What do to When the Energy Bill Discount Scheme Ends in March

With commercial energy costs expected to rise by 20% in 2024, and the your energy bills going back up to 100% with the government’s Energy Bill Discount Scheme ending on 31st March, powering your facility without breaking the bank is be one of the most concerning issues for business owners in 2024.

What is the Energy Bill Discount Scheme?

In 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. A global political event that lead to a domino effect on all energy prices, causing a severe rise in energy costs for UK businesses and homeowners.

UK manufacturers saw their average rates more than double from 18pkW to over 30pkW in just one year, the steepest rise in last 10 years.

The UK government stepped in to subsidise electricity prices for UK commercial customers. This involved payments to the energy companies that would automatically be applied to your bills. Reducing the cost down to 21.1p kWh. For comparison, when the scheme was announced, wholesale costs in England, Scotland and Wales were expected to be around 60p kWh.

For a medium sized manufacturing business that uses around 200 MWh of electricity would receive a discount of £161,250 every month. In March 2024, that will end and the bills will increase by this amount.

What is the Solution?

If only there was a solution that meant you could stop relying on handouts and subsidies from the government to run your business…

…there is!

A Purchase Power Agreement is a way for you to access exclusive solar energy with hugely reduced rates and lock them in for up to 30 years. Instead of having to scrabble around every year looking for way to keep your energy costs manageable by using government schemes, you can take control of your businesses future.

Essentially, we find a financial backer to pay for a solar system on your facility. You agree to pay for the electricity it generates for a set free. This agreement lasts up to 30 years. The longer the agreement, the better the rate.

How Does it Work?

Firstly, we need to know if your facility is viable. Considerable factors include;

  • There is a minimum size for the roof space (usually an area of 400 sq ft)
  • Your facility must be open most of the week, and not closed for considerable length of time over the year.
  • If you own your building, the decision is yours alone. If the building is owned by a landlord, the decision depends on the length of the lease. However, even short leases will be considered.

 

We want to cover at least 70% of your consumption with this solar agreement, which means if you currently use 1.4MW per year, we would install a system that would generate a 1MW every year. Without this agreement in place you would like pay £476,000 per year, with a Purchase Power Agreement in place you would instead pay £286,000 per year.

(£150,000 for 1MW of solar power & £136,000 for 400,000 kW of grid electricity).

Other Benefits

Not only will you drastically reduce your energy bills for the next 30 years, but you will make huge steps forward towards your net zero goals. Solar panels are an easy way to cut down your carbon footprint, and by using renewable energy you will be able to meet your own customers’ expectations and win more tenders.

It adds a new element to your marketing, and gives your customers peace of mind that you are considering your future and planning for the success of future generations.

Not to mention the enormous cost saving that this would give you, which you can pass on to your customers giving them more breathing room in the current climate.

Say no to more government hand-outs, and give yourself the ability to stand on your own two feet. Be ready when the Energy Bill Discount Scheme ends in March 2024, talk to us today about a Purchase Power Agreement and by the time your bills rise, you will be capitalising on reduced market rates for renewable energy.  

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