Sustainable Energy Management Consultancy

Our experience and expertise in the energy market, and our strong relationships with all the energy suppliers gives us access to the most competitive rates available. We take the time to understand your business’ energy needs, constantly manage your wholesale energy markets and manage the negotiation of contracts and renewals to keep your energy costs as low as possible.

Beyond procurement, our software systems and processes, using actual consumption data, ensures billing accuracy. Our bureau team resolve all billing queries directly with your energy suppliers and provide a monthly query log to keep you informed as to what is in query and accounting accruals to be made. Our data analysis can show you where energy is being used inefficiently and recommend corrective actions, further reducing your costs.

Wholesale energy markets fluctuate by between 10 and 15% each year. With procurement, getting the timing right is imperative: We start monitoring the markets on our clients’ behalf long before contract expiry to make sure we don’t miss advantageous market lows.

We seek to understand each client’s objectives and their risk profile, locking their contracts in at opportune moments and securing the correct energy tariffs with the right energy suppliers.

RISK MANAGEMENT

The energy market is complex and volatile and every client is different. Volatility equals risk. We spend time getting to know each client and what makes them different. This affects every aspect of what we do, from when we buy energy to how we communicate with our clients. We create a risk profile for every client and ensure that their unique procurement plan is executed. We build in safeguards that are appropriate to each client’s preferences and operating style.

Our experts protect clients by:

Keeping a close watch on the energy market

Identifying any current or potential threats

Keeping clients informed and consulted

Keeping procurement strategies under review

MARKET INTELLIGENCE

Everything from geopolitics to weather has an impact on the energy market. Sustainable Advantage keeps tabs on all the significant market drivers, spotting both warning signs and emerging opportunities.

We provide the information, insights and advice that clients need in order to make confident, informed decisions. Our knowledge and experience calm the choppy waters of the energy market and make them navigable.

We supply data, analysis, forecasts and reports in whatever format the client requires and at the intervals they choose. Clients are also welcome to contact us for ad-hoc assessments on what is happening in the fast-moving world of energy. Regular face-to-face meetings build trust and a partnership ethos.

FIXED PROCUREMENT

Some clients want the budget certainty that comes with an energy price that is locked in at a single point in time and remains constant throughout the contract period. In most cases this is the right strategy. Sustainable Advantage can secure clients the best possible deal thanks to its:

Thorough understanding of the energy market

Thorough understanding of the energy market

Strong relationships with suppliers

Ability to purchase at the optimal time and price

Expertise in tendering and negotiating

Armed with this knowledge and skill, plus comprehensive data on the client’s energy usage, Sustainable Advantage is equipped to secure the best available rates, fixed at the best possible time.

As part of our ‘getting to know you’ process we’ll discuss the merits of fixed and flexible procurement and jointly decide what is best for you. We’re always flexible and recognise that things change and that what is right for you this year may not be right forever. We’ll always have your best interests at heart and be ready to re-evaluate your options.

FLEXIBLE PROCUREMENT

Fixed procurement is not the answer for everyone and some clients stand to gain from a less restrictive approach. Flexible procurement allows businesses – particularly larger ones – to capitalise on market fluctuations. Whereas fixed procurement means locking energy contracts in at a single point in time, flexible procurement locks bundles of energy contracts in over a period of time seeking to time low points in the wholesale market.

Sustainable Advantage’s ability to track and interpret movements in the market, together with its vast experience of negotiation and purchasing, means that clients reap substantial benefits without exposure to unacceptable risk levels. Timing and speed are of the essence. We are always poised to respond quickly and intelligently to market changes and secure these rewards for our clients.

As part of our ‘getting to know you’ process we’ll discuss the merits of fixed and flexible procurement and jointly decide what is best for you. We’re always flexible and recognise that things change and that what is right for you this year may not be right forever. We’ll always have your best interests at heart and be ready to re-evaluate your options.

MOP / DC / DA CONTRACTS

The effective procurement and subsequent management of energy depends heavily on the availability of accurate, timely usage data.

This means installing and maintaining the right meters alongside telecommunications systems that allows for the instant transference of consumption data – hence the need for Meter Operator (MOP), Data Collector (DC) and Data Aggregator (DA) contracts.

If your electricity meter is half hourly, it requires MOP (meter operator) and DC/DA (data collection/aggregation) contracts. Many businesses give little or no thought to these mandatory contracts as they are not seen as an area where savings can be made. However, Sustainable Advantage has negotiated advantageous rates with Stark (energy data services), guaranteeing quick access to your consumption data.

Sustainable Advantage works on behalf of its clients to ensure that these contracts represent first-class value for money and deliver what’s required in an efficient and reliable way.

P272

P272 is a new piece of Ofgem regulation that will have an impact on all businesses that use electricity meters in certain profile classes. The regulation requires all 05-08 profile meters to be fitted with AMR and treated as though they were half-hourly metered. The original compliance deadline of 01/04/2016 has been put back to 01/04/2017 following a successful appeal. Sustainable Advantage can undertake the installation of AMR and provide detailed consumption analysis that can lead to savings and efficient energy-management solutions.

The businesses concerned will have to use automated meters that can transmit half-hourly usage data to energy suppliers. The aim is to make settlement and billing more accurate.

Sustainable Advantage helps clients prepare for this change, minimise any negative effects and exploit opportunities to increase efficiency and save money.

We also review and consolidate existing contracts, provide early warning of changes in the law and advise clients on how to comply with new requirements.

EXPORT CONTRACTS

Organisations that generate spare electricity (from the cogeneration of heat and power, for example) can export the surplus back to the grid and be paid for it.

Doing so requires a contract with an energy supplier. Sustainable Advantage handles all the issues related to exporting energy and ensures that clients derive maximum value from any surpluses generated.

Our thorough understanding of the complexities involved in generating energy and selling this back to the grid, plus our high-level analytical and negotiating skills, means we are the perfect partner to maximise your returns. Power prices, management charges and ROCs processing fees are among the factors that need to be considered and negotiated.

Reducing Energy Consumption

With energy costs rising, a focus on preventing energy waste is vital. Our energy platform monitors and identifies in real time areas where you can reduce your energy consumption cost effectively, producing immediate savings. We also provide site audits and equipment surveys to reduce your energy use and lower your costs.

It hardly needs saying that consuming less means spending less. What’s not so obvious is the range of measures that can be taken to push usage down. Our budgeting and subsequent invoice-validation services highlight problem areas and areas of opportunity. We’re on hand to help clients take corrective action, whether the issues are related to capex or to staff behaviours and actions.

MONITORING AND TARGETING

It’s one thing to acquire detailed information about energy consumption; it’s another to identify what action to take in the light of that information and following this through.

Sustainable Advantage not only collects consumption data and generates energy reports; it also monitors patterns of usage over time, conducts in-depth analyses and works with clients on plans for reducing consumption.

These plans can target any number of issues, from the straightforward to the complex. Here are some examples:

Deviations from budgets

Costly anomalies in the pattern of usage

Unexplainable trends in consumption

Disparities in usage between comparable sites

BUILDING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND CONTROL

Relying on people alone to behave in an energy efficient manner is a hit-and-miss approach. In many cases, technology is a far more efficient and consistent way to reduce energy usage. Introducing smart technology to monitor usage to make fine adjustments to maximise a buildings’ efficiency.

Sustainable Advantage keeps abreast of all high-tech developments that can benefit clients in terms of usage, cost and environmental credentials.

We work in tandem with our clients as they make decisions that can have a powerful effect on the bottom line.

Financial imperatives and the desire to raise environmental performance often prompt organisations to undertake a partial or full review of their energy efficiency and usage.

Sustainable Advantage undertakes these ‘energy health checks’, working as appropriate with in-house teams to establish the facts as a prelude to concerted action. This often follows on from our monitoring and targeting activities which highlight areas of concern.

We identify shortcomings in buildings, equipment and systems, as well as all aspects of organisational culture and behaviour. As many of our relationships span many months and even years, we become intimately acquainted with our clients’ properties and unique characteristics. This helps us to quickly focus on problem areas.

EFFICIENCY AUDITS AND SURVEYS

Financial imperatives and the desire to raise environmental performance often prompt organisations to undertake a partial or full review of their energy efficiency performance and usage.

Sustainable Advantage undertakes these ‘energy health checks’, working as appropriate with in-house teams to establish the facts as a prelude to concerted action. This often follows on from our monitoring and targeting activities which highlight areas of concern.

We identify shortcomings in buildings, equipment and systems, as well as all aspects of organisational culture and behaviour. As many of our relationships span many months and even years, we become intimately acquainted with our clients’ properties and unique characteristics. This helps us to quickly focus on problem areas.

ENERGY SOLUTIONS PROJECTS

Sometimes, cutting energy costs and meeting modern expectations requires a substantial consumption reduction project or on-site generation scheme.

In other cases there is low-hanging fruit where it makes sense to focus on first – such changes may well cost no money but give immediate payback.

Sustainable Advantage works in partnership with clients on everything from building upgrades aimed at boosting efficiency to solar panel installations, combined heat and power systems. We are also able to provide innovative and flexible funding solutions.

Our company combines comprehensive technical understanding with financial nous, realism and sensitivity to our clients’ needs and circumstances.

STAFF AWARENESS TRAINING

As important as technology and physical changes are in the achievement of savings; the day-to-day behaviour of individuals and teams is just as critical and needs to be addressed.

Sustainable Advantage trains staff (or their trainers) to ensure that the workforce is well informed about energy issues; and keen to join a collective effort to act responsibly and reduce costs.

Our approach is not about finger pointing; it’s about increasing understanding and motivating people to do their bit with genuine enthusiasm. It is critical that behavioural change programmes are implemented with energy; and organisation-wide buy-in and that they are sustained and continually updated.