Busines Energy Advice

Save energyenergy efficiency advicefor business customers

For most businesses, the main reason for saving energy isfinancial. However, there are many other reasons why youshould consider being more energy efficient, includingminimising harm to the environment.

This guide details a number of actions your business could take to become more energy efficient.

Having read through them, draw up an action plan with the 10 priority items listed for attention.

Use a table like the one shown in appendix 1 to identify what you’re going to do, who will do it

and when.

It’s not always necessary to spend money to save energy, but where there is a cost

it can often be minimal and repaid very quickly from the resultant savings. Nor does saving

energy need to be complicated or take a long time to achieve. Many energy savings can be

delivered quickly and simply.

SmartStart benefits 4 – 5

Managing your energy 6 – 7

Lighting 8 – 11

Office equipment 12 – 13

Space heating 14 – 15

Buildings 16 – 17

Air conditioning 18 – 19

Electric motors 20– 21

Compressed air 22 – 23

Boilers 24 – 25

Refrigeration 26 – 27

Process plant 28 – 29

Combined heat and power 30 – 31

Renewable energy 32 – 33

Funding sources 34 – 35

How npower business can help 36 – 37

Enquiries and complaintsSample action plan & energy policy 38 – 39

There is a direct link between burning fossil fuels and the

production of carbon dioxide, so by saving energy, harmful

emissions are also reduced.

Benefits of SmartStart

Money matters (financial)

There has always been a good financial case for saving energy, even

before the sharp increases in energy prices

that have taken place recently. By minimising overhead costs, the

profitability of any business could improve. So by using less energy,

or by gaining more from the same energy use, your business will

operate more efficiently. This will lead to lower costs and higher

productivity respectively.

The cheapest unit of energy is the one you don’t use - but that’s not

all. Electricity and gas bills have VAT added. By using less energy

you’ll also save on VAT, particularly useful if you aren’t VAT registered

or if your business is unable to fully reclaim all of the VAT. If you pay

VAT at 17.5% you’ll most likely be paying the Climate Change Levy*

too, which adds even more to your bills. This provides an even greater

incentive to use less.

For some businesses, energy savings of up to 30% may be achieved.#

This could lead to much lower bills, without the need to spend lots of

time or money to achieve them. And savings could be ongoing year

after year.

Mother Earth (environment)

Oil, coal and gas are the main fossil fuels. When burnt directly

(e.g. as in a gas boiler) at your premises, or indirectly (e.g. in a coal-

fired power station at a remote site), they produce harmful

by-products such as carbon dioxide (a so-called greenhouse gas).

Carbon dioxide is widely accepted as one of the main causes of climate

change. Climate change concerns us all as it can have dramatic effects

on our climate and weather patterns. There’s a direct link between

burning fossil fuels and the production of carbon dioxide. By saving

energy, harmful emissions are also reduced.

At the Kyoto Earth Summit, the Government agreed to

binding targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions

by certain dates. In order to help deliver on these targets, npower

business has produced this Guide to Saving Energy for its business

customers. A companion guide for domestic customers is also

available.

Big Brother (regulation)

In the UK and more widely throughout the European Union,

regulations can apply to the way businesses use energy. This includes

processes covered by the Integrated Pollution, Prevention and Control

Regulations. Small businesses may be affected by the amendments

to the Building Regulations as detailed in Part L2 of the regulations.

These amendments cover new build and certain refurbishment work,

all with the aim of increasing energy efficiency.

Quality Counts (quality)

Many businesses operate under a quality assurance scheme such

as ISO14001 (Environmental Management), either because they

recognise the benefits themselves or because their customers or

suppliers insist upon it. Part of the quality assurance process

requires each business to look at its energy use and find ways

to improve efficiency.

energy efficiency advice for business customers 5

* Heavy users of energy and those operating within certain designated business sectors may be eligible for a discount against the Climate Change Levy in exchange for a commitment to reduce energy

consumption by agreed amounts over time. These agreements are generally made via the sector trade associations, where further information and eligibility conditions can be determined.

# The Carbon Trust ‘Better Business Guide’ available at www.carbontrust.co.uk

http://www.npower.com/business/index.htm


energy efficiency advice for business customers

5

Managing energy

Responsibility

Depending upon the scale and complexity of a business, managing energy could involve a team of people or it could be the part time responsibility

of just one person. However, it does need to be defined, so that everyone understands their responsibility for energy management.

Policy

Once the responsibility for managing energy is established, you should put in place a policy that best suits the business. For a small business with

limited energy use, the policy shown at Appendix 2 may be appropriate. However for more complex businesses or those with more demanding

energy needs, a bespoke solution may be needed.

The role of managing energy needs

to be defined, so that everyone

understands their responsibility.


Simple steps to saving energy

LightingEvery business needs lighting in one form or another and uses a

significant amount of energy simply so that people can see to move

around, operate machines, play sports, etc. Retail outlets need display

lighting so that their goods are correctly lit to make them visible and

appealing. Lighting is used everywhere and comes in a variety of

forms, some more energy efficient than others. Many will agree that

the best lighting comes from natural daylight. However, natural light

isn't available in every situation nor is it available at a constant level,

so artificial light is here to stay.

The need for artificial lighting can vary from hour to

hour and day to day. This is because of atmospheric conditions, which

are constantly changing and affecting the available natural daylight

and because of the relative

position of the sun. Also many businesses have changing needs

throughout their work hours. To be more energy efficient with

lighting, you need 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.

Lighting

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 Better control over what light you use is energy efficient. Each twin 100 Watt fluorescent fitting costs about £44 a year

to run.

Fit a time switch to control fixed hours of lightingEach 70 Watt lamp lit all night, when part night operation would do, costs about 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 (bulbs) are inefficient – 10% light and 90% heat. A 20 Watt low energy lamp in place of a 100 Watt

incandescent lamp could save you around £16 a year.

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 the task light.

Replace 38mm fluorescent tubes with 26mm tubes For each 65 Watt lamp substituted with a 58 Watt lamp, savings of £3 per year will result – more than the cost of the lamp.

This will usually work with lamps that have starters – excluding 8ft fittings. If in doubt, try one first.

Fluorescent fittings have been around a long time but modern technology has improved the energy efficiency of the fittings significantly

increasing the lamp life. At the same time, colour appearance has been improved and flickering eliminated. Some can even be dimmed.


Need 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/energy Tel 0800 085 2005

UK Lighting Manufacturers' Trade Association www.lif.co.uk Tel 020 8675 5432

Lighting continued

Consider whole life cost approach when buying lighting By replacing twin 80 Watt fluorescent fittings with new twin 58 Watt high frequency fluorescent fittings, energy savings

in the order of £13 per fitting will result. Plus, you’ll have the benefit of lamps that last twice as long and operate flicker-free.

Replace or remove flashing fluorescent tubesA 100 Watt fluorescent tube flashing every couple of seconds could waste £72 worth of energy in a year.

Consider turning off external lightingRather 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,

which is about the cost of a fitting. 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.

Consider: does external lighting need to be on all night?

Why not opt for sensor activated security lights?


Need to know more about office equipment?The following organisation can help with queries about office equipment and the various methods of control:


Office equipmentMany offices have an abundance of equipment that uses energy.

This can include computers, printers, faxes, photocopiers, fans, etc.

Typically an office can be responsible for up to 30% of the energy

used in some small businesses, so keeping this under control can

make a significant difference.

Office equipment

Only switch on what you need

A photocopier left on unnecessarily could increase your energy bill by up to £194 a year.

Consider whole life cost approach when you buy equipment An energy star compliant laser printer could reduce your energy bill by over £19 per year.

Turn off computer monitors when you leave A 17” tube monitor left on unnecessarily could cost up to £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 best performance, save up copies into a batch and then turn the copier off again. This could save you up to £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 £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 £25-£45 per year.

Keep photocopiers outside air conditioned spaces This may save up to £200 per year for each copier.

Avoid printing emails You can save paper, toner and energy by not printing documents and the energy alone could be worth

£6 or more per year, per printer.

Once equipment has been used, turn it off if it’s not needed

again soon.


Need to know more about space and water heating?The following organisations can all help with queries about space heating and hot water and the various methods of control:


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 02920 400670

Space heatingYou need space heating to regulate the temperature for people

(and sometimes for perishable stock) while they’re in the building.

You should match your space heating to the occupancy of the

building and regulate it to maintain the desired temperature.

Hot waterHot water for catering and washing should be heated to 60– 65°C

to avoid Legionella. The temperature should be no higher to reduce

excessive heat loss and limit limescale build-up.

Space and water heating

Ensure thermostats are set to the desired temperature For every 1ºC of extra heat your heating bill increases by 8%. For warehouses, 16ºC is acceptable and 20ºC is usually acceptable for offices.

For hot water, between 60ºC and 65ºC is usually suitable for catering and washing to avoid Legionella.

Reset timers after clock change from BST to GMT If the space heating goes off an hour early, you could be paying for an extra hour of heat made up from portable heaters –

up to £95 per heater per year.

Ensure radiators are unobstructed Using portable heaters to make up for insufficient heat can be expensive and costs up to £95 per heater per year.

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 £1,100 a year on your heating bill, you could save around £330 simply

by fitting a new condensing boiler.

Have boilers professionally servicedMaintaining your boiler could save you up to £120 per year, if you currently spend £400 on space heating bills.

Fit insulation material behind radiators on outside walls This could save you around £10 in a year, although circumstances do vary.

Turn off boilers during the summer months Using an immersion heater during the summer could save £20 per year, although circumstances vary.

Ensure hot water cylinder (calorifier) is well insulated If you spend £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.


Need to know more about buildings?The following organisation can help with queries about buildings and the various methods of control:


BuildingsEffective insulation and draught proofing is essential to reduce

heat loss from buildings and to limit noise and airborne pollution.

Most buildings have scope for improvement.

Good insulation is best fitted during the construction or

refurbishment of buildings when it is more cost effective and

less disruptive. However, there are still changes that you can

make to existing buildings that aren’t due for major overhauls.

Buildings

Seal external doors and windows with draught excluders By fitting self-adhesive draught excluders to outside doors and windows you could save £20–£40 on a typical heating bill of £400.

Keep doors closed between heated and unheated areas This could reduce your energy bills by £20–£40 on a typical cost of £400.

Add a lobby to cut down on heat loss If your reception costs £100 per year to keep warm, £25 could be wasted by allowing heat to escape through a frequently used door.

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 adopting this measure.

Insulate cavity walls and roof spaces Prices will vary depending on circumstances but your investment could be recouped within 5 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.

Don’t heat unoccupied rooms Check to make sure that radiators are turned off in unused rooms.Draught excluders can reduce heat loss by around 10%.


Air conditioningAir conditioning is usually required to regulate the temperature for

the benefit of people, but it’s only needed for as long as they’re in

the building. You should match the operation of the air conditioning

to the occupancy of the building and regulate it to maintain the

desired temperature.

Air conditioning

Ensure thermostats are set to the desired temperature For every 1ºC below 24ºC, you could be adding 8% to your air conditioning bill so check regularly that your room temperature thermostats

are set correctly. Cooling to 23ºC or 24ºC is normally quite acceptable.

Reset timers after clock change from BST to GMT If the air conditioning comes on an hour early because the timer is set wrong, you could be paying for cooling before it’s needed. An extra

hour’s cooling each day adds around 9% to your air conditioning bill.

Avoid simultaneous heating and cooling If you spend £40 heating a space in winter and a further £60 cooling the same space in the summer, your annual bill is £100.

But if the systems are both running simultaneously it could add up to £25.

Check humidity controls Unnecessary humidity control could double the energy required.

Replace air handling unit dampers with variable speed drives Variable speed drives could pay back within 3 to 5 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 plant.

Keep condensers clean Blocked, damaged or dirty condensers could add to the cost of your air conditioning bills by as much as 25% and may lead

to inadequate cooling.

Remove or insulate all heat sources in air conditioned spacesIdentify and eliminate all heat sources – uninsulated hot pipes, photocopiers, etc.

Minimise the use of other office equipment that generate heatOne 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. 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 £50 per year for each externally ducted unit.

Need to know more about air conditioning?The following organisations can all help with queries about air conditioning and the various methods of control:

The Carbon Trust www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/energy Tel 0800 085 2005The Heating and Ventilating Contractors' Association www.hvca.org.uk Tel 020 7313 4900(provides information on local contractors)

If you have air conditioning, for every 1ºC below 24ºC, you could

be adding 8% to your energy bill!


Electric motorsElectric 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.Need to know more about motors?The following organisation can help with queries about motors and the various methods of control:


Electric motors

Prevent unwanted motors runningA 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 3 and 5 years. A motor taking 14kW at 1,500 rpm

and costing £1.19 per hour to run could only take around 1kW at 750 rpm and cost about 9p per hour to run.

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 £220 to the annual energy cost.

Changing pulley ratios on fixed speed motors could lead to significant energy savingsSlowing 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 could take less than 1kW and cost less than 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 normally could cost £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.

High efficiency motors are not much more expensive

than standard motors and could

save around - 3% on your energy bills.


Compressed airCompressed air is a convenient and often essential utility, widely used

in industry. However, it takes a lot of energy (usually electricity) to

generate compressed air and consequently it’s 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. The other 90% is rejected as heat.

Up to 30% savings could be possible by some simple good

housekeeping measures, often achievable at no or low cost.

Need to know more about compressed air?The following organisations can all help with queries about compressed air and the various methods of control:


British Compressed Air Society www.britishcompressedairsociety.co.uk Tel 020 7935 2464

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 10 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, means that you could be wasting more than

£2 for each hour of continuous use, maybe as much as £4,000 in a year.

Locate and fix air leaks If you have a 30kW compressor running on load for 8 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 over £200 a year.

Maintain compressors properly A 15kW compressor running inefficiently could be costing you over £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 at 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. Ensure that you

are filtering and drying to the required standard and no more as this could lead to good 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 33oC, you could be adding about

4% to the running cost, which could mean 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.

You could save up to 30% by implementing

a few very easy measures.


BoilersMany 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. Larger boilers may be providing heat in the form of hot water

or steam, depending upon the need, and they tend to be located in

specific plant rooms.

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 will occur if the condensate (what’s left when

the steam turns back into water) is not collected and re-used.

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 30% depending upon individual circumstances.

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.

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 10% of supplied energy.

Ensure the boiler is only running when it needs to

Ensure the boiler is only heating to the required temperature

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

Ensure servicing of boilers 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.

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 the boiler. Use an expert, or have automatic monitoring equipment fitted.

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.

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.

Position new boilers effectively If you’re considering getting a new boiler, site it as near to the heat demand as possible.

Need to know more about boilers?The following organisations can all help with queries about boilers:

The Carbon Trust www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/energy Tel 0800 085 2005The 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 02920 400670

You could save up to 10% of supplied energy by insulating all

hot water pipes, flanges and valves.


RefrigerationRefrigeration energy consumption costs British industry some £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 represent

huge financial savings. Many refrigeration plants can be improved to

save up to 20% of their energy consumption. Much of this can be

done at little or no cost with paybacks on investment of well under

two years being the norm.

Need to know more about refrigeration?The following organisations can all help with queries about refrigeration and the various methods of control:


The British Refrigeration Association www.feta.co.uk Tel 0118 940 3416

The Institute of Refrigeration www.ior.org.uk Tel 020 8647 7033

Refrigeration

Is cooling really needed? A freezer cooling 2ºC 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 the 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 £1,500 a year to run, then it could cost you an extra £150 if you allow the evaporator temperature to rise by 3ºC,

twice this amount if the condenser temperature also rises by 3ºC.

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.

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 2 years.

Ensure adequate insulation around the cooled space Insulation is very good value for money and will keep running costs down. Often the outlay can be recovered in less than 3 years.

At little or no cost, your business could save

up to 20% off your refrigeration energy

consumption costs.


Process plantProcess 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.

Process plant is often overlooked when people are thinking about

energy efficiency because it’s seen as too specialist. Also product

quality comes first and there’s often a great reluctance to change

anything in case the product is affected.

Need to know more about process plant?The following organisation can help with queries about process plant and the various methods of control:


Process plant

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.

Plan for energy efficiency in new installations An investment in energy efficiency at an early stage could yield good results in the longer term.

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.

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 failure,

as increasing consumption is often associated with imminent plant failure.

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.

Consider options for improved controls for existing processes A control system that maximises throughput but minimises costs is the ideal set-up and could lead to savings.

Consider opportunities for heat recovery This could yield up to 40% of your compressor’s input power as a ‘free’ heat source.

Why leave plant switched on when

it’s sitting idle?


Combined heat and powerCombined Heat and Power (CHP) is the simultaneous generation of

heat and power, usually electricity, in a single process. Because the

heat is recovered and used, the overall efficiency of the process is

much greater than the more traditional methods of generating

electricity where the waste heat is generally discarded.

The Government is promoting CHP as a key technology and is looking

to substantially increase both the output and the number of plants

operating by 2010.

Generally, CHP plant produces twice as much heat as power,

so where there’s a need for heat (or cooling) and power in the ratio

2:1 for long periods (typically 4,500 hours per year or more), CHP

may be a valid option. The heat doesn’t need to be used directly

where the CHP plant is located. However, the further it needs to

travel, the greater the costs become and the overall efficiency will

also drop. By using absorption chillers, it’s possible to produce cooling

from heat but this will add to the cost.

Most CHP plants run on natural gas and fuel inputs. Electricity

outputs from Good Quality CHP are exempt from the Climate

Change levy.

CHP plant is available in a wide range of sizes and therefore can

be tailored to many applications.

CHP plant is capital intensive. In the right circumstances energy services

companies may fund the plant in exchange for long term contracts to

supply heat and power from the plant.

Need to know more about CHP?The following organisations can all help with queries about CHP and the various methods of control:


Combined Heat & Power Association www.chpa.co.uk Tel 020 7828 4077

Combined Heat & Power Club www.chpclub.com

By utilising waste heat, CHP is a more efficient process than

traditional generation methods.


Renewable energyRenewable energy is the name given to energy sources that occur

naturally and continuously in the environment such as energy from

the sun, wind, biomass, river flows, waves, currents and tides.

They tend to be inexhaustible supplies of energy, which are

mostly non-polluting.

Renewable energy hasn’t been widely available in the past but

it’s a developing area and will continue to grow into the future.

Renewable energy is exempt from the Climate Change Levy.

Need to know more about renewable energy?The following organisations can all help with queries about renewable energy and the various methods of control:

The Renewable Power association www.r-p-a.org.uk Tel 020 7747 1830

The Energy Saving Trust www.est.org.uk Tel 020 7222 0101

Renewable energy is exempt from the

Climate Change Levy.


Funding for energy efficiency

Own resources

Many energy efficiency opportunities cost nothing to implement and

others can be done at minimal cost, making them very attractive

propositions. The payback period can also be quite short. However,

some energy efficiency improvements may require greater

investment (time and money) so will require more careful

consideration. When your own resources are not sufficient to cover all

of the cost, there may be help available from the following sources:

Grants

Grants are available to assist with the capital costs of an energy

efficiency investment. All have eligibility criteria, so not all businesses

will qualify. Grants may be for specific customer groups, particular

types of investment projects, or only available in certain areas of the

country. A good starting point for information on grants is the Energy

Saving Trust visit www.est.org.uk or call 020 7222 0101.

Loans

Interest free loans for energy efficiency investments may be available,

particularly for Small to Medium Enterprises (SME’s), where the loan

is repaid from the energy savings realised. The amount available from

The Carbon Trust scheme is currently £5,000 to £100,000 at 0%

interest and no fees. More details are available on their website at

www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/energy/pages/page_72.asp

The Enhanced Capital Allowance scheme

The Enhanced Capital Allowance (ECA) scheme offers tax incentives

to businesses that invest in energy saving equipment and enables

them to claim 100% first year capital allowances on investments

in approved energy saving equipment. Businesses are now able to

write off the whole cost of their investment against their taxable

profits for the period during which they make the investment.

The energy technology list contains all of the equipment that qualifies

for the ECA scheme. The list is updated regularly. The technologies

that currently appear on the Energy Technology List include: air-to-air

energy recovery, automatic monitoring and targeting, boilers,

combined heat and power (CHP), compact heat exchangers,

compressed air equipment, heat pumps for space heating,

HVAC zone controls, lighting, motors, pipework insulation,

refrigeration equipment, solar thermal systems, thermal screens,

variable speed drives, warm air and radiant heaters. For full details

visit the scheme’s website at www.eca.gov.uk or call

The Carbon Trust Energy Helpline on 0800 085 2005.

Where greater investment is required there are

many sources of funding.


The Energy Saving Trust

(EST) is the UK’s leading

organisation working towards

the sustainable and efficient

use of energy by households and small organisations. The EST runs

a network of local Energy Efficiency Advice Centres (EEACs) providing

free, impartial and bespoke advice to small businesses and

households throughout the UK. EST provides practical assistance and

advises on potential sources of grant funding to help SME’s realise the

cost and environmental benefits available from the adoption of

energy saving measures. The EST is a non-profit organisation funded

by government and the private sector. For further information on

these issues or advice on energy efficiency measures, contact:

The Energy Saving Trust

www.est.org.uk

or phone 020 7222 0101

Other sources of information:

Further information on the Climate Change Levy and

Climate Change Agreements can be found on the Department

for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and

HM Customs and Excise websites:

www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climatechange/index.htm

www.hmce.gov.uk/business/othertaxes/ccl.htm

The Energy Systems Trade Association (ESTA) is an energy

management trade association, focusing on demand side energy

efficiency of buildings, building services and process services in the

non-domestic sector. 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 contact:

ESTA

www.esta.org.uk

or phone 07041 49 20 49

The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE)

produces a range of publications (there may be a charge) on energy

efficiency issues related to buildings. CIBSE also offers professional

training, education and membership services. For further

information contact:

CIBSE

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. It is an NVQ delivery

centre and accrediting body for a variety of company and university

courses. For further information contact:

The Energy Institute

www.energyinst.org.uk

or phone 020 7467 7100

The National Energy Foundation manages the Energy Efficiency

Accreditation Scheme which provides independent verification of the

achievements of organisations implementing energy efficiency and

management measures. For further information contact:

The National Energy Foundation

www.nef.org.uk

or phone 01908 665555

Help from npower

Business

npower business has an energy efficiency helpline that provides

access to industry experts who are skilled in a wide range of

energy-related disciplines. They provide informed and up-to-date

energy efficiency advice for business customers we can answer your

questions and provide details of other specialist organisations that

may be able to help further.

npower business energy efficiency helpline

0845 070 4019†

Residential

npower has a booklet called ‘Using Electricity and Gas Efficiently

in your Home’ which you can get by calling our free energy efficiency

helpline line. We can also provide fact sheets containing low-cost

hints and other ways to use energy efficiently. Customers may also

be able to get advice on grants towards a range of energy efficiency

measures. This may include financial help towards insulation,

replacement boilers and heating controls, energy efficient appliances

and low energy lighting.

npower residential energy efficiency helpline

0800 02 22 00††

For more advice on energy efficiency measures for your business

and home visit npower.com

Help from other organisations

The Carbon Trust has been established by the

Government to provide a range of programmes

and initiatives to help businesses exploit

commercial opportunities available by moving towards a low carbon

economy. The Carbon Trust is the UK’s principal energy efficiency

information and advice programme for organisations in both the

public and private sectors. The Carbon Trust provides information,

advice, practical help and financial support to help businesses save

energy. They promote best practice through free publications and

events. They also encourage action with advice and support at every

stage from planning to design, implementation and management.

For further information on these services or for advice on energy

efficiency measures, contact:

The Carbon Trust

www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/energy

or phone 0800 085 2005

Contact the Carbon Trust to access the following services:

• 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 a professional energy

consultant who will draw up an action plan showing how your

business could save money, save 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

(subject to availability and eligibility criteria)



Enquiries and complaints

You should contact npower business in the first instance

if you have a problem. You can find our contact numbers

on your energy bills together with details about our

complaints procedure.

In the unlikely event that we haven’t been able to resolve

your complaint, you can contact energywatch for advice.

energywatch is an industry watchdog, set up by Parliament

to offer free impartial help and advice about complaints.

Consumer Helpline: 08459 06 07 08

email: [email protected]

Fax: 020 7799 8341

www.energywatch.org.uk

Textphone for deaf or hearing impaired consumers:

18001 08459 06 07 08

Appendix 1Action Plan

Item What will be done Who will do it When will it be done1 Ensure all computer monitors are turned off at night All Every night2 Fit door closer to external door Fred By 20 March3 Change T12 fluorescent tubes to T8 Bill By 25 March4 Undertake compressed air leak test Harry By 2 April5 Check thermostat settings on space heating Bill By 25 March678910

Appendix 2, sample energy policyXYZ 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 fuel prices set to rise by significant amounts over the next 5 years, 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 renewablesources, which will further protect the environment.

It is hoped that over the next 10 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 theencouragement 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 mainbusiness 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 Mr Somebody, who will be supported by Mrs Someone. Please give them your whole hearted support.

President’s, Chairman’s or Chief Executive’s signature Date

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 10 year energysaving plan, which will lead to environmental benefits and lower operating costs. The energy policy will run between August 2008 and July 2018 and will be reviewed every 6 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 10 year energy saving plan. The individual targets for reductions in gas and electricityare 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 10 year plan will be for a sustained reduction in use of around 1% per annum, leading to a reduction overall of 10% by 2018. The preferred measure will be kWh/m2 adjusted by degree day data to take account of changing weather conditions.

Electricity

For electricity the 10 year plan will be for a sustained reduction in use of around 1% per annum, leading to a reduction overall of 10% by 2018. The preferred measure will be kWh/m2.

Signature Date Signature Date(Mr Somebody) (Mrs Someone)


Fact

For further information go tonpowerbusiness-energyefficiency.com

† Calls may be monitored and/or recorded for security, quality or training purposes. Calls from BT landlines to 0845 numbers will be charged up to 4p per minute. A call set up charge of 5p applies. The price of calls may vary with other operators. Please check with your operator for exact charges. Correct as of May 2008.

†† Calls may be monitored and/or recorded for security, quality or training purposes.

npower business is a registered trademark and the trading name of Npower Direct Limited (registered in England and Wales No. 3782443) and Npower Commercial Gas Limited (registered inEngland and Wales No. 3768856). Registered Office: Windmill Hill Business Park, Whitehill Way, Swindon SN5 6PB.npm2600/06.10

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