Do you know what kind of business energy meter you’re using? If the answer is no, don’t worry, you’re not alone! Business energy meters are one of life’s mysteries, which are best left to the experts. However, if you are interested in saving money on your utility bills, it makes sense to get clued up on the different types of business energy meters available.

Single-Rate Meter

The single rate meter is by far the most common type of business energy meter. As the name suggests, a single rate meter will charge you a flat rate for energy, no matter what time of day you use it. It’s a popular choice for traditional 9-5 businesses, such as offices, shops and cafes, because they will only be using the energy for specific hours in the day.

Two-Rate Meter

Popular types of two-rate, or dual, meters are the Economy 7 or the Economy 10, which offer reduced price energy for seven or ten off-peak hours, usually between 12 am and 8 am, and 10 pm and 8 am. The other kind of two-rate meter is the Evening & Weekend Meter, which offers reduced energy prices during the evening and weekend hours. This is popular with bakeries and companies using storage heaters.

Three-Rate Meters

A slightly more complicated energy meter is the three-rate meter, which offers three tiers of energy prices for daytime, evening and weekend. These meters work by providing peak energy rates for one period, and then off-peak energy rates for the two other periods. This is a popular choice for nightclubs, bars and restaurants, as they can make the most of the reduced rates.

Seasonal Time of Day (STOD) Meter

This is by far the most complex of all the meters, as it offers different rates at different times of the day, and at different times of the year. They can have anything from 4 to 56 different rates available, which means a very complicated bill. These are only worthwhile if you have a seasonal business with peaks and troughs.

Maximum Demand Meters

If you are a high-demand energy user, you will probably have a maximum demand meter, which will offer either a single rate or two rates.

Changes to Business Energy Meters

At the moment, all of these business energy meters provide one reading per year, which is then used to predict your energy usage for the year ahead. Changes are currently in place to switch all business energy customers to a half-hourly meter, which will send a reading every half an hour and provide you with a more accurate bill.