It’s Big Energy Saving Week 2020!

A national campaign that is designed to help people and businesses save on energy bills, and get all of the financial support that you’re entitled to.

Utility Trade Group offer an array of energy efficiency solutions, and  combined with our procurement expertise, ensure that we offer a full turnkey approach to energy efficiency.

As a leading energy efficiency consultant, here at Utility Trade Group, we strive to do all we can in the battle against the climate emergency. The supply and implementation of renewable energy resources, accompanied with a strong will and desire to face the issue at hand are our core fundamentals in this battle – but Government regulation is also at the forefront of change too.

In an effort to support Cambridgeshire County Council's pledge to become carbon neutral, Utility Trade Group were supporting Bouygues E&S FM UK, in the design and installation of multiple solutions to schools, including Alderman Jacob Primary School.

In the last year alone, Utility Trade Group completed 75 Solar PV installations – 90% of which were for commercial properties, and 10% for domestic. Those installations generated a staggering 900,000kw of power, reducing carbon footprint and ensuring that we are taking strides in the campaign against climate change.

We recently announced that we secured third place in the National Solar PV Project of the Year category, at the National Energy Efficiency Awards 2019.

As part of our monthly introduction to a different team member here at Utility Trade Group, this month we'd like to introduce you our Sales Team Manager, Tahir Sheikh.

The vote was made back in June of 2016, that the UK would be leaving the European Union. However, over three years down the line and we have yet to see an exit, despite the date being set for the 29th March earlier this year. In fact, the EU have recently granted another extension until early 2020.

Following on from our previous blog posts about various aspects of energy efficiency, this week we look at the UK achieving a net-zero carbon emissions figure.

The summer months are now behind us, and winter is coming. As such, energy usage across the UK is likely to soar – in fact, the Government’s research shows that, on average, the demand for energy on a winter’s day is 36% higher than on a summer’s day.

The Government’s initiative to make all vehicles on the road electric isn’t just a fantastic move in the bid to contest climate change, but it could represent a fantastic cost saving too.

We are delighted to be invited by Connexas, the market leader in connected vehicle technology solutions, to exhibit at their Fleet Summit to be held in Silverstone.

We are delighted to announce that we’ve been successful at the National Energy Efficiency Awards 2019.

Meet……….Millie Prince – Head of New Business & Partner Co-Ordinator

Between 20th and 22nd September, Utility Trade Group’s Managing Director, Edward Allen, along with three friends, will be completing Trailwalker.

In July this year UT Power Ltd was contacted by St Laurence Church tasking us with finding an additional heating solution for their beautifully designed modern church hall. The Ark currently runs on gas heating, however it was taking too long to warm up and hard to maintain the temperature. 

In March this year we completed a 49.5kW installation of Solar PV at the new academy in Ely.

In total, 180 275w Polycrystalline panels were fitted on two different pitches of the numerous roofs; the installation went seamless and was completed in 3 days.

In March this year we installed 50kW of Solar PV on the University of London’s Senate House.

Reducing carbon footprints and learning coming hand in hand…

The uptake of solar has been especially strong with schools for Utility Trade in the first quarter of 2019. Utility Trade completed several installations of Solar PV for a mixture of schools, academies and leisure centres in the first three months of the year.

The growth of solar energy has been vast, with an increased array of technology being added to homes and offices.

By 2020, the number of EV’s on Britain’s roads is expected to top the 1 million mark.

Far Infrared Heating uses cutting-edge technology to heat your building, at a far lower cost than conventional heating systems.

We are delighted to announce that we’ve been shortlisted for four awards the National Energy Efficiency Awards 2019. Following on from our highly recommended achievement at the Regional Awards.

The Smart Export Guarantee ‘’SEG’’ is a new mechanism that is being used to pay people who are generating renewable energy. This includes technologies such as Solar PV, Domestic Wind Turbines, Hydro, Anaerobic Digestion and Micro Combined Heat and Power. This initiative will come into force from January 1st 2020.

With the National Energy Efficiency Awards 2019 fast approaching, we are delighted to announce that we have agreed to sponsor the National Renewable Heat Installer and Contractor of the Year Award.

Here at Utility Trade Group, we decided to make the switch from our old, standard lighting, to LED lighting.

‘Businesses that fail to adapt to climate change will without question go bankrupt.’ This is the chilling warning that came from Bank of England Governor, Mark Carney.

More and more businesses are now looking to make a difference in the battle against climate change. A large number have dedicated their support to the cause, with 20 multinational businesses now committed to the 1.5°C climate goal.

London mayor Sadiq Khan has announced that the City is set for a major electric vehicle (EV) network expansion and the first charging hub will be in operation by the end of 2019.

A new study has shown that seven in ten Britons want urgent action in tackling climate change.

You may remember that back in February, we changed our name to Utility Trade Group. The group was created to merge both companies and provide clarity of our value proposition. To reflect the name change and the investment in our organisation, we’re also delighted to announce that we have a new website. It’s on the same URL as before, but we’ve given it a fresh look and feel to reflect our new brand.

This week, we'd like to introduce you to our colleague, Will Woodhouse.

Great news! The Government will soon be rewarding those for exporting renewable energy to the grid. The introduction and implementation of this plan is combined with new laws to ensure businesses and households are paid for exporting electricity to the grid, through renewable technology. The most common of course, being solar panels.

Following on from our introduction to Megan Spiezick last week, this week we’d like to introduce you to Darren Humphries.

Danemill Primary School Annexe has just been refurbished and will reopen as an adult learning centre. As part of the refurbishment and continued commitment from Leicestershire County Council to make their property portfolio more sustainable the buildings now have a 25kW solar array.

Modern gym and spa looking to reduce their energy consumption.

This modern and forward thinking gym on the edge of Norwich have been looking for ways to reduce their overall energy consumption. After a discussion with their Utility Trade account manager they decided to investigate the potential of LED lighting.

Completed at the end of 2017, UT Power undertook a 328 lamp replacement project to retrofit LED lighting in the offices, training areas and warehouse at Viessmann’s facilities in Telford.

At the end of 2017 Cleeve Park School took the step to heat their main hall with far infrared space heaters, an intelligent heating solution from UT Power. These heaters give off no light and provide a similar warmth to that of the sun (as it’s the same type of heat). They are highly efficient and heat the objects and people in the hall rather than attempting to heat the air. The hall is used for exams so it was a welcome change for the pupils.

Utility trade not only look after over 4,000 businesses across the UK. We also work with domestic customers. Before Christmas 2016, over a period of 4 weeks, we installed a 1.82kw, roof mounted Solar PV, replaced 38 bulbs with LED bulbs and installed 2 x 350w Far Infrared Panels and 1 x 700w Far Infrared Panel into a house in Northamptonshire. The client got in touch through a recommendation as she wanted to become more energy efficient and reduce her carbon footprint.

At UT Power we can also complete building work and electrical refits for new and existing buildings. We were recently contracted to complete various electrical works at Wagamama's in Derby during the recent refurbishment.

From June this year, new tests will be rolled out for energy suppliers, meaning it will be much harder for new suppliers to hit the market. These tests will be far more stringent, which is a huge positive for the industry, as this will continue to help drive up standards for customers whilst also reducing the overall risk of supplier failure.

Over the last few months UT Power have completed several Solar PV installations at two of the country’s most famous Racecourses. The Centaur building at the entrance to Cheltenham Racecourse has now got a 50kW array on it that can be seen from the road running past the course. The specification for this was that it needed to compliment the existing building so an all black panel was used (174 x JA Solar 285W) and an all black mounting kit.

UT Power have just completed fitting a pair of Voltage Optimisers for offices and the workshop of a European engineering company based in the West Midlands.

The Microbusiness energy market is worth up to £3.5 billion at present, but several smaller firms are facing augmented issues, which has led to Ofgem launching a review. The regulator is concerned that these businesses are struggling to engage with the current market, and are paying more for their energy than they should be.

UT Power work with Architects, Principle Contractors and M&E consultants on many projects. Last November we completed a 20kW, 74 panel flat roof installation for Highcross Building Services on a new block of student accommodation in Leicester.

In January 2018, UT Power installed an 11kW Solar PV at Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre in partnership with Bouygues Energy Services.

Leisure centers see huge benefits from Solar PV.

The take up of Solar for any commercial site is beneficial, at Utility Trade we pride ourselves in tailor making installations around the clients consumption to ensure they are getting the best deal and the system that’s correct for the business.

More and more companies based in the UK and internationally are calling on the EU to prioritise tackling climate change, which continues to be an ever growing problem. This includes the likes of popular supermarket IKEA, who want to see a decarbonisation strategy to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.

With most of us having driven petrol or diesel vehicles for the majority (if not, all) of our driving lives, the thought of transitioning to driving an EV could feel somewhat daunting. The thought of a large number of changes to driving style and operation is enough to put many off – but the grass could actually be greener.

During the latter part of the summer, 2018, One Leisure St Neots have had 110 270W panels installed on their leisure center.  The system is a SolarEdge system optimised on P600 for full vision of how the system operates and to benefit from the range of safety and additional yield generation features.

According to the British Government, their new energy efficiency scheme for small businesses could help them save up to £2.5bn per year.

As Utility Trade Group continues its growth through the course of 2019, we thought it would be useful to introduce a different member of the team on regular occasions over the next couple of months.

This week, we start with Megan Spiezick.

2018 was a fundamental year in the growth of renewable energy. It saw the largest annual increase in global renewable generation capacity ever, so much so that new solar photovoltaic capacity grew at a greater rate than coal, nuclear and natural gas combined.

UT Power in partnership with Bouygues completed three important energy saving measures to a Peterborough School at the start of 2018.

In summer 2018 we were contacted by a customer who needed a heating solution to a new apartment they’d purchased in a beautifully converted Manor House in the Home Counties. The opportunity was to find a way to heat the whole duplex apartment with a restricted electricity supply that we were unable to easily upgrade due to the nature of the building.

Electric vehicles are becoming ever more popular on Britain’s roads. Since the Government have set out their plans for a greener Britain, demand for such products has risen. Their initiatives have sought to increase the sales for electric vehicles, and they’ve declared that the sale of all new petrol and diesel vehicles will be banned by 2040. As such, the market for EV’s has become fiercely competitive.

The Energy Efficiency Awards are hosted in recognition of substantial contribution to the energy industry. Those recognised are companies whose business ethos is to provide sustainable energy that protects our environment.

Total world energy consumption is expected to rise 28% by 2040. Add in rising fuel costs, and the future of traditional energy supply looks very expensive. Additionally, prices for grid electricity are unpredictable and can vary widely from month to month—making forecasting operating expenses difficult. By installing a Solar solution, you can generate electricity at a price substantially lower than from your local energy provider.

Lighting accounts for 20% of all the energy consumption in the UK, which means it also accounts for a significant chunk of energy bills.

We’ve got some great news here at Utility Trade Group, as we’re pleased to announce that we’ve been shortlisted for 3 categories in the Regional Energy Efficiency Awards. The awards will be held on 15th March, at the Radisson Blu Hotel, East Midlands Airport.

Did you know we do more than procure you the best prices available to reduce your bills? At Utility Trade Group, our account managers remember at all times that we are working for you and not the utility suppliers.

After the UK voted to leave the EU in June 2016, much uncertainty remains as to the type of deal (or no-deal) that the UK government will secure when Britain finally leaves the EU on 29th March 2019. And this uncertainty is certainly inclusive of the energy market as, according to power firms, Brexit could drive up the cost of your energy bills.

The energy industry saw two significant price rises in 2018 alone, so we’ve compiled five must-see ways to reduce your energy costs.

You may have noticed a slight change in the name that you’re used to. You’ve known us as Utility Trade for the last 9 years or so - but we’ve grown and we’re now Utility Trade Group.

UT Power recently had their stage 2 audit with the British Assessment Bureau and have been successful in getting through the audit with zero non-conformance.  We are now waiting on the final sign off before we are issued our certificates. 

HMP Stocken is the first prison in the UK to benefit from a Solar PV installation. The new house block has a 69kW installation of 270W Jinko solar panels and 3 SolarEdge 3 phase inverters.

The challenge: Built over a hundred years ago and set in four acres of its own landscaped grounds, the property had been the home to some of the most eminent families in the region.

Reducing carbon footprints and learning coming hand in hand…

The up take of solar has been especially strong with schools for Utility Trade in the first quarter of 2017.    Utility Trade completed several installations of Solar PV for a mixture of schools, academies and private schools in the first three months of the year.

Veterinary groups are seeing a continuous increase in energy demand and costs as technology develops and power becomes a vital part for this business sector.

Pool House Veterinary Group saw this and wanted to secure a long term solution.

Rainbows Hospice are the only Childrens Hospice in the East Midlands. They provide help and support, at present, to over 320 children, young people and their families from across the region. The children that visit Rainbows all suffer from a terminal illness – their visits can vary from hours to years depending on their condition. With a focus on fun and laughter, Rainbows are there to make every moment count for the people that need it most.

Parr Automotive, a well established MOT and car servicing company based in Market Harborough gave Utility Trade the go ahead to install Solar PV. Due to their ever increasing demand for energy this was the perfect solution to their needs.