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Demand-Side Flexibility
Unlocking the Power of Demand-Side Flexibility: A Win-Win for Customers and the Clean Energy Transition.... At Direct Power, we believe that the future of energy lies in flexibility. As the world transitions toward cleaner and more sustainable sources of power, it’s...
Opus Energy shifts away from Flexible Electricity Contracts
Opus Energy’s Transition: What You Need to Know.... In a recent development, Opus Energy has made a strategic decision to discontinue quoting flexible electricity contracts. This shift has implications for businesses seeking flexible energy solutions and for those...
UrbanChain and MOP, DC/DA contracts…
How Direct Power can help you get the best MOP, DC/DA contracts for your UrbanChain electricity supply! If you are an UrbanChain customer, you already know the benefits of buying renewable energy directly from generators through their peer-to-peer energy exchange. You...
EDF and the Mid-Contract Price Reset
EDF allowing qualifying customers to reset prices mid-contract Energy prices have been on a rollercoaster ride over the past few years. If you were fortunate enough to secure your contract during the decade low prices on offer during COVID lockdown, you have been...
Invoice concerns of SSE Evolve….
Why do the billed rates not match the contract? As SSE migrates customers from their old system to their SSE Evolve system, customers will find that the invoiced rates don’t match up with those on the contract. Please do not panic, SSE have not changed the rates that...
How to combat the current energy market….
The current market in Q3, 2023…. Context: Prices have plummeted from historic peaks that occurred in late 2022, but that doesn’t mean they are back to levels enjoyed pre-Covid. In fact, we are sitting around two to three times pre-Covid price levels. As we look...
Flexible Contract Options…
Nimble, Intelligent, Efficient, Risk Managed approach to your energy contracts! At Direct Power we are committed to adding value to our customer’s energy contracting process. The energy market is much more complex than in previous years, and that requires a different...
Gas Data Loggers
Transform Your Gas Consumption Insights with a Gas Data Loggers... Monitoring gas consumption is essential for businesses to optimise their energy usage, enhance efficiency, and reduce costs. In today's data-driven world, having access to real-life consumption data at...
UrbanChain – Cut out the middle-man to secure cheaper renewable energy!
Why an electricity contract from UrbanChain could be right for your business... UrbanChain is a disrupter, blazing a new trail in the UK Energy Market. Their unique Peer to Peer (P2P), energy exchange circumvents the wholesale market, allowing Renewable Energy...
Multi-Purchase Electricity Contract via Direct Power
Why choose a multi-purchase electricity contract over a fixed price contract? You may opt for a multi-purchase electricity contract over a fixed price contract for several reasons: Cost optimization: A multi-purchase electricity contract allows you to take advantage...
Key Benefits of a Flexible Contract…
Reasons why a business would choose a flexible contract instead of a fixed price contract... Choosing between a flexible priced electricity contract and a fixed price contract depends on a business's specific circumstances, risk tolerance, and market expectations....
EDF Peace of Mind vs. EDF Fixed and Standard contracts
Which is right for your organisation? EDF Energy offers two different types of “fixed” contracts: the EDF Peace of Mind contract and the EDF Fixed and Standard contract. Here are the key differences between these two contract types: Price structure: EDF Peace of Mind...
Drax Fix Complete vs. Drax Fix Threshold
Let's look at the differences between these two Drax products... Drax Fix Complete and Drax Fix Threshold are two different energy products offered by Drax Group, a leading electricity generation and energy company in the UK. While both products provide fixed-price...
The Peer-to-peer Energy Market
What is the Peer-to-peer Energy Market? Peer-to-peer energy contracts disrupt the traditional energy market to deliver both energy exporters and energy importers (consumers), great prices. Peer-to-peer (P2P) energy markets are decentralized platforms that allow...
The Flexible Multi-Purchase Contract
What type of contract is a good fit when prices are expected to fall? Flexible or Multi-Purchase contracts are the perfect contracts to secure when prices are falling. Historically, Flexible of Multi-purchase contracts were reserved for the largest of energy...
Drax – Helping Hospitality Clients Survive Peak Prices
What do you do if your business is stuck on contract rates secured during the price peak of 2022? Drax Blend and Extend... If you had an energy contract fall due for renewal in the second half of 2022, you were forced to renew whilst prices were peaking. The...
EBDS and ETII Schemes Revisited
The Energy Bills Discount Scheme (EBDS) and Energy and Trade Intensive Industries (ETII) scheme Key Facts... EBDS: EBDS replaces the Energy Bill Relief Scheme (EBRS) and will run from 01/04/2023 to 31/03/2024. Energy customers with a non-domestic contract such...
Corona’s different energy contract options….
What kind of Corona contract do you want? Historically gas and electricity contracts have fallen into three key categories: Fixed, Non-Fixed (aka Pass Through), and Flexible. The key difference being that Fixed contracts offer price certainty, whilst Non-Fixed (aka...
The Energy Bill Discount Scheme (EBDS)
The Energy Bill Discount Scheme (EBDS) and Energy and Trade Intensive Industries (ETII) scheme... The Energy Bill Relief Scheme (EBRS), ends 31/03/23 and will be proceeded by the Energy Bill Discount Scheme (EBDS), and the Energy and Trade Intensive Industries (ETII)...
Flexible Contracts, and what is Backwardation?
Why a flexible contract is an ideal choice for an energy market in backwardation... Many energy consumers first ask, what is Backwardation? First some definitions to help explain why a Flexible contract is a sensible choice when customers expect prices to fall in...
Flexible Energy Contracts not being Managed…
What do you do when your broker or TPI fails to manage your Flexible Purchasing Agreement for energy, electricity or gas? There are plenty of victims in the current electricity crisis, from the pensioner struggling to pay their heating bill, to the large company that...
Export MOP, DC/DA…
Competitive Export Payments, Competitive Export PPA! Well done! Chances are, if you are reading this blog you have done the calculations, invested in self-generation, or perhaps installed solar on the roof. Now it is time to get paid for your excess energy that you...
Energy Efficiency Audit – Part 2
What to expect with an Energy Efficiency Audit... The purpose on an Energy Efficiency Audit is to review the site’s energy systems, options for improvements and feasi,bility of ‘Invest to Save’ actions. The study will consider options for reducing energy consumption,...
Energy Efficiency Audit
What is an Energy Efficiency Audit? Many of Direct Power’s customers are deciding that now is the time to invest in an energy efficiency audit. With energy costs soaring to peak prices, the cost benefit for energy efficiency is greater than ever. The timeframe to...
Get paid for your Energy Exports…
An easy way to get paid for your energy exports! With rising energy prices, an increasing number of organisations are installing their own generation, including: wind turbines, solar, anaerobic digestors, and hydro generators. Now, more than ever, you want to get a...
Energy Buying Strategies
Energy Buying Strategies for the current price hikes... We all know that energy prices are sky high, but did you know there are a couple of simple strategies everyone can use to help mitigate these record energy prices? Be Proactive Secure your renewals early, do not...
The Flexible Price Contract
An alternative to fixed prices: the flexible price contract… With energy prices at all-time highs I am sure the below dilemmas will resonate with you: • Prices are sky high, but longer term contracts are cheaper. Is it better to pay a higher price for a 12m contract,...
Not all Fixed Contracts are Equal… part 2
What kind of fixed contract do you want? Historically gas and electricity contracts have fallen into two key categories: Fixed or Non-Fixed, aka Pass Through. The key difference being that Fixed contracts offer price certainty, whilst Non-Fixed, aka Pass Through,...
E.ON accounts migrate to Npower – check your first bill!
Did you sign a contract with E.ON, but are receiving bills from Npower? Do not worry, there was a company take over and merging of operations! We do however recommend you spend a little extra time reviewing the first Npower invoice to ensure you are being billed...
Gas Data Logger and Meter Asset Managers
Two easy ways to track your gas usage... Help! Need to know how to access your gas data with a new supplier? Some suppliers offer good online tools to help you track and monitor your gas usage, others don’t offer this kind of service at all. With multiple suppliers...
How to Track Gas Usage
Why it's important to track gas usage... Tracking gas usage is becoming more and more important. With energy costs sky rocketing, the best way to reduce energy spend is to take control of your gas usage. Thanks to new tools, it has never been easier to access and...
EDF’s Fixed + Standard Prices are Changing
11-Jan-2022: EDF to update Fixed + Standard prices... EDF’s Fixed + Standard contract prices are made up of two main elements: the cost of electricity purchased on the wholesale market, and third-party costs. For those customers on EDF Fixed + Standard contracts: EDF...
New Connections for Self-Builds
Getting power to your self-build… Are you a self-builder in need of a gas or electricity meter install? Do you want to speak with a real human to complete this task? Look no further, at Direct Power we have 17 years of experience offering new connections. Building...
Paid too much in CCL? CCL Relief…
We can help you secure a refund from HMRC and arrange your CCL relief with the energy supplier! Climate Change Levy (CCL) was introduced in 2001 and is a UK-wide tax on electricity, gas, LPG and solid fuels supplied to businesses and public sector consumers. The main...
Human Connection New Connections for Developers and Builders
Looking for a friendly, fast new connection? At Direct Power we help all kinds of builders and developers with new gas connections and new electricity connections. Direct Power calls this service “Human Connection New Connection”. Basically Direct Power will assign...
Moved into a site managed by Direct Power?
Get in touch to save time, worry, work and money on your move… Congratulations, the landlord or former owner of your recently acquired site has advised us that they are moving out, and you are moving in! We know just how stressful a relocation can be. We are not...
Working with Mechanical and Electrical Professionals
Helping to arrange metering and temporary builders supplies... At Direct Power we have close to 20 years of experience with all kinds of energy related issues, including extensive experience handling new connections and arranging temporary builders supplies for...
CCL relief, VAT reduction, MOP, DC/DA, Capacity reduction advice and assistance…
Even if we do not secure your supply contract, we can still help you save! There is more to managing a business’s energy needs than simply negotiating prices and securing contracts. Yes, it is important you are on a competitive contract, with terms appropriate for...
Save on VAT and CCL on your Electricity and Gas…
Making sure your business is not overpaying VAT and CCL The only thing certain in life are death and taxes. We all know this saying, and whilst we can’t help you avoid the death part, we can help you avoid some of the taxes associated with your gas and electricity...
SSE Mid-Contract Price Increase
Not the first supplier, nor the last, to increase prices due to Covid... SSE announce that customers on their standard Choice contract will be receiving notice this week advising them of the unfortunate arrival of temporary minor mid-contract price increases at 0.201...
Ups and Downs: the key impacts of COVID-19 on UK Power Prices.
What to expect from current UK Power Prices... Downs: Gas and Power commodity costs have fallen due to lower demand during lock-down. Near Term prices, i.e. those for the summer 2020 have weakened the most. Prices for winter 2020 and beyond have weakened, but did not...
Save up to 70% on Total MOP charges!
Are you on Half Hourly Supply with Total Gas & Power? If you see “TGP Default MOP” charges typically at £45/month on your bill from Total, you are simply paying too much. All Half Hourly meters require a Meter Operator (MOP). If you do not appoint your own, you...
Covid and its affect on Energy Prices
Energy Market Prices and Contract decisions during Covid... At Direct Power we realise UK businesses have lots of challenges and a new normal to adjust to. Whilst we all struggle to adapt to our new circumstances, we want to highlight some good news that has come out...
New Connections during the Covid-19 / Corona Crisis
How to arrange a new electricity connection, gas connection, or Meter Operator Contract during the Corona crisis… Understandably, new connections have mostly ground to a halt as engineers comply with social distancing requirements. Some suppliers have stopped quoting...
Energy Contracts for a Property Managing Agent
Why is securing an energy contract for a Property Managing Agent so complicated? Electricity and gas contracts are subject to credit check, as suppliers do not want to take on customers with a bad credit history for obvious reasons. Due to the nature of their business...
Corona Virus & Cheaper Energy Contracts
Corona Virus pandemic brings cheaper energy prices... The Corona Crisis has brought uncertainty and challenges for all, but it has also brought the opportunity to secure a gas or electricity contract whilst commodity costs are the lowest seen in years. It goes without...
Save 45% on Drax MOP and DC DA charges…
Are you on Half Hourly Supply with Drax? Do you want to save 45% on Drax MOP and DC DA charges? If you have a half hourly supply live with Drax (MPAN starting 00), you need to familiarise yourself with Meter Operator (MOP) and Data Collector and Data Aggregator (DC...
Struggling to pay bills due to the Corona Virus Crisis?
Energy bills during Corona Virus: Follow these tips... During this unprecedented crisis I am pleased to share that suppliers are being co-operative and creative in offering reasonable support to customers. Suppliers are keen to play their part to help business survive...
Corona Virus – Option to Defer Energy Bills
What help is available to defer energy bills during the Corona Virus Crisis? The health and physical impacts of the Corona Virus are obvious and devastating. We owe so much to those front line workers who are putting it all on the line for the well-being of the rest...
Orsted to Exit Much of the UK Market
Orsted Deemed Rates ... Orsted announced they will be exiting much of the UK market. They will not be offering renewal prices for clients who consume less than 30GWh, as they will only be working to service the largest of energy consumers going forward. If you are a...
Corona Virus and the UK Energy Market
Update from Direct Power... Corona Virus and the Energy Markets: At the time of writing this, the UK is entering uncharted waters as lock-down has brought with it massive implications for all of us. We are all in this together, we all have a part to play. Whether it...
We need to talk about Verbal Contracts!
How to resolve problems with a verbal contract... 1. Yes, verbal contracts are legally binding.2. Yes, they can save an organisation time and be efficient in the short term.3. Yes, they may cost you in the long run if you do not have your wits about you.4. Yes, they...
Engie – Fair and Square Contract
Benefits of a Fixed Price, Refund when price is overestimated... Engie Fair and Square! Why Engie Fair and Square? The price you see on your bill covers more than the electricity commodity cost. In fact non commodity costs also referred to as Third Party Costs now...
Drax Contract – Complete (Fixed) vs. Standard (Semi-Fixed)
More choice, whilst adding more confusion for SME customers... What kind of fixed Drax contract do you want? Historically gas and electricity contracts have fallen into two key categories: Fixed or Non-Fixed (aka Pass Through). The key difference being that...
Temporary Builders Supply
Electricity to sites under construction... Here at Direct Power we have 16+ years of experience helping the construction industry arrange Temporary Builders Supplies. What is a Temporary Builders Supply? There are two main categories: Small and Large Temporary...
Do you qualify for ESOS?
ESOS Qualification Criteria... Participation in The UK’s Energy Savings Opportunities Scheme, aka ESOS, is compulsory for large organisations. The aim of the scheme is to help focus large business’s attention on energy efficiency. ESOS Qualification criteria are:1....
EDF Data Aggregator and Data Collector too expensive?
This might just save you some money! If you have a half hourly supply live with EDF (MPAN starting 00), you need to familiarise yourself with the Data Collection arrangements on your account. We have found that default EDF Data Collection (DC/DA) Agent charges are...
Energy Intensive Industries (EII)
EII exemption from CFD, RO, and FIT... Contracts for Difference (CfD), Renewable Obligation (RO), and Small-Scale Feed in tariff (FiT) are schemes enabling the transition to a renewable energy mix. As you can appreciate, it costs a lot of money to fund our green...
MOPs for Opus customers…
Make sure your MOP is sorted! When it comes to new connections, Opus is helping many businesses connect to the grid, or upgrade their supply to accommodate an increased load. For example this would occur going from a smaller Non Half Hourly...
Not all Fixed Contracts are Equal…
What kind of fixed contract do you want? Historically gas and electricity contracts have fallen into two key categories: Fixed or Non-Fixed, aka Pass Through. The key difference being that Fixed contracts offer price certainty, whilst...
E.ON SME Contracts…
Fixed isn't always fixed, read the fine print! E.ON SME, who deal with Smaller Electricity and Gas Business Customers, issued guidance 19-Mar-19 that their fixed product will not be truly fixed going forward. Whilst E.ON endeavour to honour...
UIG: Unidentified Gas
What is UIG... Unidentified Gas? Unidentified Gas, also known as UIG, is gas supplied to the network that cannot be directly attributed to a gas shipper. It is the shortfall between the volume of gas that enters the National Grid and that which is measured...
Mid-Term Review Contract
E.ON offering "blend and extend" style contracts... Mid-term Review contracts: We all know that a longer term contract enables accurate budget planning, reduces workload, worry, and frequently delivers more economic prices. We encourage...
CCL relief for CCA Agreement Holders
CCA - Climate Change Agreements and CCL... What is CCL? CCL stands for Climate Change Levy, it is applied by suppliers to electricity and gas bills in the UK. You pay the main rates of CCL if your business is in one of the following sectors: •...
British Gas MOP/DC/DA charges…
This might just save you some money! If you have a half hourly supply live with British Gas (MPAN starting 00, which is normally listed beneath ‘Details of Charges’ header and has a ‘S’ in front), you need to familiarise yourself with the...
Reactive Power
What are Reactive Power charges? All Suppliers and ultimately customers are subject to Reactive Power charges, which are applied by the Distribution Network Operators and passed through to the end consumer where appropriate. It is impossible to know advance if...
CCL relief and VAT relief SCAMS!
Don't get caught out... It seems there is a new scam circulating at present. Clients have reported being cold called and told that because they operate a low profit making or non-profit making business, they qualify for CCL relief. This is not...
Energy Complaint Assistance…
Need help resolving issues with your supplier or broker? Direct Power has been in operation for 15+ years, and our client facing team has around 100 years of combined experience as liaison between end-consumer and supplier. If you can think of...
Extra Energy…
What to do when your energy supplier folds? Extra Energy has failed! Just like in any market, Energy Companies can fail. Unlike other markets, energy is considered an essential service, so energy regulator OFGEM has protocols in place to ensure...
MOP for New Connections…
Get your MOP in place for your Half Hourly new connection! When arranging a new half hourly connection there are three main contracts to arrange in order to keep your project on track: 1st – Connection Agreement This is between the Consumer and the local...
Export MOP
The What, Who, and Why of an Export MOP... At Direct Power we are proud to offer Half Hourly Export MOP (Meter Operator), solutions to clients who generate their own electricity. We have found that many people are unaware of the details of an export MOP, or simply...
Npower Settlement and Agent Charges too expensive?
This might just save you some money! If you have a half hourly supply live with Npower (MPAN starting 00), you need to familiarise yourself with the Settlement and Agent Charge arrangements on your account. We have found that default Npower Settlement and Agent...
Avoid MOP, DC, DA Double Charging…
You could be paying twice for MOP, DC, DA services! Are you experiencing double charging for MOP, DC, DA? All Half Hourly MPANS require a Meter Operator (MOP), Data Collector (DC), and Data Aggregator (DA). To learn more about each of these...
MOP vs. MOP+DC, DA
The What, Who, and Why of MOP, DC, DA... MOP: What is a MOP? MOP stands for Meter Operator, and it is their role to provide and maintain your electricity meter and communications, typically on a five year lease contract. Who needs a MOP?...
CCL Exemption!
Big energy user, big savings on CCL... Get your CCL exemption! Since 1 April 2014, taxable commodities used in mineralogical or metallurgical processes have been exempt from the main rates of climate change levy (CCL). The exemptions ensure the UK tax treatment of...
Rogue Brokers – Calling Other Brokers
Who is calling me? - Part 3 We have written a few posts over the last year regarding "rogue brokers". We spoke of the infamous "kVa capacity check" as well as the "energy check" that they claim you desperately need. Now it appears that these...
Contract Length when Moving…
What contract length should I go for if I anticipate a move in the future? Customers frequently ask what contract length duration they should take if they anticipate a move in the near future. Many clients mistakenly think it is better to opt...
Avoid Excess Capacity Charges!
How to avoid excess capacity charges / unauthorised capacity charges that started appearing April 2018... For years customers who breached their Agreed Supply Capacity haven’t felt much financial pain, that all changed 01-April-18. The charges...
What makes a great client?
Help us help you... At Direct Power we are fortunate to have many clients who have remained with us for 15 plus years. Given the competitive nature of the market place, we pride ourselves on this statistic. Our client’s aren’t apathetic, they...
Recommendations!
Here's what our customers are saying about us... You can read tons of information on our website on the services that Direct Power offers business in the UK. Electricity, Natural Gas, Water, P272, MOP, kVA, capacity, etc., etc..... But we believe that sometimes it is...
Moving your business?
Make sure you're getting your gas and electricity sorted... Moving is one of the most stressful times for any business. The to-do list is never ending and you only have so many hours in a day. There is a lot to get organised as far as gas and...
Available Supply Capacity
Setting the right capacity for your needs... Just like Goldilocks and her porridge, you want an Available Supply Capacity (ASC), that is just right! Set an ASC too low for your needs and you will be faced with excess capacity charges. These...
The Conservative Party’s Price Cap Proposal
Will it affect me? A number of customers have been contacting Direct Power with concerns following the recent Conservative Party’s Price Cap Proposal. In brief, the proposal is aimed at complacent domestic customers, i.e. those who do nothing...
Rogue Brokers – kVa Capacity Check
Do I need a kVA Capacity Check?Last year we wrote a news article entitled "Energy Brokers Cold Calling" in which we highlighted the dangers of “rogue” brokers and their deceptive practices. We have heard from our customers that these calls are once again...
Water Market Definitions
As we enter the opening of the new Water Market, please use the below definitions to help you understand the jargon, and make sense of some common acronyms. CC Water - Consumer Council for Water - Independent representative of businesses and...
A Choice in Water is Coming!
Thoughts as the English Water Market Opens up for competition... So what has happened to date in the UK Water Market? Direct Power has been working with multiple supplies to prepare for the opening of the market since early 2016. This has been a rather frustrating and...
Excess Capacity Charges!
Excess Capacity Charges are about to get Extremely Expensive... Excess capacity charges are applied to customers who use more than their Agreed Supply Capacity, ASC. i.e. if you use more than your Agreed Supply Capacity in a given month, you...
P272 Upgrades and MOP Contracts
Have you just upgraded to HH due to P272? You now need a MOP! If you have an 05, 06, 07 or 08 Meter you should already know about Ofgem’s P272 mandate, which requires all suppliers to upgrade these meters from Non Half Hourly to Half Hourly...
CRC to be Scrapped
2016 budget reveals abolition of CRC! CRC refers to the UK Government’s Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme. The aim of this scheme is to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from both public and...
Reduce Energy Spend: Avoid the Red Time Band!
Consumption costs and how to reduce energy spend: Red for Low, Green for Go! Multiple components factor into the rates that appear on an electricity bill. With Commodity costs falling in recent months, and non-commodity costs on the rise,...
Fixed vs. Pass Through Electricity Contract
What is the difference between a fixed and pass through electricity contract? There is no one size fits all when it comes to business electricity contracts in the UK. There are a wide array of electricity consumers, ranging from the small...
Got a Complaint?
What to do if you are dissatisfied with your energy supplier or TPI... Direct Power is proud to report that we have a very happy and content customer base! Unfortunately not everyone experiences such smooth sailing with their energy...
Why pay for a TPI? Because I’m worth it!
Why pay for a TPI? As with any service provider, there are good and bad TPIs (Third Party Intermediaries) in the energy market. Assuming you have partnered with a reputable TPI, the relationship can prove beneficial on many levels. Don’t be...
Energy Contract Duration
The long and short of energy contract duration... When it comes to UK energy prices, it is not a case of ‘one size fits all’. Did you know that gas and electricity contracts can be offered in a wide variety of contract length, with the most common being standard one...
CCL Exemptions and Climate Change Levy
CCL Exemptions and Climate Change Levy... Climate Change Levy (CCL) is a tax on UK business energy use, and is applied to your energy bill and collected via your supplier on behalf of the UK Government. The scheme is one of many designed to...
Blend and Extend Contracts
Given that I am on a fixed contract, is there anything I can do in this falling market? Energy Costs are inevitable for all businesses, and for many they make up a large proportion of their cost base. The difference between securing an energy...
ESOS Deadline: Thousands Still Non-Compliant
Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS)... ESOS is a mandatory energy assessment scheme for large businesses and organisations in the UK that meet the qualification criteria, and involves completing an audit of their energy usage. As of this...
Falling Oil Prices, but my Bill isn’t Cheaper!
Why have consumer electricity and gas prices not fallen as steeply as oil? A current theme is that electricity and gas consumers are sometimes disappointed by the lack of reductions on their electricity and gas renewal prices. With a...
What is P272?
Why is my Non Half Hourly meter (NHH) being changed to a Half Hourly meter (HH)? …P272! P272 is an Ofgem mandate that requires all Maximum Demand meters to be converted to Half Hourly Meters before 31-Mar-2017. The purpose is to improve billing...