Although most businesses in the UK use between 15,000 kWh and 25,000 kWh of energy a year, the average usage and cost of energy is different depending on the size of the business and how it uses energy. In short, the larger the business, the more energy it is likely to use.
Average business energy usage
All businesses have different energy demands – even if two businesses seem identical on the face of things, they will operate from different sized / shaped premises, which will have different heating, lighting and energy efficiency systems installed in them, all of which can affect the amount of energy that they use. Even something simple like just having different opening times and numbers of employees with different energy usage habits can all have an impact on energy usage.
Energy usage is measured in kilowatt hours (kWh) and to give you an idea of how much energy do small businesses use, we have pulled together the following data on average kWh usage for businesses of all sizes.
How much energy do micro businesses use
- Gas – between 5,000 kWh and 15,000 kWh
- Electricity – between 5,000 kWh and 15,000 kWh
How much energy do small businesses use
- Gas – between 15,000 kWh and 30,000 kWh
- Electricity – between 15,000 kWh and 25,000 kWh
How much energy do medium sized businesses use
- Gas – between 30,000 kWh and 65,000 kWh
- Electricity – between 25,000 kWh and 50,000 kWh
How much energy do large businesses use
- Gas – more than 65,000 kWh
- Electricity – more than 50,000 kWh
These figures should only be used as a guide, and the amount of energy your business actually uses will depend upon the industry you operate within and how you use gas and electricity.
Average business energy bill
Your commercial energy bills will vary depending upon how much gas and electricity you use at your business premises. The cost of your bills will also be affected by the type of tariff that you are on, and although your business energy bill is made up of a number of costs, including Value Added Tax (VAT) and government levies, there are two figures you need to look out for. These are:
- Unit cost – measured in kilowatt hours (kWh), this is the amount you pay for each unit of gas or electricity you use.
- Standing charge – this is a flat daily rate to cover the cost of getting the energy to your property and is charged regardless of whether or not you use any gas or electricity.
If you are looking to cut the cost of your commercial energy bills, you will want a tariff that offers a lower unit rate and lower standing charge than the one you are currently on, but you might be able to lower your bills by cutting the cost of just one of these charges or by becoming more energy efficient in what you do.
