Energy efficiency ‘vital’ in offsetting rise in business energy cost
The industrial and commercial sectors could see a 30-45% increase on energy bills to 2030, according to latest projections from the independent Committee on Climate Change (CCC).
In its third assessment of the impact of carbon budgets on energy bills, the CCC estimates an average increase of 31% in commercial sector energy bills and 26% in industrial sector energy bills to 2030 due to low-carbon policies.
The report also states that the annual bill for an average dual-fuel household was £1,140 in 2013 and is estimated to fall to £1,100 in 2020 and rise to £1,305 in 2030.
However, ‘while all energy users have experienced large increases in both electricity and gas prices since 2004, the majority of this change is unrelated to low-carbon policies’ and is more related to ‘increases in the wholesale price of gas.’
CCC states that these increases can be offset through energy efficiency measures, which can cut energy bills and may provide savings larger than those costs.
