● Business groups, local authorities and community organisations have come together to help businesses with simple energy saving tips and the installation of energy efficiency equipment
● Care homes, supermarkets and breweries among those that have benefited from the support
In a bid to help local businesses in the North West lower their energy costs and reduce their carbon emissions, a coalition of business groups, local authorities and community organisations have come together to provide free tools and support for local SMEs to reach net-zero carbon by 2050, in line with government targets set out in 2019.
The Energy Savers Club has been set up as part of the government carbon reduction project, BASEE, funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Currently, it has more than 40 members from the North West area, and is predicted to save them a combined 73 tonnes of carbon emissions in the first year through simple energy saving tips and the installation of energy efficiency equipment such as lighting, sensors, smart controls, solar and battery storage.
The support on offer will come as welcome news to businesses in the North West, following news in May 2021 that Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng are calling on every small business in the UK to take small, practical steps to cut their emissions as part of the UK’s journey to net zero.
The Club, led by Q Energy, and partners including Energy Systems Catapult, Bryt Energy, Leapfrog Finance and fintech provider Ask Inclusive Finance, is free to join and provides access to a range of support including cashback for using less energy, energy efficiency audits, funding for solar, battery and smart heating controls and more, cheaper energy from local solar and wind farms, carbon emission reporting and an energy management dashboard.
A variety of businesses and organisations are currently reaping the rewards of membership including care homes, supermarkets, breweries, community centres and pet shops. Some notable achievements include the installation of boiler temperature and monitoring sensors in six North West Care Homes and a solar panel monitoring system and battery at a Cheshire-based brewery.
The tools and advice provided by organisations such as The Energy Savers Club will prove extremely valuable in the coming months and years as businesses look to recover from the financial consequences of Covid-19 and reduce their environmental impact, with research from Lloyds Banking Group showing that 91% of SMEs see sustainability as important, but 40% do not know how net-zero will impact them.
Amar Vaish of Suraj Enterprises, Budgens franchise in Greater Manchester says: “The Energy Savers Club has provided independent advice, helping us with installing Solar panels, LED lighting, smarter EV charging, submetering and getting green energy tariffs. We’re looking forward to receiving ongoing carbon & cost saving tips through their dashboard.”
Louis Heywood – Q Energy: BASEE Project Manager says: “I’m delighted to be a part of this amazing initiative that’s helping businesses across the UK and especially the North West move towards net-zero. We’re hoping that the Energy Savers Club can showcase that a community of local businesses can come together to make a big difference both financially and environmentally whilst also helping the nation reach its carbon reduction targets. Our future goals would be to replicate the success of the Energy Savers Club in other communities across the UK, showcasing the great innovations that are still coming out of the North West of England.”
The Energy Savers Club is free to join with no cancellation fees or contractual ties and you don’t have to make any changes to your current energy contract to become a member. To find out more, visit https://energysaversclub.com/ .
