News Archive - Monthly Archives: October 2019

How does procurement work?

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Energy Management are experts in two types of procurement – water and energy.

Water procurement

In April 2017, the department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) introduced major changes to the water and sewage market, opening it up to competition. Our in-house expertise in water procurement, allied to investment in new systems, means we are best placed to help you take advantage of increased competition.

We have a proven track record in negotiating deals however big or small, both in terms of price and improved service level as well as gaining improved control over your water bills.

There are many suppliers to choose from which has resulted in improved service overall and reductions in cost. Energy Management LLP help businesses to make informed decisions that will meet their individual needs.

Water rates are fixed for the year and get reviewed every 5 years (Amp). This is due to be reviewed next April, which could make it more competitive.

What we can do for you?

  • Leak detection
  • Invoice validation
  • Trade effluent
  • Highway surface drainage banding size – this is set by the wholesaler and can be wrong
  • Meter replacement – organising site visits, old and new meters
  • Consumption and leak monitoring:

Water pipe leaks can go undetected for months or years, as a team we can help coordinate on-site leak protection surveys – checking meters buried in the ground, as well as installing remotely accessible metering.

Energy procurement

Energy procurement in the simplest format is the process of finding the best energy recommendation for your business. This considers price, sustainability, renewables and the future needs of your business. We use our own specialist knowledge, analysis expertise and market intelligence to bring you the best solution.

We monitor your contract so that we can be proactive when sourcing you a new deal, whether this is for Fullflex, mid-flex or fixed-price contracts.

What can we do for you?

  • Search once for all the major energy suppliers
  • Extended fixed pricing for up to 60months
  • No sign-up, no commitment required
  • Potentially saving your business £1,000s
  • Business energy procurement specialists
  • Market intelligence:

We make decisions based on hard data and excellent communication between ourselves and the customer. We watch the markets on a daily business, watching trends and technologies identifying opportunities to improve performance above and beyond expectations.

If you want to gain more market knowledge on a monthly basis then please subscribe to our market intelligence report by filling in the brief form found at the bottom of the Energy Management website. It provides you with the latest market insights on Electricity, Gas and Water.

To discuss energy procurement with one of our team further please contact via email: sales@energymanagementltd.com or call: 01225 867722

Heat under our feet, Cardiff groundwater study reveals

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Natural water in the ground could be used as a low-carbon heat source in many towns and cities, according to research from the British Geological Survey (BGS).

Data gathered from a natural ground-water system below Cardiff has resulted in the BGS calling for more research to see if similar technology can be used on a larger scale.

The findings are based on data from a three-year-long study at one of the UK Geoenergy Observatories, a network of sites being created across the country to research new and alternative energy supplies in the subsurface.

The £300 000 study was funded by Innovate UK, the BGS, WDS Green Energy Ltd and, more recently, the European Commission, to examine the environmental impact of a pilot groundwater heating scheme that heats a school building in the Welsh capital using the warmth stored in the natural water system below ground (an aquifer) and electric heat pumps.

Natural system

Data from the natural groundwater system below Cardiff is being collected by the Urban Geo Observatory, a network of 61 boreholes equipped with temperature and water-level sensors, to build up a picture of the groundwater temperatures in the aquifer found just ten metres below the ground surface.

BGS research lead David Boon said: “We knew that the use of ground-source heat pumps changes the ground temperature by several degrees Celsius. What we didn’t know was by how much.”

A study of the data collected between 2015 and 2018 indicates that the large heat resources stored in the UK’s underground water systems could sustain ‘shallow open-loop ground-source heat pump systems’, which are a low-carbon heating approach widely used in European cities that are being used more frequently for heating the UK’s building stock.

Low-carbon

Boon added: “Our findings prove that groundwater-source heat pumps are a technically viable, low-carbon heating solution in many towns and cities across the UK, providing the geology beneath the surface is favourable.

“Of course, regulation and long-term planning will be needed to manage this emerging energy technology so that larger and more complex schemes can be rolled out in our cities without “draining” the underground heat source.”

While there are physical limits to how much water and heat can be abstracted and reinjected, and regulatory legal limits on temperature drops, the BGS’s findings confirm that even a small quantity of heat from a very large volume of water provides a low-carbon heating solution for many UK towns and cities.

The solution could be applied in district-wide heat networks, homes or commercial buildings.

How could it be used to heat our homes and workplaces?

  • Hot water and steam from deep underground can be used to drive turbines
  • It can also be used to heat buildings directly
  • Potentially a source of renewable energy with no carbon footprint

Mr Boon added: “A well-balanced combination of groundwater-source heat pumps in tandem with vertical, closed-loop ground-source heat pumps and air-source heat pumps will maximise the options for decarbonising heating in UK homes and businesses.”

Image by Roegger from Pixabay

Renewable energy enjoying its moment in the sun

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Renewable energy sources are growing quicker than first anticipated and could expand by 50% in the next five years, powered by an increase in solar energy.

A study carried out by the International Energy Agency (IEA) showed that solar, wind and hydropower projects are increasing at the quickest rate in four years. The report also suggests by 2024 solar capacity could expand to 600GW, while overall renewable electricity is expected to grow by 1,200 GW in the next 5years.

At this current time, solar and wind are undergoing huge transformations. Renewable sources currently make up 26% of the world’s electricity today but, according to the IEA, it’s expected to reach 30% by 2024. The recovery comes after a global slowdown last year, due to falling technology costs and rising environmental concerns.

IEA’s executive director, Fatih Birol, has since warned the percentage of renewables in the global energy system needs to increase quicker in order to meet net-zero targets. It is expected that solar will play the biggest part in the growth of global renewable energy, with the expected cost of solar power to further decline by 15%-35% by 2024.

As well as businesses, the number of home solar panels is due to increase to around 100 million rooftops by 2024. Even with this growth, solar will only cover 6% of the world’s available rooftops, leaving scope for further growth.

Meet the Team: Lewis Payne

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Energy Management has a proud track record in giving young people real work opportunities through its apprenticeship scheme, and Lewis Payne is a shining example of that.

Here, just shy of his second anniversary with Energy Management, Lewis talks about his transition from business admin apprentice to trainee engineer and how working for the company has been massive for his personal development.

1. How long have you been at Energy Management?
I joined Energy Management LLP on the 30th October 2017 as an apprentice in Business Administration through Wiltshire College. Alongside my college work, I started life as a member of the Water Department before becoming a permanent member of the Engineering team (engineering support).

2. Tell us about your Business Administration apprenticeship – what made you take this step?
After completing my A-Levels I wanted to try and find my feet early in an industry which had room to grow and provided endless opportunities to learn. Having never worked in an office before, the apprenticeship scheme set out by Wiltshire College helped me to settle in quickly. It pushed me to carry out tasks involving interaction with customers, suppliers and my colleagues. The team of vastly experienced specialist professionals at Energy Management LLP helped me to pick up an understanding of the industry quickly and recognise my passion for engineering work. The consistent support throughout from the team made the apprenticeship fly by and I couldn’t recommend it enough.

3. What interests you about engineering?
Being part of the engineering team at Energy Management LLP means I get to contribute to a wide range of interesting and complicated projects daily. For example, we are becoming increasingly involved in the installation of EV chargers, a topic that interests me greatly and I’m passionate about being involved in moving forward. I have enjoyed being able to get out of the office and undertake hands-on work, on-site with our ESOS (Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme) Lead Assessor, to assist with a variety of different site surveys. I have also gained an understanding of the surveying process for lighting reviews, DECs and EPCs.

4. Was the energy sector something you have always been interested in? 
After finally coming to terms with the fact that I wasn’t going to be the next Cristiano Ronaldo/Rory McIlroy, I never expected to be working in the energy industry and to be thoroughly enjoying myself so much at the same time. During my time at school, I found Geography enjoyable and always found myself reading up on the latest renewable energy technologies.

5. What skills have you gained throughout your time at Energy Management so far?
During my time at Energy Management, I have gained a wide range of analytical skills. My job involves a vast amount of data gathering and data interrogation, in order to highlight errors that can save customers large amounts of money. Both my written and verbal communication skills have also improved throughout. This has come from constant interaction with customers, suppliers and colleagues.
Time management is a crucial part of my role and this has improved since the beginning of my apprenticeship. I am managing my own time effectively and able to work to deadlines.

6. What did your Energy Institute level 1 award comprise of?
I thoroughly enjoyed completing my Level 1 Certificate in Energy Management Essentials. In order to complete the course, I had to take an exam and complete an energy audit portfolio which I took great joy in putting together. My portfolio comprised of an energy audit of the office, including air conditioning, detail of carbon reduction opportunities and looking at the current light fittings.
The course covered a variety of topics, my favourites were: energy auditing in practice, energy auditing: report writing and energy management solutions, because they were the most applicable to my job here at Energy Management Ltd.

7. When’s your next certificate?
I am currently working towards achieving my ABBE (Awarding Body of the Built Environment) Level 3 Diploma in Air Conditioning Energy Assessment. After this I am hoping to complete the second stage of my training with the Energy Institute (Level 2 Energy Management Professional). Followed by my level 3 (Advanced Energy Manager); after completing all three I will be eligible to apply to become a chartered Energy Manager.

8. What other training have you taken part in?
I have also undertaken training in ABBE Level 2 Award in Awareness of Legionella, ABBE Level 3 Diploma in Air Conditioning, Energy Assessment and Emergency First Aid at Work. I enjoyed the level 3 award the most as it was a new challenge and I gained further knowledge and skills.

9. What is your favourite part of the job?
Writing our monthly market intelligence report on all the latest geopolitical issues that affect the Power, Gas and Oil markets is my favourite task, as well as being able to share this with our customers.

10. Fun fact …
I jumped out of a plane when I was 18 years old in Salisbury from 10,000 feet, luckily there was a parachute attached to my back!

Thanks, Lewis!

Introducing the Choice Energy Framework

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Buying energy has become far from straightforward in recent years, due to the increased complexity and volatility of the energy markets.

However, the negotiating skills of our energy consultants and the outstanding relationships we enjoy with energy suppliers enable us to minimise costs on your behalf, through our energy procurement offering.

For public sector organisations with increasingly tight budgets, reducing energy spend is top priority. As such, we have signed a framework agreement that will allow public sector organisations to access the best energy solutions for their business, called the Choice Energy Framework (CEF).

Using our experience as a leading energy consultancy, Energy Management has put together a shortlist of four energy suppliers.

Each supplier will be invited to offer various contracts of 12, 24, 36 and 48 months.

The four suppliers have been shortlisted for the following reasons: tariff competitiveness, billing accuracy, max/min volume threshold restrictions and terms and conditions.

The right time, price and product

Crucial factors in the purchasing decision are the length, type and timing of energy contracts.

Our market intelligence reports and analysis allows us to look at both long and short-term trends in the energy market and produce a tailor-made solution for your organisation. This could be a full flex, mid-flex or fixed-price agreement which gives you either greater security or allows fluctuating energy prices to work to your advantage.

“Energy Management’s accurate forecasting and measured and sensible advice on buying in the wholesale market has eased supply changes and negotiated the most favourable tariffs possible for us.” – David English, Commercial Director at Restore Records Management.

What are the benefits of the Choice Energy Framework?

  • An increase in buying power equals reduced costs, due to the capped £1.5bn framework and supplier prices with margins reflecting the high volumes of energy used by the public sector.
  • OJEU tendering will be made simple for you. This is down to CEF being fully OJEU compliant, meaning your organisation by-passes the lengthy process, producing savings up to £20,000.
  • It offers a total approach to energy management, this is down to us taking care of your invoice validation, budget management, risk management as well as assisting with legislation and compliance after successful procurement of a contract.

For more information in regards to public procurement and the CEF, please contact us by email: sales@energymanagementltd.com or phone: 01225 867722 / www.energymanagementltd.com

We are also attending the Public Sector FM (Financial Management) event at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry, on 12 November. Come and visit us on stand FM12!

Renewable electricity overtakes fossil fuels in the UK for the first time

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A couple of days after the famous Ferrybridge power station cooling towers were razed to the ground, it was announced that, in the third quarter of 2019, for the first time history renewable energy generated more electricity than fossil fuel power stations in the United Kingdom.

The U.K’s wind farms, solar panels, biomass and hydro plants outstripped coal, oil and gas during the months of July, August and September, producing 29.5 terawatts (TWh), compared with just 29.1TWh, according to Carbon Brief.

The new milestone confirms predictions made by the National Grid that 2019 will be the first year since the industrial revolution that zero-carbon electricity – renewables and nuclear – overtakes gas and coal-fired power. New offshore wind farms have helped to take renewables past fossil fuels in a crucial tipping point in Britain’s Energy transition.

Less than 10 years ago fossil fuels made up four-fifths of the country’s electricity, which was split between gas and coal. However, the recent analysis undertaken by Carbon Brief shows that coal-fired power made up less than 1% of all electricity generated. This has resulted in British coal plants, such as Ferrybridge, which has dominated the Yorkshire skyline for around half a century, shutting down ahead of the 2025 ban. By next spring just four coal plants will remain in the UK.

Nuclear made up less than a fifth of the UK’s electricity in the last quarter, while wind power is the UK’s strongest source of renewable energy. The opening of wind farm schemes almost doubled the 2,100MW worth of offshore capacity which began powering homes in 2018.

Luke Clark of Renewable UK, stated the industry hopes to treble the size of its offshore wind sector by 2030 to generate more than a third of the UK’s electricity.

For more information on how Energy Management can help your business secure green energy for the future, contact a member of the team now on 01225-867722 or email sales@energymanagementltd.com.

New Water Services Manager appointed

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Water Services Manager

Environmental Science graduate Tabby Sutton has been promoted to the role of Water Services Manager.

Tabby, 36, who left the University of West England (UWE) in 2004, has been with Energy Management for just under a year and has experience in a number of different departments.

Before joining the company, Tabby spent three years as a Customer Services supervisor at Good Energy and also has a background in Finance and volunteering.

Tabby will start work as Water Services Manager from November 1st, whilst also supporting the handover of customers to our new AAM, Nicola Carter, who commences employment on November 6th.

5 challenges facing the EV revolution

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UK government’s commitment to Net Zero Carbon emissions – they’ve pledged to ban all petrol and diesel cars by 2040 – and improvements in battery technology, allowing even faster charging, have also contributed to an upsurge in sales of Electric Vehicles (EVs).

However, there are still a number of obstacles that need to be overcome before the United Kingdom catches up with other countries where the take-up has been much higher.

Here’s our rundown of 5 challenges faced with the EV Revolution.

1. Change takes time – EV Revolution

Encouraging people to switch to electric vehicles (EVs) is at the heart of the government’s efforts to tackle climate change. This is due to transport accounting for 23% of the UK’s CO2 emissions.

With sales of electrical vehicles up 70 per cent on last year, things seem to be moving in the right direction; however, these are still only relatively small gains.

One of the UK’s best-selling cars is the all-electric Tesla Model 3. But its success doesn’t change the fact that only about 1.1% of new cars sold this year are electric

Bigger changes are needed to meet the government’s net-zero carbon emission target, starting with improved infrastructure (more EV charging points).

Changes to the tax system may also be required due to EV users paying lower taxes and having a zero-spend on fuel: both good sources of income for the government.

Consumers also need to be convinced that electric vehicles suit their needs, which is perhaps the hardest challenge.

Nonetheless, the government plans to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in 2040, a move criticised by MPs who want the U.K to fall into line with nearby countries such as Ireland and Iceland and have the change made by 2030,

One of the consumers’ major concerns is range anxiety i.e. how far you can drive without your battery running down.

A petrol or diesel car is simple to fill up when fuel gets low, and doesn’t take long – unless you get distracted by the goods on offer in the garage shop!

If things were as straightforward with EVs, selling them wouldn’t be that much of a problem, but they’re not.

The vehicles currently on the market don’t last more than 100 miles and take over 8 hours to charge – this is a hurdle that needs overcoming before silencing the doubters.

2. Limited choice

The number of vans on the UK roads are increasing faster than any other type of vehicle due to the increase in online shopping.

Small e-vans are already available, and the choice is likely to increase. However, it is a lot more expensive to lease an EV version of a popular van than diesel, meaning they are still too expensive to be the vehicle of choice of smaller businesses.

ev-revolution-energy-mangement

There is much more choice for car buyers, although the upfront cost for buying an EV is still much higher than buying a petrol/diesel car, at a minimum of £20,000. Prices are likely to fall as electric vehicles are cheaper to run than gas but not for the foreseeable future.

3. Backing the right technology

There has been accelerated developments in battery and charging technology, but where will people charge them, especially those without a driveway or designated parking space.

The expense of battery technology is one of the major challenges the industry faces.

Electric cars could also be less expensive if the makers could ramp up the production volume and use economies of scale. However, for this to happen more consumers need to buy electric cars in the first place which won’t happen without prices coming down.

There is also the potential to have induction pads embedded in the roads that charge the vehicles as you drive over them. With chargers currently in low supply, the benefits of this technology are obvious.

4. Who will pay?

It has been widely assumed that both the private sector and local councils will build, operate and maintain charging infrastructure in the UK.

Businesses have been slow to get involved due to small profit margins and the government having heavily subsided the development of charging points. Yet, this is slowly changing with BP and Shell taking over as market leaders, while Tesla is putting its own charging network in place at motorway service stations.

5. The zero-carbon fantasy

A world in which all vehicles are electric is not the total zero-carbon solution. True, EVs don’t produce the same emissions but there would still be an environmental cost.

Sourcing minerals for batteries and dismantling old ones, as well as delivering and building vehicles all involve substantial CO2 emissions.

That said, the EV Revolution is a crucial part of the UK’s attempts to drastically reduce transport’s emissions.

Source: BBC

Smart meter roll-out moved back

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smart-meter-rolled-out-delayed-energy-management-news

Smart Meter roll-out deadline delayed by four years until 2024

Smart meter technology allows energy users to monitor and measure real-time energy consumption without the need for a physical meter reading, saving time and helping to improve efficiencies.

Recognising the important role they play in saving energy consumption, the government’s ‘smart grid’ plan was for all Gas and Electricity suppliers to take steps to roll out smart meters to all their 1, 2 (domestic), 3 and 4 (Small business) class customers by 2020; however, this target has now been extended to 2024.

Why has the smart meter been delayed?

With 35 million homes still without a smart meter, it was felt that levels of customer service would be compromised if the scheme was rushed through.

Also, as time is no longer in such short supply, energy companies will also be less inclined to adopt aggressive techniques to try and encourage people to have smart meters fitted.

By dropping the date back to 2024, this allows time for fixing any meters that are already in use but suffer from poor connectivity and any other issues.

Rising costs

The government are working hard to make sure the cost to customers isn’t too high. Already, the cost of the roll-out has gone from 11 billion in 2016 to 13.5 billion today and this has been passed on to the customer through higher energy bills.

The consumer group, Citizens Advice, welcomed the decision as they acknowledge it has been done in the best interests of the customer.

 

Energy Management at The Restaurant and Takeaway Innovation Expo

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On the 19–20th of November, the Restaurant & Takeaway Innovation Expo is taking place at the ExCel in London and we are delighted to be one of the 1,000 exhibitors; the only energy company at the show.

Energy Management LLP is one of the UK’s leading energy consultancies with a vast range of knowledge on the industry as well as priding ourselves on high levels of customer service.

The Restaurant and Takeaway Innovation Expo gives us a chance to share industry insights and divulge in the latest solutions in the utility sector.

Please come and visit us on stand F232 to discuss further what we have to offer you and your business.

With around 15,000 visitors a year, along with 500 seminars and 200 thought-provoking panel sessions, the event is supported by the biggest brands in the industry.

Tickets are FREE and available by clicking, here>>