RACE TO ZERO
BC ADVERTORIAL
The business benefits of workplace EV charging schemes As electric car use grows, forward-thinking businesses are realising the benefits of installing workplace EV charging points for employees and visitors. Moray Robertson, managing director of Moray Robertson Electrical Services, is an expert in the renewable energy field and his family firm is at the forefront of the charge point installation market. “Installing EV points at the workplace makes real sense from a business viewpoint and as more people adopt electric cars, it will become an increasingly important facility for both employees and visitors,” he says. “And for businesses running an EV fleet, it’s an essential operating factor as well as a move which can save them money and cut their carbon footprint.” Employees benefit from the convenience of being able to charge their electric or hybrid vehicle during the day while work-based chargers may be an added incentive when it comes to attracting customers to a retail site.
They also allow company electric cars to be charged when not in use rather than relying on other, potentially more expensive, EV networks. And if business owners offer free charging to their employees and visitors, it’s a great way to incentivise electric car usage and reduce carbon emissions. Mr Robertson says: “It’s a good idea to get ahead of the curve now and take advantage of the grants and capital allowances available to businesses which cut the cost of installing workplace charging units.” MRES offers a one-stop shop for installing EV workplace charge points - offering advice on the best products, sourcing and fitting units as well as dealing with grant funding applications. Grants are available from the Government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) and
MRES are one of the organisation’s approved installers for its Workplace Charging Scheme. For more information on EV charging and to be guided through the whole process, get in touch with MRES via the website www.mresstirling.co.uk
People’s energy shakes up business energy supply market Supplier targets SMEs with market leading, fair B2B tariffs “We started People’s Energy because we believe energy is a basic human right. We are in the process of testing pre-payment meters which can be more costly for customers. Any small profit we make from our B2B tariff will be directed to help cut the costs of our prepayment offer, supporting the most vulnerable in our society.”
People’s Energy, is marking its second anniversary by extending its services beyond domestic consumers to target the UK’s SME market. People’s Energy will deliver low tariffs direct to small businesses by cutting out the brokers who dominate the B2B energy supply market. Any profits generated from their business tariff will be directed to helping some of the UK’s most vulnerable people. David Pike, CEO and Co-founder of People’s Energy explains: “The business energy market is complicated, and it is tough for people to compare prices and get a great deal. It is easy to see why so many rely on brokers. But brokers always add their cut, and are not obligated to find the best deal. It means businesses tend to pay more for energy. The recent Ofgem State of the market report suggested that micro businesses are paying anything from 30-50% over the odds for their energy. This isn’t fair.
David Pike
“We want to shake up the status quo and offer small businesses the chance to take control of their energy by going direct. We are transparent and, crucially, offer great deals that could save a small business - a café, a hairdresser or a shop, for instance, that uses around 20,000 KW a year – around 30% on energy costs compared to one of the big six suppliers. In these times of uncertainty, the ability to make such savings is key.
The ground breaking Scottish energy company started with the help of crowd funders back in 2017. They are unique in the energy market, with no shareholders and a determination that they will pay profits back to domestic customers. After only two years of trading they have expanded rapidly, and have begun to pay back crowd funders ahead of schedule. peoplesenergy.co.uk
December/January 2020 BC
33