Business energy by sector
Every industry uses energy differently. See typical consumption and practical savings for your sector before you compare quotes.
Offices
Office energy use is dominated by lighting, heating, air conditioning and IT equipment, with a clear weekday usage pattern.
Typical usage: 8,000 – 30,000 kWh electricity per year
- Switch to LED lighting with occupancy sensors
- Set heating and cooling dead bands to avoid them fighting each other
- Shut down IT equipment overnight with managed power settings
Retail shops
Shops use energy for long opening hours, display lighting, refrigeration and door-open heating losses.
Typical usage: 10,000 – 40,000 kWh electricity per year
- Fit doors or night blinds to open refrigeration units
- Use timers on window and display lighting
- Install air curtains to reduce heat loss at entrances
Restaurants, pubs & cafés
Hospitality sites are gas and electricity intensive because of cooking, extraction, refrigeration and hot water.
Typical usage: 20,000 – 90,000 kWh combined per year
- Stagger kitchen equipment start-up rather than switching everything on at open
- Service extraction and refrigeration regularly
- Consider a dual-fuel contract to simplify billing
Manufacturing & industrial
Production sites often have half-hourly metering, high load factors and significant capacity charges.
Typical usage: 100,000 kWh+ per year
- Review your agreed capacity to avoid excess capacity charges
- Shift flexible loads away from peak periods
- Ask about flexible or basket purchasing for larger volumes
Warehousing & logistics
Large floor areas make lighting and space heating the biggest costs, with growing demand from EV fleet charging.
Typical usage: 30,000 – 200,000 kWh per year
- Zone lighting and use high-bay LEDs with sensors
- Insulate loading bays and fit rapid-action doors
- Plan EV charging around off-peak periods
Salons & beauty
Salons run a high number of small high-power appliances alongside constant hot water demand.
Typical usage: 8,000 – 25,000 kWh per year
- Insulate hot water cylinders and pipework
- Use water-efficient backwash units
- Check whether you qualify for the 5% reduced VAT rate
Healthcare & care homes
Care settings run 24/7 with constant heating, hot water and medical equipment loads.
Typical usage: 50,000 – 250,000 kWh per year
- Prioritise heating controls and building fabric improvements
- Look at longer fixed contracts for budget certainty
- Check eligibility for reduced-rate VAT on residential care premises
Schools & education
Education sites have strong term-time seasonality and large heated spaces.
Typical usage: 40,000 – 300,000 kWh per year
- Set holiday shutdown schedules on heating and ventilation
- Benchmark usage per pupil each term
- Consider green tariffs to support sustainability targets
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