The free online tool offers companies the best electricity price

The EEG levy for the promotion of new energies will increase from 5.27 cents/kWh to an expected 6.5 cents/kWh on 1 January 2014. Many companies must prepare for higher electricity costs and consequently look for new ways to compensate for the higher costs. With the online tool from enPORTAL, companies and larger tradespeople have a new opportunity to compensate for the increase in the EEG surcharge quickly and easily - by using an online tender to obtain the best electricity price for them. With the free web tool enPORTAL Self Service companies can save three times over: Firstly, there are no costs for the consultant, secondly, the risk surcharges are reduced due to extremely short commitment periods and thirdly, the best possible electricity price can be identified - this is thanks to maximum competition from the around 500 energy supply companies listed on the portal.

Energy market in transition

The Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) has regulated the expansion and promotion of renewable energies in Germany since 2000. Due to the energy turnaround and the resulting sharp increase in the generation of green electricity, the EEG levy rises significantly every year. For companies, this means dealing more intensively with their electricity costs and the electricity market and searching for the best energy supplier for them. Both require time and money. On 15 October 2013, the new level of the EEG levy for 2014 will be announced. This date has been chosen so that the developments of the current year can be included in the calculation of the new levy amount. The EEG surcharge is forecast to rise from the current 5.27 cents/kWh to an anticipated 6.5 cents/kWh, an increase of approximately 23 percent. Since end consumers also have to pay VAT on the EEG levy, suppliers often take the increase as an opportunity to adjust their own prices. For electricity customers, this means higher energy costs.       

Increase in the EEG surcharge creates pressure to act

Some electricity-intensive companies in the manufacturing sector are partially exempt from the EEG surcharge to protect their international competitiveness. For the rest of the companies, especially the larger ones, a higher EEG levy means rising electricity costs. Consequently, they have to find an energy supplier that offers them an optimal, individual electricity price. To give an example: For a hospital with about 200 beds and an annual electricity consumption of 1 million kWh, the increase to 6.5 cents/kWh means additional costs of about €15,000 per year. The additional costs have to be managed and saved elsewhere.

Savings opportunities for companies

enPORTAL's industry experience with a view to the current energy market shows: companies have four options to compensate for the increase in the EEG surcharge.

1. Act strategically and produce the electricity yourself. Anyone who invests in a CHP (combined heat and power) unit today and consumes the electricity produced themselves can reduce their electricity costs. Grid usage fees, electricity tax and the EEG levy do not apply to the self-generated electricity. Overall, however, this decision initially requires investments with a corresponding lead time for planning.

2. Exemption from the EEG levy, electricity tax or grid utilisation fees. The exemptions apply primarily to energy-intensive companies in the manufacturing sector, whose earnings and competitive position are particularly dependent on the price of electricity. However, the possibilities for exemption are limited and will probably be restricted in the future.

3. Consume less and save electricity. Companies can try to reduce their energy consumption. A whole catalogue of measures is available here. The first step is the introduction of an energy management system according to ISO 50.001, in which all consumption points are recorded and measured in detail. On this basis, measures to reduce consumption are then implemented.

4. Use the maximum competition in the market to find the best electricity price. While energy tendering used to be a time-consuming, extremely complex affair, enPORTAL, as a pioneer for energy purchasing, offers a free web tool that saves time and money. The simplest way to compensate for the increase in the EEG surcharge is the enPORTAL Self Service. As the leading tender portal for corporate energy procurement, enPORTAL has calculated that portal users were able to save an average of 1.5 cents/kWh for 2014 in their tenders in the first eight months of this year, taking into account the development of exchange prices. Energy buyers can use the free web tool to tender online securely and conveniently in just a few steps, identify the best offer for them and purchase electricity independently. Further advantages: considerable time savings, no consultant costs and minimal risk surcharges as well as maximum market transparency thanks to around 500 verified electricity suppliers. Ingmar Schmidt, Managing Director of RiemerDruck, Riemer GmbH & Co.KG from Hamburg, takes positive stock as an enPORTAL customer: "In our medium-sized printing company, the variety of daily tasks leaves me no time to deal intensively with electricity purchasing. enPORTAL is a blessing for me, because I can tender professionally with the least amount of time and really save on electricity costs.

Immediately effective: With enPORTAL Self Service Save electricity costs

"We recommend taking advantage of the current price level on the electricity exchange to make purchases until the end of November in order to compensate for the expected EEG surcharge increase," says Rainer Otto, Managing Director of enPORTAL. To enPORTAL Self Service interested companies and tradespeople only need a computer with an internet connection and a few minutes of time. The use is divided into four simple steps: First, fill out the registration form on www.enportal.de  then log in to the password-protected area and upload customer data. In the third step, start the online tender, use the market with around 500 suppliers and after evaluating all the offers received - fourthly - award the contract to the best electricity supplier. Done. Once the customer has decided on a supplier, enPORTAL receives a fee from the commissioned energy supplier, which is the same for all energy suppliers listed on the portal. For customers enPORTAL Self Service free of charge.

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The Self Service has been renamed "Commercial Service". Learn more

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