16 October 2023
Energy shocks are nothing new. Ever since the 1970s, we’ve seen how national or global events can have a big impact on the cost of gas and electricity.
But recent years have seen this phenomenon reach an unprecedented extreme. Post-pandemic recovery, where businesses began to ramp up production again following national lockdowns, combined with the war in Ukraine saw gas prices more than quadruple between 2020 and 2022.
Unlike in the past, when energy prices have gradually stabilised, experts forecast that prices will remain high or even rise further, partly to help combat climate change and meet environmental targets..
That means it’s more important than ever that small and mid-sized manufacturers take steps to make their business more energy efficient.
We have been working on a UK-wide pilot scheme to do just that – helping businesses to cut their energy costs and grow their bottom line.
During the regional pilot at WMG, the HVM Catapult’s Manufacturing Energy Toolkit produced tangible results, with manufacturers seeing a total energy saving of between 12% and 46% –adding up to thousands of pounds saved each year.
Many manufacturers simply don’t realise they’re running equipment in ways that waste significant amounts of energy, eating into their profits while expanding their carbon footprint.
But our experts have the experience and industry know-how to help you slash energy usage across your manufacturing process by up to 46% and ensure your money goes further.
If it’s the first time you’ve thought about cutting energy from your process, we’ll begin with a fully funded visit to your production site for an in-depth assessment of your energy mix and usage – identifying key areas where you could save money.
Once the problems are identified, we can work with you on a roadmap for cutting your energy usage. We also focus on the greenhouse gas emissions of your energy usage, giving you data that can help build your position in the market.
As well as saving you money, making your business more energy efficient can have additional, and no less important, benefits.
Doing so will also reduce your business’ carbon emissions and carbon footprint, making a huge positive difference to the environment.
This can also boost your company’s image and reputation, and even increase business as customers increasingly look to support and work with eco-friendly companies.
And it’s not just your customers who will feel the effects of becoming more sustainable – studies have shown that it can lead to an overall improvement in employee morale and dedication. Employees appreciate the efforts their employers take to the respect the environment, building trust between them.
With the energy market being more volatile now than ever before, protecting your business by becoming more energy efficient is not just desirable – it’s increasingly vital.