Energy for Large Businesses
If you’re looking for large business energy tariffs, you’re in the right place.
Large in this industry means usage, not size. You may be a large business in size and operations, but it all comes down to your energy consumption in the eyes of your supplier.
It’s easy to compare large business energy plans; we’ll just need some basic information about your business to get started.
Are you a large business energy user?
Despite businesses coming in all shapes and sizes, energy suppliers separate them into two categories - standard business energy users and high consumption energy users. The high consumption category means you’re classed as a large business.
As large business customers require a higher demand of the energy grid, energy suppliers treat them differently to other businesses.
You’re considered a large business energy user if you meet one of the following:
High Gas Usage
You’re classed as a large energy user if your annual gas usage exceeds 200,000 kWh.
High Electricity Usage
You’re considered a large energy user if your business uses 55,000 kWh of electricity or more each year.
We provide exclusive energy deals from trusted suppliers for high usage businesses
Compare exclusive energy deals to fit your high energy demands
What’s different about large business energy contracts?
High usage contract types
Fixed Rate
You can lock-in your energy prices for up to five years. This is great for businesses who want to plan their outgoings and offers protection from wholesale energy prices.
Variable Rate
A flexible-rate means the price you pay for energy will change inline with the wholesale energy market. You will benefit from price drops, but also may experience price increases at anytime.
Interruptible Contract
These contracts tend to be cheaper due to the fact that the National Grid and local authorities will be able to shut off your supply during peak demand periods. If you continue to use energy during this period, you will be charged a higher rate.
Factors that can affect your contract
As a large consumption energy user, some factors come into play that are different from traditional business energy contracts.
Peak Demand
This is a limit on the amount of energy your business can draw from the national grid each day. Exceeding this amount can result in heavy fines. Check this amount with the energy supplier before the contract signing.
Large site peak-day demand
This refers to the sum of Supply Offtake Quantity (SOQ) and can also be referred to as the Maximum Daily Quantity (MDQ). This dictates the maximum daily consumption allowed for any individual meter. If you exceed your allowance you may be fined.
Compare high usage tariffs in less than 60 seconds
It’s so easy to switch to a high usage tariff with Love Energy Savings. With just a few details we can get you access to exclusive
deals and prices from our trusted suppliers.
You may have heard of a ‘Maximum Demand’ meter
Large business energy customers often need to have special meters installed on their premises, known as a ‘Maximum Demand’ meter.
A maximum demand meter measures how much electricity you’re using at once. It’s designed to alert you and your distribution network operator (DNO) if you’re using too much electricity for the supply to handle. Demand is measured using ‘Kilo Volt Amperes’ (kVA); one kVA is equal to 1,000 Watts of power.
If you’re classed as a large user, you’ll be given an allocated kVA that you need to stay below. A Maximum Demand meter keeps track for you. If you stay below your kVA, you’ll get the best rates. Get a high usage tariff
Do I Need A Half-Hourly Meter?
A half hourly electricity meter (also known as HH meter) takes automatic meter readings every 30 minutes and sends it directly to your supplier so there’s no need to provide manual readings.
Half hourly metering is mandatory for any business in the UK using at least 100,000 kWh (kilowatt per hour) of electricity each year. If your business has a 05, 06, 07 or 08-meter profile, you will also need to switch to half hourly metering.
To find out more about any of the meters that indicate you’re considering a large business by your supplier, you can head to our meter installations page. Get a high usage tariff
Are you a Public Sector Service?
Since 2007, we have supplied gas and electricity to the UK’s Public Sector. We offer exclusive strategies for flexible energy procurement has helped to design bespoke products to meet the demands of the Public Sector.
We are committed to supporting devolved governments with energy saving policies, helping to deliver innovative programs through research and effective schemes.
To find out more about our public sector service and procurement you can click here, or give our experts a call on 0800 9888375
Large Business Energy FAQs
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Do businesses pay more for electricity?
Not necessarily. While businesses do pay more VAT on their electricity than household users, they typically get better deals on their unit rates (the price they pay per kilowatt-hour) because they use more.
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How many kWh does a typical business use?
The number of kilowatt-hours a business uses in a year depends on its size. Micro-businesses (sole traders or businesses of up to nine employees) typically use around 10,000 kWh of electricity each year, whereas small businesses (up to 50 staff) use about 20,000 kWh and medium businesses (up to 250 staff) use around 40,000 kWh. Check out our guide to small business electricity prices to learn more.
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How do I know if I have a half hourly meter?
To find out what kind of meter you have, look at the MPAN number on your last energy bill. The MPAN number can be found on the top left of your bill to the right of the S.
If your MPAN number is ‘00’, you have a half-hourly meter. If the number is 05, 06, 07 or 08, you’ll need to upgrade to half hourly metering as soon as you can. You can do so by getting in touch with your meter operator.
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Who is the largest energy supplier in the UK?
British Gas is the UK’s largest energy supplier. Recent data from Ofgem show that they have a 19% share of the market. SSE and EDF are tied in second place with 12% of the market.