How Can Technology Reduce Business Energy Costs?

When you’re running a business, there are a lot of costs to think about. Perhaps one of the biggest costs you’re going to encounter is your energy bills. 

While energy bills cannot be eliminated completely, there are ways to reduce the amount you’re paying. Here, you’ll discover some of the best ways to reduce business energy costs using technology.

Undergo an energy audit

One of the best ways to figure out how to save on your business energy costs, is to have an energy audit conducted. This is an in-depth report which looks at how energy efficient your business currently is and where improvements could be made. 

The audit will look into your current energy tariffs to see if you could be on a cheaper plan. This is a great place to start as you’ll discover exactly where to focus your attention to bring your energy costs down.  

Turn everything off when it’s not in use

This might sound like a simple tip, but it’s easy to forget the basics when you’re running a business. Make sure everything is turned off when it’s not in use. This includes lighting, computers and any equipment used within the business. 

Even on power saving mode, you’d be surprised how much electric things can use when they’re not even switched on properly. If you tend to leave lights on in the hallway for example, you could benefit from installing motion detector lights instead. These will only come on when motion is detected, so you’ll save a significant amount of money. 

Compare energy suppliers

Another simple thing you can do which could save you a lot of money on energy costs, is to compare suppliers. The internet has made it a lot easier to compare different providers and switch to a cheaper plan. 

There are a lot of different energy companies out there now too. This has increased pricing competition, ensuring businesses can get a fair deal. So, take a look at the different plans available to see whether you could save by switching your suppliers.

Ensure you’re using Direct Current (DC) energy

One of the more complex ways you could potentially cut back the costs, is to ensure you’re using Direct Current energy. Most appliances within the home for example, use AC to DC connectors to ensure they run off a DC. It’s much cheaper to use DC wherever you can, rather than having the energy transferred to AC. 

Upgrade to the latest technology

Finally, a great way to cut back on energy costs in business, is to make sure you’re utilising the latest technology. Older equipment, appliances and computers will use up a lot more energy than newer ones. This is because the latest technology tends to be built with energy efficiency in mind. So, upgrade all of your old equipment and you could save a fortune on your energy costs.

These are some of the best ways you can use technology to reduce business energy costs. No matter what your budget, there is a tip above you can follow to start making savings today. 

Photo by katherine_hitt

Adam Hansen
 

Adam is a part time journalist, entrepreneur, investor and father.