An intelligent approach to energy & waste management.
We are one of the UK’s leading energy and waste management companies. We support a range of organisations including individual schools, multi-academy trusts, office blocks, retailers, restaurant chains and manufacturing sites through to clients with over 500 locations.
Wholesale energy markets fluctuate by between 10 and 15% each year. With procurement, getting the timing right is imperative: We start monitoring the markets on our clients’ behalf long before contract expiry to make sure we don’t miss advantageous market lows.
We seek to understand each client’s objectives and their risk profile, locking their contracts in at opportune moments and securing the correct energy tariffs with the right energy suppliers.
The energy market is complex and volatile and every client is different. Volatility equals risk. We spend time getting to know each client and what makes them different. This affects every aspect of what we do, from when we buy energy to how we communicate with our clients. We create a risk profile for every client and ensure that their unique procurement plan is executed. We build in safeguards that are appropriate to each client’s preferences and operating style.
Our experts protect clients by:
- Keeping a close watch on the energy market
- Identifying any current or potential threats
- Keeping clients informed and consulted
- Keeping procurement strategies under review
Everything from geopolitics to weather has an impact on the energy market. Sustainable Advantage keeps tabs on all the significant market drivers, spotting both warning signs and emerging opportunities.
We provide the information, insights and advice that clients need in order to make confident, informed decisions. Our knowledge and experience calm the choppy waters of the energy market and make them navigable.
We supply data, analysis, forecasts and reports in whatever format the client requires and at the intervals they choose. Clients are also welcome to contact us for ad-hoc assessments on what is happening in the fast-moving world of energy. Regular face-to-face meetings build trust and a partnership ethos.
Some clients want the budget certainty that comes with an energy price that is locked in at a single point in time and remains constant throughout the contract period. In most cases this is the right strategy. Sustainable Advantage can secure clients the best possible deal thanks to its:
- Thorough understanding of the energy market
- Thorough understanding of the energy market
- Strong relationships with suppliers
- Ability to purchase at the optimal time and price
- Expertise in tendering and negotiating
- Armed with this knowledge and skill, plus comprehensive data on the client’s energy usage, Sustainable Advantage is equipped to secure the best available rates, fixed at the best possible time.
As part of our ‘getting to know you’ process we’ll discuss the merits of fixed and flexible procurement and jointly decide what is best for you. We’re always flexible and recognise that things change and that what is right for you this year may not be right forever. We’ll always have your best interests at heart and be ready to re-evaluate your options.
Fixed procurement is not the answer for everyone and some clients stand to gain from a less restrictive approach. Flexible procurement allows businesses – particularly larger ones – to capitalise on market fluctuations. Whereas fixed procurement means locking energy contracts in at a single point in time, flexible procurement locks bundles of energy contracts in over a period of time seeking to time low points in the wholesale market.
Sustainable Advantage’s ability to track and interpret movements in the market, together with its vast experience of negotiation and purchasing, means that clients reap substantial benefits without exposure to unacceptable risk levels. Timing and speed are of the essence. We are always poised to respond quickly and intelligently to market changes and secure these rewards for our clients.
As part of our ‘getting to know you’ process we’ll discuss the merits of fixed and flexible procurement and jointly decide what is best for you. We’re always flexible and recognise that things change and that what is right for you this year may not be right forever. We’ll always have your best interests at heart and be ready to re-evaluate your options.
The effective procurement and subsequent management of energy depends heavily on the availability of accurate, timely usage data.
This means installing and maintaining the right meters alongside telecommunications systems that allows for the instant transference of consumption data – hence the need for Meter Operator (MOP), Data Collector (DC) and Data Aggregator (DA) contracts.
If your electricity meter is half hourly, it requires MOP (meter operator) and DC/DA (data collection/aggregation) contracts. Many businesses give little or no thought to these mandatory contracts as they are not seen as an area where savings can be made. However, Sustainable Advantage has negotiated advantageous rates with Stark (energy data services), guaranteeing quick access to your consumption data.
Sustainable Advantage works on behalf of its clients to ensure that these contracts represent first-class value for money and deliver what’s required in an efficient and reliable way.
We also review and consolidate existing contracts, provide early warning of changes in the law and advise clients on how to comply with new requirements.
P272 is a new piece of Ofgem regulation that will have an impact on all businesses that use electricity meters in certain profile classes. The regulation requires all 05-08 profile meters to be fitted with AMR and treated as though they were half-hourly metered. The original compliance deadline of 01/04/2016 has been put back to 01/04/2017 following a successful appeal. Sustainable Advantage can undertake the installation of AMR and provide detailed consumption analysis that can lead to savings and efficient energy-management solutions.
The businesses concerned will have to use automated meters that can transmit half-hourly usage data to energy suppliers. The aim is to make settlement and billing more accurate.
Sustainable Advantage helps clients prepare for this change, minimise any negative effects and exploit opportunities to increase efficiency and save money.
Organisations that generate spare electricity (from the cogeneration of heat and power, for example) can export the surplus back to the grid and be paid for it.
Doing so requires a contract with an energy supplier. Sustainable Advantage handles all the issues related to exporting energy and ensures that clients derive maximum value from any surpluses generated.
Our thorough understanding of the complexities involved in generating energy and selling this back to the grid, plus our high-level analytical and negotiating skills, means we are the perfect partner to maximise your returns. Power prices, management charges and ROCs processing fees are among the factors that need to be considered and negotiated.