5 Ways Yorkshire Businesses Can Cut Energy Costs and Carbon
Cutting energy costs and reducing carbon emissions are priorities for businesses across Yorkshire. Energy-saving strategies not only help your bottom line but also bring you closer to achieving sustainability goals. Below, we outline five practical ways your business can start saving money and lowering its carbon footprint today.
1. The Cheapest Kilowatt Is the One You Save
The most effective way to cut costs and emissions is the most obvious one: to use less energy. Efficiency is key. Small operational changes can make a big difference, from switching to LED lighting to improving insulation and upgrading aging systems. But how do you know where your business can cut back without compromising operations?
Energy Oasis offer free energy audits to identify where your business is wasting energy and provides clear, actionable strategies to address inefficiencies. Take our work with Harrogate & District Community Action (HADCA), for instance. Their Harrogate Community House, a bustling hub with 30 serviced offices, meeting rooms, and training facilities, faced inefficiencies from aging fluorescent lighting systems. Energy Oasis stepped in to upgrade the facility to high-quality LED lights with intelligent controls and daylight harvesting. The results?
Energy savings of 25,658 kWh annually.
Financial savings of £15,394.80 per year.
A return on investment in just 1.17 years.
These changes didn’t just cut costs and carbon. They also improved light quality, creating a more comfortable environment for tenants. By using smarter solutions, HADCA was able to save up to 60% on lighting energy bills.
2. Harness the Power of Solar and Renewable Energy
Investing in solar and renewable energy can reduce overhead costs and protect your business from fluctuating energy prices. By generating your own energy, you gain greater control over consumption and significantly lower your reliance on grid power.
Take, for example, Energy Oasis’s 11 year collaboration with JT Atkinson. The building supplies company, operating across multiple sites, faced annual electricity costs of £14,000 to £16,000 per location. With around 90% of this attributed to lighting, the opportunity for improvement was clear. Energy Oasis coordinated the installation of 30kW solar photovoltaic (PV) systems at 25 sites and a larger 50kW system at one additional site. The results:
Operating across Yorkshire, JT Atkinson faced high energy costs from lighting, which accounted for 90% of their £14,000 to £16,000 annual electricity bill per location. Over the years, Energy Oasis has worked with them to implement tailored energy solutions, including installing 30kW solar photovoltaic (PV) systems across 25 sites and a larger 50kW system at one location. At the same time, outdated lighting systems were replaced with intelligent LEDs, reducing the number of fittings without compromising on visibility by adhering to CIBSE guidelines.
This ongoing partnership has delivered substantial results:
Annual saving of £3,400 per site through feed-in tariffs and reduced energy usage.
Reduction of 1,198 tonnes of carbon emissions.
Fewer lights installed, intelligently controlled for optimal efficiency.
A return on investment in just 7 years, with benefits extending over 20 years.
This 11-year relationship highlights Energy Oasis’s reliability and expertise in providing solutions that evolve alongside a business’s needs.
3. Unlock Funding and Grants to Go Green
Adopting sustainable technology is often wrongly associated with high upfront costs, but the right funding can make all the difference. Did you know there are asset financing, government grants, subsidies, and even regional business funding programs specifically designed to support businesses on their path to Net Zero in Yorkshire, like the North Yorkshire Business Sustainability Programme.
At Energy Oasis, we have a proven track record of helping businesses access funding. For instance, we supported Chain Lane Community Hub in securing £76,598.48 through the VCSE Energy Efficiency Scheme. This allowed the centre to upgrade its systems, including solar PV panels, intelligent heating controls, LED lighting, and battery storage. The outcomes were remarkable:
29,550 kWh of total annual energy savings.
£5,756.10 saved in yearly energy costs.
7.76 tonnes of CO2 emissions avoided every year.
Access to the right funding made these impactful projects possible, proving that financial barriers can be overcome.
4. Get the Best Deal on Your Energy Contract
Securing the best green energy deal is about more than just cutting costs. It’s about ensuring your business’s resilience in a market that's constantly fluctuating. Wholesale energy prices have dropped significantly since their 2022 peaks, but understanding when to act and how to negotiate your contract remains critical for reducing energy expenses. Timing your procurements strategically, adopting the right contract type, and partnering with experts can make all the difference.
For smaller businesses, fixed contracts provide budget certainty. Larger enterprises, on the other hand, might benefit from flexible agreements, allowing them to take advantage of market dips and even sell back surplus energy during lower usage periods.
The key to success? Timing, market insight, and expert negotiation. By partnering with specialists, your business can avoid pitfalls and ensure rates that align with your operational needs.
5. Find a Partner not a Salesman! We’re in the Business of Selling You Less
At Energy Oasis, our philosophy is simple yet revolutionary. Unlike many in the industry who sell “more” (more panels, more lights, more energy), we are focused on reducing what your business needs.
We design solutions that cut consumption while ensuring functionality and comfort. When replacing lights, for instance, we don't just swap like-for-like. We reduce the number of lights, optimise placement, and use intelligent LEDs with light-responsive controls. This ensures your business uses less energy but is still better lit.
Fewer lights. Better quality.
Lower consumption. Lower costs.
Optimised solutions tailored to your exact needs.
This approach underpins our long-term partnerships, like the one we’ve fostered with JT Atkinson for over 11 years, where reducing costs, consumption, and carbon has been the ultimate goal every step of the way.
Take the Next Step Towards Energy Efficiency
By cutting costs, consumption, and carbon, Energy Oasis is helping Yorkshire businesses thrive while contributing to a sustainable future. We have over a decade of experience delivering Net Zero projects and pride ourselves on providing bespoke solutions tailored to your needs.
If you’re ready to reduce your energy usage and make meaningful savings, get in touch with Energy Oasis today. Together, we’ll help you achieve Net Zero in a way that’s smarter, more sustainable, and incredibly efficient.