Voltage optimisation could reduce bills from energy suppliers - 19/05/2009

Businesses considering switching gas and electricity companies could benefit from a straightforward process known as voltage optimisation, according to a specialist firm.

Active Energy is advocating voltage optimisation as a way of reducing both energy bills and carbon emissions by up to ten per cent by lowering the voltage of standard electricity plugs, reports Energy Efficiency News.

The standard UK measurement is 240 V, but the firm offers equipment that reduces it to 220 V and is specially suited to businesses that spend more than £90,000 a year on electricity as savings can exceed ten per cent on this price scale.

Bill Olner MP, chair of the Associated Parliamentary Engineering Group, told the website: "If used by commercial and public sector buildings, [voltage optimisation] will make all the difference in cutting carbon emissions."

Tony Freudmann, of Active Energy, said that VoltageMaster, the equipment used for voltage optimisation, could be used in around 400,000 UK buildings, including prisons, hotels and supermarkets.

In related news, the Times reports accountancy firm Ernst & Young has said the government has underestimated the cost of rolling out smart meters to promote energy efficiency.

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