4 Steps To A Lower Business Electric Bill

With COVID-19 eating into the bottom line of many businesses it's never been more important to make your dollar go further. One of the ways you can do that is by lowering your electricity bill.

Depending on your business, energy bills can be a major expense at the end of every month. This page shows you 4 steps you can take to cut back on your energy use and save on your bills, so you can put that money back to work for your business.

Key Takeaways

• If you live in an Energy Choice state, find a business electricity plan with a better rate.
• Every business is different. Determine what consumes the most energy for your business.
• Cut back on usage where you canwithout hurting your business, of course.
• Take advantage of programs your utility offers, like free or discounted energy audits.

1. Switch Business Electricity Providers

If your business is in a state with Energy Choice, you may be able to save without making any changes to your business.

Energy Choice states allow you to choose your energy supplier. This means you can compare electricity rates and plans to find the perfect electricity solution for your business.

Here are some of the possible benefits and features of switching electricity providers:

• Low Electricity Rates – Since businesses use much more electricity than households, some businesses can qualify for very low electricity rates.
• Fixed-Rate Plans – Locks in your electricity rate, making your electricity bill every month predictable and saving you from surprise rate hikes.
• Time-of-Day Pricing – Offers lower electricity rates at night, when overall electricity demand is lower. Helpful for those that operate their businesses mostly at night.

To find out how much you can save, visit the business electricity rates page and request a free customized quote.

2. Determine What's Consuming Your Electricity

Every business's energy needs are different. To know what you can cut back on to make the biggest impact, you should know what consumes the most energy each month.

Heating and cooling take up a substantial chunk of many businesses' energy usage, as it does with households. However, some businesses use certain types of equipment more often than others, so it's important to take that into consideration.

For example, a refrigerator in a household does not consume a lot of energy. But for a grocery store, which has multiple large refrigerators, refrigeration likely makes up a larger percentage of its total energy consumption.

So ask yourself the following questions:

• What types of electronic equipment does my business use every day?
• How much electricity does this equipment consume?

After you find what's consuming your energy, you can attempt to cut back on the biggest culprits to make the largest possible dent into your electricity bill.

3. Cut Back On Electricity Usage

Sounds self-explanatory, but you should attempt to get rid of energy waste where you can. Of course, it may be impossible to cut back on certain equipment that you need to operate your business. But even if you can't, there are steps many businesses can take to be as energy-efficient as possible.

• Lower A/C and Heat Use – Turn the thermostat up/down a degree or two to save energy. Use windows when weather permits and space heaters where appropriate.
• Ensure Your Place of Business is Properly Insulated – If your workplace is not properly insulated, your central heating and cooling system uses more energy. Check out energy audits in the next section to learn more about how you can make sure your place of business is properly insulated.
• Use a Programmable Thermostat – A programmable thermostat will ensure you don't forget about turning off the A/C when everyone's out of the office.
• Purchase Energy-Efficient Appliances – Look for Energy Star certified appliances to find the most efficient equipment.
• Use LED Light Bulbs – LED light bulbs are more energy-efficient than traditional light bulbs. They also last longer.
• Turn Off Lights When Not In Use
• Purchase Smart Power Strips – Electronics in standby mode still consume energy. If you have 50+ computers in your office in sleep mode throughout the night, this can add up. Smart strips detect when devices go into standby mode and cut off power to their outlets.
• Ensure Proper Maintenance of A/C and Heating Systems

4. Take Advantage Of Programs Offered By Your Utility

Utility providers often offer energy-efficiency programs.

For example, many utility companies offer energy audits. With an energy audit, an inspector comes to your business to make and recommend energy-efficiency improvements. Sometimes they will offer discounts on things like insulation services.

Other utilities offer load management programs, which provide incentives for cutting back on energy consumption during times of high electricity demand.

If you want to find what programs your utility may offer, head over to their website.