The new quarterly Business Energy Barometer has been developed to spark new ideas and actions among the forward-thinking energy specialists within edie's Energy Leaders Club

Inspired by edie’s Energy Leaders Club and developed in association with Centrica Business Solutions, the inaugural Business Energy Barometer report maps out current trends and key developments for UK energy managers.

The Barometer results are being discussed on stage today at edie’s annual edie Live exhibition in Birmingham, in a session aptly titled ‘Taking your energy strategy onto the next level’.

— READ THE BUSINESS ENERGY BAROMETER REPORT HERE —

“Our inaugural Barometer report paints a somewhat challenging picture for energy managers right now – particularly in regards to policy and internal engagement,” said edie’s content director Luke Nicholls. “Although, it does also presents a wave of new priorities and exciting technological opportunities being focused on as businesses seek to drive efficiencies, increase resilience and minimise carbon emissions.

“I hope this new series of quarterly Barometers will spark new ideas and actions among the forward-thinking energy specialists within our Energy Leaders Club.”

The report is based on an in-depth survey carried out online between April and May 2019, which garnered 74 responses from in-house energy managers and practioners working across all of the UK’s major industries – 74% of which represent organisations of above 250 employees.

Top-line results

According to the Barometer, 45% of energy managers cited behavioural change and engagement within their top-two challenges for business energy in 2019-20, making this by far the biggest obstacle to their success. Mirroring this result, 53% of energy managers cited ‘motivating and empowering others‘ as the most important skill for energy managers to do their job effectively today.

On the flip side, the top priority among energy managers is energy efficiency technologies – cited as a ‘business-critical’ priority for 13% of energy managers, and a ‘high priority’ by a further 45%. 

The Barometer also generated some interesting insights in regards to policy and legislation. Taking the upcoming Streamlined Energy Carbon Reporting (SECR) requirements, for example: a significant 59% of UK energy managers do not believe SECR will help them reduce emissions or save money as it is intended to, with most saying it “lacks teeth” and is not focused enough on driving action. 

It goes onto investigate the energy impacts of Brexit, and perhaps unsurprisingly, it reveals that the UK’s impending departure from the bloc has had a slightly negative impact on business energy management. To mitigate that negative impact, 63% of energy managers agreed that the UK must maintain participation in the Internal Energy Market, regardless of what happens on 31 October.

Energy Leaders

edie’s Business Energy Barometer has been primarily developed for the Energy Leaders Club – an exclusive, member-only programme of free networking events and workshops for in-house energy managers and practitioners.

Membership of the Club grants access to an annual programme of free, informal peer-to-peer networking events, CPD-certified breakfast briefings and in-depth learning events which are closed to nonmembers.

Energy managers can find out more about the Energy Leaders CLub and submit their membership application here.

All edie readers can download the full Business Energy Barometer results for free, here. 

edie staff