SME owners switched on to renewable energy but simply can’t afford it or find it too confusing

A poll of UK SMEs by business-to-business energy supplier, Opus Energy, points to the sector being switched on to buying energy from renewable sources but put off by cost and perceived complexity.

Nearly three quarters of small businesses that are not currently on a specific renewable energy tariff (72%) said they would consider it in the future, with the rest ruling it out as a result of cost (47%) and complexity (18%). One third (29%) claimed to be not interested.

Charlie Crossley Cooke, Managing Director, Opus Energy, believes the findings provide a useful insight into the real impact of current renewable policy on UK small businesses: "We estimate that around 10% of every customer’s bill is made up of green subsidies and that the proportion of renewable subsidies that all UK businesses pay will rise by around 25% over the next 12 months. SMEs are paying for renewable energy whether it’s clear to them or not.

“There needs to be more transparency for small businesses around the contribution they are already making to renewables – and perhaps then there’ll be greater take up by SMEs.”

Over the last few years Opus Energy, a major supplier of electricity and gas to businesses in the UK, has sourced a large proportion of the energy it supplies to its customers from cleaner, low-carbon sources.

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FACTFILE
Opus Energy is the UK’s leading business energy supplier. With offices in Northampton and Oxford, Opus Energy employs 360 people.

Opus Energy supplies over 110,000 UK business sites across all sectors. Corporate customers include: Stagecoach, Halfords, Virgin Media and Pizza Hut.