new line of products that they are enthusiastically parading down the proverbial catwalk of the UK business energy marketplace.
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The usual problems that consumers face when are dealing with suppliers are: Lack of clarity on tariff structures and bills: inaccurate meter readings; lack of communication regarded to contract rollover and renewal letters; complicated paperwork and procedures that the consumer does not understand. Ofgem have reported that one of the most significant factors affecting the way suppliers behave is the fact that ‘The Big Six’ control the majority of energy supply and associated contracts in the UK domestic and non-domestic energy market. The Big Six are of course, British Gas (20 million business and domestic customers), EDF Energy (5.7 million domestic customers), E.ON (5.3 million customers), npower (6.5 million business and domestic customers), Scottish Power (5.2 million customers), SSE (9.6 million customers). Unfortunately there is no end in sight to this unhealthy oligopoly but there are ways of ensuring that your own dealings with these companies ensure you have the maximum choice and opportunities to save money. continue

Torse Ltd presented at the Environmental Technology Centre‘s breakfast meeting this morning which was entitled “Sustainability, The Impossible Dream?”. The ETC are based at Nottingham University. Below is the video created by Torse to highlight some key issues for the presentation and you can also download the sustainability and profitability handout diagram used by Torse to present their ideas.

Video Content

0:21 > 1:24 Energy price rises and trends from Jerome Baddley, Nottingham Energy Partnership
1:24 > 4:15 What low cost activities can businesses do to reduce energy costs?
4:15 > 4:49 What medium cost activities can businesses engage with?
4:49 > 5:24 When should technologies be considered?
5:24 > 6:30 Keith Baker discusses the sort of technologies that could be considered?
6:30 > 7:43 Example of Lake Source Heat Pumps at the Sir Colin Campbell building
7:43 > 8:49 Tree surgeons who have changed to more sustainable and profitable working practice
8:49 > 9:30 Best options for a typical city based business

Lindhurst Engineering was formed in 1985 initially to provide innovative solutions to the UK mining market, focusing particularly on the operational functionality of coal-face equipment. More recently, the company has focused upon green technologies, in particular, biomass digestion units used to produce gas from a new form of anaerobic digestion with increased efficiency and reduced physical footprint. As part of the Torse Ltd Sustainable Energy Study Torse staff interviewed Martin Rigley, Managing Director of Lindhurst Engineering about the biomass technologies they are currently developing. You can also see more information about the company by visiting http://www.lindhurstinnovation.co.uk/

Video Content

00:21 > 01:00 – Introduction to Lindhurst Engineering
01:01 > 02:14 – Overview of the biomass project with the University of Nottingham
02:15 > 03:11 –  Biomass application for local agriculture
03:14 > 04:09 – Main Barriers for the uptake of sustainable energy technologies
04:10 > 05:25 – Public concerns about new sustainable energy technologies
05:26 > 07:43 – Advice for companies similar to Lindhurst Engineering
07:44 > 09:22 – The future of green tech and biomass anaerobic digestion

NOTE:This video provides SME businesses with a step by step guide to reducing energy costs, conserving energy and initial advice on using green technologies. If you have not already applied these recommendations, following these steps WILL save you money.

The Nottingham Energy Partnership is a registered charity with 10 years experience in driving the forward the climate change agenda and educating public about the energy efficiency among other issues. Jerome Baddley, Sustainable Energy Development Manager from Nottingham Energy Partnership was interviewed by Torse about conservation of energy, the barriers to businesses making the most of savings and efficiencies and the ways in which business can reduce energy bills, moderate costs and increase energy savings. You can see more information at http://www.nottenergy.com.

Video Content

00:19 > 01:06 – Introduction to NEP activities
01:08 > 02:06 – Typical resistance to change from SME businesses
02:06 > 02:39 – Businesses do not want disruption to operations
02:39 > 03:18 – Top management level often requires culture change
03:20 > 04:12 – The future of the energy market and rise in energy costs
04:13 > 06:44 – What businesses can do to reduce energy costs
06:45 > 09:13 – Alternatives to reduce costs and the hierarchy of savings
09:14 > 09:36 – Reducing carbon emissions

2014 is set to be an interesting year for the energy industry. Why?…because that is the yeat that Smart Metering begins to roll out to all households and businesses in the UK. You will experience the change as both a business and domestic consumer.

Guaranteed Savings!

Not so fast. The introduction of Smart Metering is percieved by some as the start of reduced bills thanks to more real time data and the ability to understand your usage on a daily basis. Well, sorry to disappoint but the emphasis will still be on the business or household to use the live data to monitor and assess where bills can be reduced by switching off, conserving and limiting energy use. Switch off that light, wear a little more clothing in the office so the heat can be turned down a notch and ensure that PC monitors are energy saving with PC’s that are easily turned off.
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