“The risks associated with business energy use are increasing,” is the conclusion of a new white paper published by energy supplier npower.

The white paper follows statistics released in npower’s Business Energy Index (BEI), which revealed that businesses rank energy as a greater risk to them than health and safety, credit and security.

The survey of 300 businesses found that on a scale of 1 to 10, supply cost came top of the risk list, rated at 6.6, followed by security of supply at 6.1.

Yet despite energy being deemed a risk by businesses, the report found that one in six does not have a policy in place to manage it (while 91% have a policy in place for the more traditional health and safety).

Sixty-two percent say investing in self generation is not a business priority, while 37% say they do not have the resources to manage an energy project.

David Cockshott, director of industrial and commercial markets at npower said it was “worrying” that while businesses have identified energy supply, reduction and management a major risk to their business, so few have a strategy in place to manage it.

“This could be because they don’t believe the two main areas of concern – cost and supply – are something within their control,” he added.

According to the report, many of the businesses say it is a Government responsibility to bridge the energy supply gap by providing funding assistance for self generation and demand management technology.

“What is clear, however, is that businesses believe that investment in these areas should come from Government. While the Government is keen to support smaller companies through initatives such as the Green Deal, the report shows that larger businesses believe the Government should also look at ways to help them,” added Mr Cockshott. He used incentivising self generation and the reduction of instability as examples.

www.npowermediacentre.com/Press-Releases/Businesses-call-for-government-help-to-keep-the-nation-s-lights-on-1039.aspx

www.npower.com/idc/groups/wcms_content/@wcms/@resi/documents/digitalassets/white_paper_energy_risk_manage.pdf