FINANCE may expect to see an increase of up to 22 % or more on their utility bills , depending on who their local supplier is . “ These huge cost increases , together with continued low reliability of energy supply , are going to not only strengthen the case for installing solar and battery storage , but also clearly show that private generation is only half the solution : everyone needs automated energy management and load control systems to reduce wasted consumption and optimise power availability .”
“ The only solution in the short term is for both business and residential consumers to use electricity more efficiently , use less of it , and treat it like the scarce resource it has become ,” he recommends .
10 tips to help you take control of your energy costs
1 . Understand your bills
Many business owners are unclear on what they ’ re paying for , such as ‘ time of use ’ tariffs and Notified Maximum Demand penalties . If you comprehend these , then some simple behaviour changes you make could take 20-30 % off your business ’ electricity bill .
2 . Check your bills
Install managed smart meters behind your utility meter to confirm you ’ re being billed correctly . You ’ ll also be able to see day by day what your consumption trend is to identify runaway usage before you get a monthend bill-shock .
3 . Measure , measure , measure
Put managed smart meters on key distribution boards or large loads to understand where your consumption is happening , and when .
4 . Energy design
Build a simple plan around what parts of your business are energy-critical such as IT infrastructure , production machines , knowledge workers ’ computers , and communications systems . Consider which areas are your first , second and third priority electricity consumers ; this allows you to plan around energy resiliency systems .
5 . Schedule your loads
Just putting bigger loads on an automated schedule can easily save 10 % of bills . Air conditioners , geysers and hydro boils don ’ t need to be on
SA Real Estate Investor Magazine FEB 2023 49