How businesses save on their energy bills

The rising prices of raw materials and energy are disastrous for entrepreneurs, who were already hit hard during the COVID-19 crisis. While the reduction of excise duties to 17.50 cents per liter is a welcome concession, does it provide enough support to survive the crisis? Companies are seeing their energy bills skyrocket and, at present, are not receiving compensation for this. They will need to wait for further research from the National Bank.

Taxes on business energy bills

Danny Van Assche, CEO of UNIZO, says: “Nothing really changes regarding the energy bills for entrepreneurs. Two-thirds of entrepreneurs are suffering significantly from the increase in all costs.” Van Assche therefore suggests reducing the taxes on energy bills as well.

Currently, the VAT on energy bills is reduced from 21% to 6%, but this is only beneficial for individuals and families. For this reason, concrete solutions need to be found to reduce energy bills for entrepreneurs.

Cost savings for businesses

While waiting for better support measures from the government, companies can make arrangements themselves. What can entrepreneurs do today to save on rising costs?

First and foremost, well-maintained installations consume less energy. Make sure your fuel tanks, gas tanks, distribution systems, cooling systems, etc., are properly maintained and/or inspected in time.

Next, check how many maintenance contracts are in place with different suppliers. Compare if other providers offer more favorable proposals. Often, it’s more cost-effective to have all maintenance and technical inspections managed by a single partner, Artion. This way, various administrative costs can be reduced.