Business Energy for Manufacturers — commercial tariffs built for high consumption
Compare commercial energy tariffs for manufacturers. Half-hourly metering, peak demand charges and shift-pattern pricing — priced against your actual load, not an industry-average shape.
Why manufacturers need bespoke energy contracts
Manufacturing is one of the most energy-intensive sectors in the UK — and one of the most complex to price. Peak demand from motors, presses and heating equipment routinely pushes sites above the 100 kW threshold that requires half-hourly (HH) metering. That unlocks bespoke pricing, but it also exposes you to network capacity charges, DUoS red-band pricing and triad-driven costs that flat-rate tariffs simply can't model.
The right commercial energy tariff for a manufacturer isn't just about the cheapest p/kWh — it's about matching the tariff structure to your shift pattern, your load profile and your appetite for wholesale market risk.
What we look at when quoting manufacturers
- Half-hourly consumption data — 30-minute granular usage over the last 12 months.
- Peak demand (kVA / kW) — drives capacity and DUoS charges.
- Shift patterns — day-only, two-shift or 24/7 operations attract different tariff shapes.
- Process vs support loads — some can shift; others (kilns, furnaces) can't.
- Contract length appetite — 24- to 48-month fixed deals typically win vs flexible for mid-scale manufacturers.
Options for very large manufacturing users
Above roughly 5 GWh/year, flexible ("basket") purchasing and corporate PPAs become viable. Both trade a degree of price certainty for the ability to buy on the wholesale market at scale — potentially the lowest total cost, but requiring an internal or outsourced energy management function to run well. We can quote fixed, flexible and PPA-linked options in parallel.
Typical usage guidance
Typical UK manufacturers consume 300,000-5,000,000 kWh/year on electricity and often the same again on gas for process heat. Nearly all sites at that scale are on half-hourly metering.
Manufacturing energy FAQs
Why is half-hourly metering so important for manufacturers?
Manufacturing sites frequently exceed the 100 kW peak demand threshold that requires HH metering. HH data enables more precise tariff pricing, load-shifting to cheaper periods and access to demand-response revenue streams that flat-rate tariffs can't reach.
How can we reduce peak demand (capacity) charges?
Capacity and DUoS red-band charges are driven by usage during peak network periods (typically 4-7pm weekdays in winter). Staggering shift starts, delaying non-critical processes and adding on-site storage can materially reduce these charges — we can quote tariffs that reward this behaviour.
Can we get a tariff that reflects our shift patterns?
Yes. Two-rate and multi-rate tariffs (day/night/weekend) suit manufacturers running night or weekend shifts because they charge much less for off-peak consumption. We'll model your load curve to find the best structure.
Do renewable tariffs work for high-consumption manufacturing?
Absolutely — REGO-backed renewable tariffs are available at all consumption levels, and larger manufacturers can consider corporate PPAs (power purchase agreements) that lock in long-term renewable pricing at scale.
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