Energy efficiency information and programs for businesses

The Retailer Energy Productivity Scheme (REPS) is a South Australian government initiative that supports households and businesses to reduce their energy costs while also maximising the benefits to our power system to deliver a smarter, more affordable, reliable and sustainable energy future for all South Australians.

The South Australian government Energy Advisory Service provides households and small to medium businesses with free, independent energy saving advice and referrals to other helpful services. For businesses that use less than 160MWh of electricity a year, many of our household energy saving tips can help reduce your energy consumption.

Please also refer to these useful guides.

• Energy audits for small and medium businesses (3.1 MB PDF)
• Do your own business energy audit guide (2.4 MB PDF)

City of Adelaide assistance

The City of Adelaide has participated in the CitySwitch program since 2008, and have produced a set of useful guides for office-based businesses looking to improve their performance and reduce carbon emissions through sustainable practices and technologies.

• Beginner’s Guide to Coffee Cups
• Beginners Guide to Energy Efficient Lighting
• Beginner’s Guide to Energy Efficient Office Equipment
• Beginner’s Guide to Healthy Buildings
• Beginners Guide to Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning
• Beginner’s Guide to Office Greening
• Beginner’s Guide to Office Waste Management
• Beginner’s Guide to Purchasing GreenPower
• Beginner’s Guide to Renewable Energy
• Beginner’s Guide to Staff Engagement for Behaviour Change
• Beginner’s Guide to Sustainable Procurement

The City of Adelaide also offers the Sustainability Incentives Scheme for both businesses and households.

The federally funded Business Energy Advice Program (BEAP) provides a personal energy advice service and a small business energy check online benchmarking tool targeted at businesses with between 6 and 20 employees. It allows businesses to compare their energy spend with similar businesses in their industry and region.

The Australian Government funded Jon Dee to produce the 20 Step Guide to Cutting Bills in Your Business. They also funded the Clean Energy Council to produce a Guide to Improving Electricity Use in Your Business. Both guides are available for free online.

When selling or leasing an office space of 2,000 square meters or more, most sellers or lessors must obtain and disclose an up-to-date energy efficiency rating.

The commercial building disclosure program is an initiative of the Council of Australian Governments and established by the Building Energy Efficiency Disclosure Act 2010 as part of a broad package of measures to encourage building energy efficiency. The Australian Government manages the program.

New commercial buildings must meet the energy efficiency requirements in the Building Code of Australia.

Building Upgrade Finance helps building owners to access loans to improve the energy, water and environmental efficiency of existing commercial buildings.

For South Australian businesses that use less than 160MWh of electricity a year, many of the household easy energy saving tips can help reduce your energy consumption.

Small businesses (defined as an electricity customer consuming less than 160 MWh of electricity per year) can compare their electricity prices and plans using the Energy Made Easy price comparison service. The small business estimator requires electricity bills from the past 12 months.

The Federal Government’s Accelerated Depreciation for Small Business initiative can help small businesses to upgrade equipment, which could be used to help save energy and money. The initiative allows assets costing less than certain amounts to be written off in the year they are bought, used or installed.

The Australian Government’s energy.gov.au website has information targeted at large and small-to-medium sized businesses, including detailed case studies for various industry types. The case studies provide great inspiration on how different businesses have audited their operations and found opportunities to upgrade their equipment, save energy and increase profits.  The website also includes targeted energy saving information for home-based businesses.

Solar and battery systems can be used by business to generate and store energy and therefore reduce the cost of energy purchases from the grid. A range of information is available to help with this. Be aware that new solar and battery installations will mean that you will be transitioned to a time of use of demand-based electricity tariff. You can discuss this with your provider.

Your Home – photovoltaic systems and batteries and inverters

Energy Advisory Service – general advice on solar photovoltaic systems and battery storage

AI Group has resources for environment and energy management to help businesses understand and mitigate risks, and improve productivity.

Their online environment and energy diagnostic tool to assess a company's sustainability elements, including energy use, water use, and environmental management systems, and provides suggestions for improving sustainability levels.

The Australian Government's Emissions Reduction Fund supports Australian businesses and households to take practical, direct action to reduce emissions and improve the environment.

Climate change sector agreements are formal cooperative agreements between the Government of South Australia and businesses, industry sectors and community groups to help tackle climate change.

South Australian companies can get support to take a more sustainable approach to their waste management and resource use through Green Industries SA.

Community organisations can access resources to lower their energy use and costs through the Conservation Council SA's Green Hubs Energy Efficiency Program.