A survey conducted by Haven Power, a biomass energy specialist, has found that out of 100 SMEs interviewed, 72 per cent want energy suppliers to be more committed to renewable energy.
Furthermore, it found that only 11 per cent rated their current electrical suppliers as ‘excellent’ when it came to renewable energy support and options.
Access to renewable energy was found to be the third-most important factor that influenced SME purchasing decisions, which came only after price and service.
Johnathan Kini, chief executive of Haven power said, “That so many SMEs are dissatisfied with their existing energy supplier is perhaps unsurprising, but the sheer scale of the discontent revealed in this report remains shocking.”
He continued:
SMEs want more from their supplier and a commitment to renewable energy is one of the demands they are pushing for.
This suggests there is some fundamental change happening, and we in the energy sector need to respond to it by not only helping SMEs reduce their energy usage, but also being able to supply 100 per cent renewable energy.
The survey also found that only 23 per cent thought that they were receiving a great deal although 21 per cent argued that switching between suppliers is difficult and that they had started the process, but didn’t end up with a new supplier.
In other news, the UK has successfully transmitted data via the national electricity grid, marking a significant step towards the creation of virtual power stations that would enable smarter electricity use in both homes and in business.
The new technology, if successfully implemented, could also lead to lower energy bills for consumers that allow small variations in energy consumption of their appliances, such as water heaters or freezers.
The optimum use of intermittent renewable energy could also propel use of green energy on the grid.
In the test the new system sent messages through national electricity cables to appliances with smart plug connections, asking them to adjust their energy use.
The technology is expected to be rolled out in the commercial sector before being pushed towards domestic electricity consumption.
The National Infrastructure Commission (NIC), recently estimated that UK consumers could save £8 billion a year by 2030 by adopting to smart power technology.
