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npower Business Energy Customers Say Energy Red Tape Must Be Scrapped Or Simplified

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npower has found that businesses are concerned that current UK energy regulations will not raise the investment needed to ensure the country’s low carbon future, and are calling on the government to either simplify or scrap some existing legislation to ensure targets can be met.

These are the findings of a consultation by npower among business energy users, which found that one in three (32%) do not believe that legislation such as the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme (CRC), Climate Change Levy (CCL) and Climate Change Agreements (CCAs), the Renewables Obligation and Feed In Tariffs will help ensure the £200bn investment needed for the UK’s energy infrastructure is achieved.

The results of npower’s consultation, which is still ongoing, will be fed back to government as part of its Red Tape Challenge initiative. The government consultation on the energy sector formally opens on the 25th of November.

Against a backdrop of political debate on how to best regulate the energy industry,npower asked businesses which energy legislation they would keep, which they would like to see simplified, and those they would like to see scrapped completely.

The CRC, perhaps unsurprisingly, received most attention, with over two thirds of businesses (69%) wanting to see the scheme simplified and more than half of business (57%) believing it should be scrapped. Over a third (38%) would like to see it merged with existing regulation.

There was also a call to scrap the Renewables Obligation among some businesses (41%), with nearly half (47%) calling for it to be simplified. Opinion was split on CCL and CCAs, with 29% wanting to see them scrapped, and 32% believing they should stay.

Wayne Mitchell, interim industrial and commercial markets director at npower, commented: “Energy policy ultimately drives British business. But, as the Government recognises through its Red Tape Challenge initiative, there is a mammoth amount of legislative cost burden on British businesses. Groups such as the CBI have been very vocal about how this legislation is not only stifling domestic growth, but also making the UK less competitive on an international scale.

“At the moment the energy market is neither fully regulated, nor fully liberalised and that this ‘in-between’ situation is leaving businesses and investors in a ‘limbo’ unable to make an informed decision. That is why we again urge the business community to make sure their voices are heard. This is a unique opportunity on an unprecedented scale to have a say on energy legislation – and our own consultation reveals a mixed bag of views so far.

“We are committed to ensuring the voice of business is heard, and there is still time to have your say at www.npower.com/redtape.”

Via EPR Network
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Opus Energy Signs Virgin Media As Impressive Growth Continues

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Independent energy supplier to UK businesses, Opus Energy, has today announced the signature of its 100,000th business site, Virgin Media. The business joins a portfolio of market-leading brands which includes Paperchase, Allied Irish Bank (GB), University of Cambridge, Halfords and KPMG, amongst others.

Opus’ success comes at a time when the energy regulator, Ofgem, is looking for ways to decrease the dominance of the ‘Big Six’ energy providers and demonstrates that independent suppliers can thrive. The company’s Corporate division, experienced 28% growth from this time last year and continues to expand rapidly.

The stellar performance is due to Opus’ market-leading solution for larger corporates, Opus Evolution, which has seen a 122% increase in customers. Opus’ corporate customers are making the switch away from traditional fixed price contracts, displaying a growing appetite for flexible purchasing solutions which enable them to take advantage of fluctuating electricity prices. Opus expects the growth to continue into 2012, as demand for Opus Extra, which gives the smaller corporate customer access to flexible purchasing on the wholesale market, grows.

Steve James, Commercial Director, responsible for the Corporate division commented: “We are delighted to have hit the 100,000 mark, and welcome Virgin Media to our roster of customers, the latest in a long line of flagship brands to join us. Our growth demonstrates that there is an alternative to the Big Six suppliers and is a result of our commitment to developing innovative and flexible products driven by our customers’ needs.”

“We work with our customers to provide individual billing solutions, contract types and reporting functions tailored to their requirements, rather than by trying to squeeze them into a ‘one-size fits all’ approach.”

Opus Energy’s growth has also been driven by the rapid expansion of its gas supply business. Launched in October 2009 the service now has over 8,000 live sites, an uptake or more than 75% over the business’ initial target. Designed to offer customers an affordable and reliable alternative to existing suppliers, the service allows them to access competitively priced, fixed-term contracts, shielding them from price fluctuations.

Charlie Crossley Cooke, Opus Energy’s Managing Director comments; “The last 12 months have been very exciting for Opus Energy. Our continued growth and investment in our customers is reflected in not only the successful introduction of new products, services and partners but also in the increased employment of customer facing staff to help deliver the services we provide our business customers. We now look forward to continuing to expand over the next twelve months.”

Via EPR Network
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npower Urges Businesses To Have Their Say On Energy Legislation

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npower, the energy firm, has announced that businesses need to make sure they make their voices heard when it comes to shaping current and future energy legislation. npower has launched its own consultation for businesses in response to the government’s Red Tape Challenge.

The ‘Red Tape Challenge’ was launched in April 2011 with the aim of engaging with different industries to gather feedback on current UK legislation, to help simplify the regulatory landscape for businesses.

npower’s ‘Red Tape Challenge – Have Your Say’ campaign is designed to give businesses the opportunity to feedback on current and future energy regulation affecting the sector. Businesses can have their say on the energy policies they think should be scrapped, merged with existing regulation, simplified or left.

Once feedback has been gathered, the energy company will submit its findings on behalf of businesses to the government’s Red Tape Challenge, ahead of the utilities and energy sector’s consultation deadline on 27 October 2011.

The campaign was launched in response to the Red Tape Challenge as well as npower’s own research that revealed strong business opinion on current and proposed energy legislation.

When asked about the proposed Electricity Market Reform (EMR) nearly half of companies surveyed believed the EMR would be complex and unwieldy for businesses. Similarly, research conducted to coincide with the first anniversary of the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme (CRC) found that 45% of businesses want to see the CRC scrapped.

David Cockshott, director of industrial and commercial markets at npower, said: “The UK’s business community has been given a unique opportunity on an unprecedented scale to have its say on energy legislation and we are urging them to get involved and make their voices heard.

“We know from conversations with our own customers that businesses find it difficult keeping track of the legislation or potential legislation affecting them, from the EMR to the CRC. Now businesses can tell the government exactly what policies they think should be scrapped, merged with existing regulation, simplified or left as they are.

“We understand that everyone is busy, which is why we are launching the npower Red Tape Challenge – Have Your Say campaign. It simplifies the process and is designed to provide businesses with a less time-consuming way to air their views on current energy related legislation.

“This type of opportunity to influence legislation does not come along everyday and we urge businesses of all shapes and sizes to take the time now to have their say on the energy policy of the future.”

Via EPR Network
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