Small businesses spend a good portion of their earnings on energy. In fact, energy costs might be the second-highest bill a small business needs to pay. But you can learn how to lower your small business electricity bill with just a few easy tips. Learning how to lower your small business electricity bill is easier than you may think, and the savings are bigger than you may think.
How to Lower Your Small Business Electricity Bill
The first thing every small business should do is get an energy audit. This has been talked about at length, but it is one of the most valuable tools a small business has at its disposal. Most energy providers offer this service for free as well; free is always a good thing.
The energy provider will provide your business with a detailed list filled with all of the things that use energy in your business space. The idea is to show you what’s using the most power and when so you can determine if that is necessary or if anything can be done to lower the amount of energy used.
Upgrade to Laptops
Did you know that desktops still use energy even when they are turned completely off? The only way to ensure desktops don’t use energy is to unplug them. But unplugging dozens of computers in a small office is not an easy task. You could use power bars and then just switch them off, but again, not always easy.
The easiest solution is to switch to laptops. Laptops use less energy and can be easily unplugged from the power source. Employees also welcome laptops, so it’s a win/win situation for both the employer and the employees.
Phantom Energy
Computers might be a pain to plug in and unplug daily. But there are some things in your small business that are worth the effort to prevent phantom energy loss. Phantom energy is the energy used by an appliance to keep the lights on or keep the device in standby mode.
Learning how to lower your small business electricity bill will require a little more effort on your part, but the effort is worth it. You can use power bars here; just be sure to keep the switch of those power bars visible so that you can quickly turn off the phantom energy gateway.
Sunlight
Did you know that natural sunlight increases productivity? Small businesses should do whatever they can to keep windows clear. There can be decor for a boutique shop or bakery. But let the natural light into their space. The natural light will help light up the space.
LED Lighting
Many different appliances with energy ratings prove they use less energy than the average appliance. However, people often skip over lighting. LED lighting is the way to go if you want to learn how to lower your small business electricity bill. LEDs use less energy, provide more light, and can be customized in many ways.
The cost of retrofitting may be high, but the difference in the energy costs will help recover those costs and then become savings month over month.