[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":314},["ShallowReactive",2],{"schema:\u002Fbusiness-energy\u002Fguides\u002Fwhat-are-green-taxes\u002F":3},{"elements":4,"system":309},{"post__title":5,"post__summary":9,"post__content":12,"post__author":112,"post__reviewer":184,"publish_date":188,"updated_date":193,"url":195,"seo__meta_title":198,"seo__meta_description":200,"seo__add_no_index_tag":202,"seo__canonical_url":205,"related_articles":207,"categories":211,"subfolder":276,"tags":280,"thumbnail_image":284,"show_on_index_page":292,"hide_author":298,"hide_reviewer":302,"hide_tags":305},{"name":6,"type":7,"value":8},"Title","text","What are green taxes? How UK energy policies impact business utility prices",{"name":10,"type":7,"value":11},"Summary","Do you know if your business is paying 'green taxes' ? Learn all about UK energy policies and how they affect the business energy rates you’re paying.",{"images":13,"linkedItemCodenames":20,"linkedItems":29,"links":108,"name":109,"type":110,"value":111},[14],{"description":15,"imageId":16,"url":17,"height":18,"width":19},"The word tax, in green, on a table with pound coins stacked next it to","a91fee33-c267-48d0-9075-189aa9588223","https:\u002F\u002Fassets-eu-01.kc-usercontent.com:443\u002F77bbf83a-1306-0152-fea5-3b5eaf937634\u002F5dc931e1-fc39-41d3-9470-e7d3675c5a5e\u002FGettyImages-1413038230.jpg",4006,6004,[21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28],"a3dd964d_2871_010d_95e5_ceb98c467d21","n751ff020_90fc_01f8_0bec_05f2a62f21fa","f31aae04_c5ac_0182_1797_1f6699b00ada","d23539d3_b870_01cb_f492_fd4400731780","c62bbbf9_f872_016a_f0ff_fd7eeda3157a","n0018fcc1_6235_01bf_96cc_0a0bd3286bd6","c498c4a8_383b_016d_7e1c_f95261267142","b743c3e5_b1e6_01cf_7db5_217cc811df76",[30,45,54,63,72,81,90,99],{"elements":31,"system":38},{"text":32,"anchor_id":35},{"name":33,"type":7,"value":34},"Text","What can affect the price of business energy prices?",{"name":36,"type":7,"value":37},"Anchor ID","what-can-affect-the-price-of-business-energy-prices",{"codename":21,"collection":39,"id":40,"language":39,"lastModified":41,"name":40,"sitemapLocations":42,"type":43,"workflowStep":44,"workflow":44},"default","a3dd964d-2871-010d-95e5-ceb98c467d21","2025-06-20T15:47:21.0021056Z",[],"anchor_tag",null,{"elements":46,"system":51},{"text":47,"anchor_id":49},{"name":33,"type":7,"value":48},"What are green taxes?",{"name":36,"type":7,"value":50},"what-are-green-taxes",{"codename":22,"collection":39,"id":52,"language":39,"lastModified":41,"name":52,"sitemapLocations":53,"type":43,"workflowStep":44,"workflow":44},"751ff020-90fc-01f8-0bec-05f2a62f21fa",[],{"elements":55,"system":60},{"text":56,"anchor_id":58},{"name":33,"type":7,"value":57},"What renewable energy policies have been introduced?",{"name":36,"type":7,"value":59},"what-renewable-energy-policies-have-been-introduced",{"codename":23,"collection":39,"id":61,"language":39,"lastModified":41,"name":61,"sitemapLocations":62,"type":43,"workflowStep":44,"workflow":44},"f31aae04-c5ac-0182-1797-1f6699b00ada",[],{"elements":64,"system":69},{"text":65,"anchor_id":67},{"name":33,"type":7,"value":66},"What is The Climate Change Levy?",{"name":36,"type":7,"value":68},"what-is-the-climate-change-levy",{"codename":24,"collection":39,"id":70,"language":39,"lastModified":41,"name":70,"sitemapLocations":71,"type":43,"workflowStep":44,"workflow":44},"d23539d3-b870-01cb-f492-fd4400731780",[],{"elements":73,"system":78},{"text":74,"anchor_id":76},{"name":33,"type":7,"value":75},"Why is the government implementing renewable energy policies? ",{"name":36,"type":7,"value":77},"why-is-the-government-implementing-renewable-energy-policies",{"codename":25,"collection":39,"id":79,"language":39,"lastModified":41,"name":79,"sitemapLocations":80,"type":43,"workflowStep":44,"workflow":44},"c62bbbf9-f872-016a-f0ff-fd7eeda3157a",[],{"elements":82,"system":87},{"text":83,"anchor_id":85},{"name":33,"type":7,"value":84},"How will these policies affect businesses?",{"name":36,"type":7,"value":86},"how-will-these-policies-affect-businesses",{"codename":26,"collection":39,"id":88,"language":39,"lastModified":41,"name":88,"sitemapLocations":89,"type":43,"workflowStep":44,"workflow":44},"0018fcc1-6235-01bf-96cc-0a0bd3286bd6",[],{"elements":91,"system":96},{"text":92,"anchor_id":94},{"name":33,"type":7,"value":93},"What can businesses do to reduce the impact of ‘green taxes’ and renewable energy policies?",{"name":36,"type":7,"value":95},"what-can-businesses-do-to-reduce-the-impact-of-green-taxes-and-renewable-energy-policies",{"codename":27,"collection":39,"id":97,"language":39,"lastModified":41,"name":97,"sitemapLocations":98,"type":43,"workflowStep":44,"workflow":44},"c498c4a8-383b-016d-7e1c-f95261267142",[],{"elements":100,"system":105},{"text":101,"anchor_id":103},{"name":33,"type":7,"value":102},"How can Bionic help?",{"name":36,"type":7,"value":104},"how-can-bionic-help",{"codename":28,"collection":39,"id":106,"language":39,"lastModified":41,"name":106,"sitemapLocations":107,"type":43,"workflowStep":44,"workflow":44},"b743c3e5-b1e6-01cf-7db5-217cc811df76",[],[],"Content","rich_text","\u003Cp>Have you ever considered if your business is paying environmental taxes?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If there was ever a time to be conscious of extra costs, the time is now. The \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbionic.co.uk\u002Fblog\u002Fsmall-business-cost-of-living-crisis\u002F\">cost of living crisis\u003C\u002Fa> is squeezing UK small business owners all over the nation, so any avenues that could potentially save costs in the long term are worth a thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To help, we’ve covered everything you need to know about ‘green taxes’ and UK Energy policies - from what they are and how they affect the business energy rates you’re paying. Keep on reading…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cfigure data-asset-id=\"a91fee33-c267-48d0-9075-189aa9588223\" data-image-id=\"a91fee33-c267-48d0-9075-189aa9588223\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fassets-eu-01.kc-usercontent.com:443\u002F77bbf83a-1306-0152-fea5-3b5eaf937634\u002F5dc931e1-fc39-41d3-9470-e7d3675c5a5e\u002FGettyImages-1413038230.jpg\" data-asset-id=\"a91fee33-c267-48d0-9075-189aa9588223\" data-image-id=\"a91fee33-c267-48d0-9075-189aa9588223\" alt=\"The word tax, in green, on a table with pound coins stacked next it to\">\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003Ch2>30-second summary\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cul>\n  \u003Cli>Business energy rates can rise and drop at the drop of a hat, with many things causing this like supply issues, lack of storage, increased demand, bad weather, temperature changes and economic issues.\u003C\u002Fli>\n  \u003Cli>Green taxes are taxes that are automatically applied to businesses to proactively encourage green business practices. This is to help reach Net Zero and reduce pollution. \u003C\u002Fli>\n  \u003Cli>There are many renewable energy policies in place in the UK e.g. The Climate Change Levy, Plastic Packaging Tax and Landfill Tax - but not all businesses need to pay these taxes.\u003C\u002Fli>\n  \u003Cli>These policies can have a positive effect on businesses by improving them to install green energy systems like solar panels or heat pumps. This, in turn, has business benefits like a better reputation with customers, fewer maintenance costs and a self-reliant energy source.\u003C\u002Fli>\n  \u003Cli>If your business can't afford to install renewable energy systems, there are other green initiatives you can start to do like recycling waste or you can sign up for a green energy deal. Bionic can sort out a new energy deal for you.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cobject type=\"application\u002Fkenticocloud\" data-type=\"item\" data-rel=\"component\" data-codename=\"a3dd964d_2871_010d_95e5_ceb98c467d21\">\u003C\u002Fobject>\n\u003Ch2>What can affect the price of business energy prices?\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>The business energy market is anything but predictable, and different aspects influence the price of business energy - from environmental and economic factors to supply issues and increased demand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We’ve broken down the main issues that small businesses should be aware of:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch3>Low supply\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\u003Cp>When it comes to gas, in the UK, we simply don’t have enough. This is because of a mix of factors, but mostly because we don’t have enough room to store all the gas we need. This means we can only buy and replenish the gas we use at higher rates, not bulk buy it in advance at cheaper rates - as they do in France and The Netherlands, for example.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In 2021 we also had record-low gas shortages across the UK and Europe, which \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbionic.co.uk\u002Fbusiness-energy\u002Fguides\u002Fwhat-influences-uk-gas-prices\u002F\">drove up wholesale gas prices\u003C\u002Fa>. But at the start of 2023, the UK imported more LNG (liquid nitrogen gas) than in the last five years to make up for the shortage, but it’s still not enough to fill our reserves to the full.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And when supplies are scarce, it’s harder to buy and replenish stores; this creates a fight for resources and an increase in demand, driving up prices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So why aren’t we using more renewables? \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Building the infrastructure for renewable energy requires innovation and investment, especially for green gas, as it requires a lot of spare land, which is something that we, unfortunately, lack in the UK. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although we know they will eventually run out, fossil fuels are still currently cheaper and easier to store than renewables because large amounts can be kept in tanks, pipelines or underground reserves. This leaves many suppliers still providing fossil-fueled energy. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbionic.co.uk\u002Fbusiness-energy\u002Fguides\u002Fguide-to-renewable-energy-for-small-businesses\u002F\">renewable energy\u003C\u002Fa> is slowly getting cheaper. The private sector and government are investing in advances in technology, so renewable energy solutions should get cheaper in the near future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch3>Storage issues\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\u003Cp>In the UK, we use gas storage facilities such as depleted gas fields and salt caverns to keep our gas reserves when demand is low, this minimises short-term price fluctuations. These storage facilities are handy because we can access them in emergencies in case we suffer a major national shortage. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But we have a history of closing down storage facilities such as Rough —a natural gas storage facility under the North Sea — that stores up to 100 billion cubic feet of gas. This facility closed down in 2017 because of extensive repairs and no financial support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But due to recent economic pressures affecting Europe’s gas supply, the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theguardian.com\u002Fbusiness\u002F2022\u002Fdec\u002F01\u002Fback-online-the-retired-gas-storage-site-now-able-to-power-1m-homes\" data-new-window=\"true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Rough facility was recommissioned\u003C\u002Fa> for 2022, improving the UK's gas supply by 50%. But this still significantly lags behind European stores like France and The Netherlands. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch3>Increases in demand\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\u003Cp>Normally, when we experience prolonged winters, demand for gas goes up as homes and businesses need more to keep warm across the cold, dark months. And, like anything, if the demand increases, the price goes up to reflect it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But 2022 was an exception. And it looks like it was largely due to the energy crisis and \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbionic.co.uk\u002Fblog\u002Fsmall-business-cost-of-living-crisis\u002F\">cost of living crisis\u003C\u002Fa>. While it was one of the warmest summers on record, the winter was long, cold and snowy. This meant temperatures stayed freezing well into 2023. Usually, we would see more energy usage in these circumstances, but because of domestic and business energy price hikes, people and business owners have been more aware of cutting down energy usage to help their pockets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the start of 2023, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fassets.publishing.service.gov.uk\u002Fgovernment\u002Fuploads\u002Fsystem\u002Fuploads\u002Fattachment_data\u002Ffile\u002F1166039\u002FEnergy_Trends_June_2023.pdf\" data-new-window=\"true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">industrial energy consumption was down 11%\u003C\u002Fa>, so demand actually dropped. Maybe households and business owners have been more aware of cutting usage or were perhaps worried they'd not be able to afford higher bills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch3>Environmental factors\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\u003Cp>As a naturally windy territory, the UK has many wind farms that \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nationalgrid.com\u002Fstories\u002Fenergy-explained\u002Fhow-much-uks-energy-renewable\" data-new-window=\"true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">generate around 28% of our electricity\u003C\u002Fa> supply. But we all know the British weather is unreliable - and on days where it isn’t windy, more gas is supplied to power stations to generate electricity to make up for the shortfall from wind turbines. This means you can end up paying more for electricity, even if it’s 100% renewable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is because energy prices are set using 'marginal cost pricing' - where the most expensive type of energy is used to set the price for all types of energy, including renewables. So if the price of gas rises and then gas-powered stations are used to top up a short supply of electricity, the extra costs will ultimately be reflected in the price of electricity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Global weather conditions can also impact worldwide supplies of gas. This is because Europe borrows gas from the likes of Russia, China and other countries across the world. So natural disasters like hurricanes can wipe out supplies or disrupt supply chains, which creates a dent in supply. And anyone relying on these imports has to find gas elsewhere, driving up demand and increasing prices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Read up on how \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbionic.co.uk\u002Fbusiness-energy\u002Fguides\u002Fhow-does-climate-change-affect-small-business\u002F\">the changing climate can affect small businesses\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch3>Changes in temperature\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\u003Cp>Simply put, when it’s warmer, we use generally less energy. This goes for business owners heating up their offices and shop owners who turn up the thermostat and leave their lights on longer. Energy usage is likely to be less in the summer unless your business relies on heavy gas usage or has expensive cooling systems.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This means demand is lower, so the price of wholesale gas and electricity drops. As you may have guessed, when the temperature falls, demand goes back up - increasing prices again. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Read our full guide on \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbionic.co.uk\u002Fbusiness-energy\u002Fguides\u002Fwhat-influences-uk-gas-prices\u002F\">the influences on UK gas prices\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch3>Economical factors\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\u003Cp>Although the UK is not dependent on Russia for gas, many European countries are. In fact, only \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gov.uk\u002Fgovernment\u002Fnews\u002Frussia-ukraine-and-uk-energy-factsheet\" data-new-window=\"true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">4% of the UK’s gas supply comes from Russia.\u003C\u002Fa> The UK generates almost half of its own gas and imports from countries like Norway to help spread the risk of supply issues. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, countries like Germany import Russian gas. In 2021 we saw the operations on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline come to a halt, and this was set to supply a lot of gas to Germany. This had a knock-on effect, increasing demand for other sources of gas and pushing up prices elsewhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Are energy prices still rising? Find out in our handy guide \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbionic.co.uk\u002Fblog\u002Fnoticed-energy-prices-have-fallen-over-past-few-months\u002F\">on increasing UK energy prices\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cobject type=\"application\u002Fkenticocloud\" data-type=\"item\" data-rel=\"component\" data-codename=\"n751ff020_90fc_01f8_0bec_05f2a62f21fa\">\u003C\u002Fobject>\n\u003Ch2>What are ‘green taxes’?\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>Green taxes are basically environmental taxes or schemes applied to businesses to encourage more ‘green’ practices. These taxes incentive businesses to operate in a way that is less damaging to the environment reducing \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002F https:\u002F\u002Fbionic.co.uk\u002Fbusiness-energy\u002Fguides\u002Fwhat-is-a-carbon-footprint-in-business\u002F\" title=\"What's a carbon footprint in business?\">carbon footprint\u003C\u002Fa> and waste. The UK government has different types of ‘green taxes’ depending on your business industry and size.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cobject type=\"application\u002Fkenticocloud\" data-type=\"item\" data-rel=\"component\" data-codename=\"f31aae04_c5ac_0182_1797_1f6699b00ada\">\u003C\u002Fobject>\n\u003Ch2>What renewable energy policies have been introduced?\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>There are several taxes the government has put in place to promote green trading in the UK:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n  \u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbionic.co.uk\u002Fbusiness-energy\u002Fguides\u002Fthe-climate-change-levy\u002F\">\u003Cstrong>Climate Change Levy\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cstrong> \u003C\u002Fstrong>— A tax applied to encourage more energy-efficient business practices.\u003C\u002Fli>\n  \u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Aggregates Levy \u003C\u002Fstrong>— A tax applied on the exploitation of rock, sand and gravel to encourage recycling.\u003C\u002Fli>\n  \u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Landfill Tax\u003C\u002Fstrong> —A tax on top of a normal landfill fee if your business uses landfill sites to get rid of waste. \u003C\u002Fli>\n  \u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) —\u003C\u002Fstrong> A\u003Cstrong> \"\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gov.uk\u002Fguidance\u002Fparticipating-in-the-eu-ets\" data-new-window=\"true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">cap and trade\" scheme\u003C\u002Fa> designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. \u003C\u002Fli>\n  \u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Carbon Price Support —\u003C\u002Fstrong> A business \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gov.uk\u002Fgovernment\u002Fpublications\u002Fuk-emissions-trading-scheme-and-carbon-price-support-apply-for-compensation\" data-new-window=\"true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">scheme you can apply fo\u003C\u002Fa>r, designed to reduce emissions.\u003C\u002Fli>\n  \u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Plastic Packaging Tax\u003C\u002Fstrong> — A tax that is applied to businesses using plastic packaging with less than 30% recycled plastic\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>Read more detailed information on \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nao.org.uk\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2021\u002F02\u002FEnvironmental-Tax-Measures.pdf\" data-new-window=\"true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">environmental tax measures\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Not all businesses need to pay\u003C\u002Fstrong> these taxes, or if you do  you may be able to get some relief against them in the following cases:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n  \u003Cli>Your business activities require high energy usage \u003C\u002Fli>\n  \u003Cli>You’re a small business using minimal energy\u003C\u002Fli>\n  \u003Cli>Your business uses energy-efficIent technology \u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>See government information on \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gov.uk\u002Fgreen-taxes-and-reliefs\" data-new-window=\"true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">renewable energy policies\u003C\u002Fa> to see if you are exempt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cobject type=\"application\u002Fkenticocloud\" data-type=\"item\" data-rel=\"component\" data-codename=\"d23539d3_b870_01cb_f492_fd4400731780\">\u003C\u002Fobject>\n\u003Ch2>What is The Climate Change Levy?\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>One of the ‘green taxes’ that the government has in place for some businesses is The Climate Change Levy (CCL). This is a tax designed to encourage energy efficiency and reduce gas emissions to make businesses more environmentally responsible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The CCL is made up of \u003Cstrong>two rates\u003C\u002Fstrong>:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n  \u003Cli>The main levy rate — This rate is applied if your business pays the standard \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbionic.co.uk\u002Fbusiness-energy\u002Fguides\u002Fvat-for-business-energy\u002F\">20% rate of VAT\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fli>\n  \u003Cli>Carbon Price Support rate — This is paid by owners of electricity generating stations and operators of combined heat and power (CHP) stations. If your business generates its own energy and you make money via the Feed-in Tariff or Smart Export Guarantee, then you probably won’t pay this.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>Your business \u003Cstrong>will most likely have to pay the CCL tax\u003C\u002Fstrong> if you operate in the following industries: \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n  \u003Cli>Industrial - e.g. machinery and tool manufacturers and also construction\u003C\u002Fli>\n  \u003Cli>Commercial - e.g. retail, hospitality, warehouses and charities\u003C\u002Fli>\n  \u003Cli>Agricultural - e.g. livestock and produce\u003C\u002Fli>\n  \u003Cli>Public services - e.g. education, healthcare and security\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>The main rate is listed on your business energy bill, and you pay this rate on gas, electricity and any other solid fuels your business may use e.g. coal and petroleum coke. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you \u003Cstrong>don’t have this stated\u003C\u002Fstrong> on your business energy bill, it’s likely your business\u003Cstrong> doesn’t need to pay the CCL tax\u003C\u002Fstrong>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cobject type=\"application\u002Fkenticocloud\" data-type=\"item\" data-rel=\"component\" data-codename=\"c62bbbf9_f872_016a_f0ff_fd7eeda3157a\">\u003C\u002Fobject>\n\u003Ch2>Why is the government implementing renewable energy policies? \u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>The more renewable energy we use, the less reliant we are on fossil fuels. This means we will have fewer greenhouse gas emissions. This is great for the environment because:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n  \u003Cli>Reduced air pollution means fewer deaths\u003C\u002Fli>\n  \u003Cli>Fewer greenhouse gasses slow down global temperature rises\u003C\u002Fli>\n  \u003Cli>It promotes businesses to use eco-friendly practices\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>The government has a responsibility to help scale renewable energy incentives by providing policies, schemes and infrastructure to de-risk green energy investments and combat the challenges in the private sector.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We’re already on the right track - 58.5% of the electricity used in 2022 was \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nationalgrid.com\u002Fstories\u002Fenergy-explained\u002Fhow-much-uks-energy-renewable#:~:text=2020%20was%20the%20UK's%20highest,November%20and%20December%20of%202022.\" data-new-window=\"true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">generated from zero-carbon sources\u003C\u002Fa> compared to 40% from gas and coal power stations. Over the next decade, it’s likely we will ramp up our renewable energy production to pave the way to a much greener nation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cobject type=\"application\u002Fkenticocloud\" data-type=\"item\" data-rel=\"component\" data-codename=\"n0018fcc1_6235_01bf_96cc_0a0bd3286bd6\">\u003C\u002Fobject>\n\u003Ch2>How will these policies affect businesses?\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>At first glance, the UK energy policies may look like extra costs, but it’s best to look at it in the long run. They are in place to encourage businesses to benefit, especially if you invest in green practices. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Investing in green technology, especially for electricity production, may seem like the last thing on your mind as a business owner during the current economic climate. But, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbionic.co.uk\u002Fbusiness-energy\u002Fguides\u002Ffuture-of-environmental-sustainability-for-sme\u002F\">environmental sustainability\u003C\u002Fa> is worth considering as ‘thinking green’ could give you the following benefits:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n  \u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Better public reputation\u003C\u002Fstrong> — Being green is ‘good’, and your business will have a better public image if you use green practices. This is also something you can shout about and use as marketing material to stand out against competitors. However, you need to make sure that these are genuine green initiatives, as you could be criticised for ‘greenwashing’. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbionic.co.uk\u002Fbusiness-energy\u002Fguides\u002Fwhat-is-greenwashing\u002F\">Find out more with our guide\u003C\u002Fa>. \u003C\u002Fli>\n  \u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Fewer maintenance costs\u003C\u002Fstrong> — Once installed, systems like solar panels and heat pumps are reliable and generally don’t require much maintenance.\u003C\u002Fli>\n  \u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Stable energy costs —\u003C\u002Fstrong> \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbionic.co.uk\u002Fbusiness-energy\u002F\">Business energy\u003C\u002Fa> costs aren’t constant and can change at any time. Renewable energy sources aren’t affected by price rises.\u003C\u002Fli>\n  \u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Energy independence\u003C\u002Fstrong> — Renewable energy sources like solar panels and heat pumps allow you to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbionic.co.uk\u002Fbusiness-energy\u002Fguides\u002Fcan-your-business-generate-its-own-electricity\u002F\">generate your own power\u003C\u002Fa>, meaning you rely less on providers for energy.\u003C\u002Fli>\n  \u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>You can sell excess energy\u003C\u002Fstrong> — If you generate too much of your own electricity, you can actually sell it back to the grid through the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gov.uk\u002Fgovernment\u002Fpublications\u002Fsmart-export-guarantee-seg-earn-money-for-exporting-the-renewable-electricity-you-have-generated\" data-new-window=\"true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Smart Export Guarantee (SEG)\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>Not \u003Cem>all businesses\u003C\u002Fem> will be able to rely on their own generated green energy to run day-to-day business activities, like restaurants and cafes that heavily use gas appliances. In this case, you could opt for a ‘green gas’ tariff. Bionic is partnered with one of the few green \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbionic.co.uk\u002Fbusiness-energy\u002Fbusiness-gas\u002F\">business gas\u003C\u002Fa> suppliers, so you could compare and switch today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Read more on \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbionic.co.uk\u002Fbusiness-energy\u002Fguides\u002Fguide-to-renewable-energy-for-small-businesses\u002F\">renewable energy for small businesses\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cobject type=\"application\u002Fkenticocloud\" data-type=\"item\" data-rel=\"component\" data-codename=\"c498c4a8_383b_016d_7e1c_f95261267142\">\u003C\u002Fobject>\n\u003Ch2>What can businesses do to reduce the impact of ‘green taxes’ and renewable energy policies?\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>If you can, invest in generating your own green electricity, as you may qualify for some\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gov.uk\u002Fgreen-taxes-and-reliefs\"> tax breaks and grants\u003C\u002Fa>. But if your business is not in a situation where it’s feasible to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbionic.co.uk\u002Fbusiness-energy\u002Fguides\u002Fsolar-power-for-business\u002F\" title=\"What's solar power for business?\">install solar panels\u003C\u002Fa>, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbionic.co.uk\u002Fbusiness-energy\u002Fguides\u002Fcommercial-heat-pumps-for-business\u002F\" title=\"What are commercial heat pumps?\">heat pumps\u003C\u002Fa> or other systems that generate your own energy, then switching to green business energy is another option - it’s much easier to do, and it shouldn’t cost you any more than your current tariff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you opt for a green energy deal, this means that your supplier uses up to 100% green energy produced from renewable sources. This applies to both electricity and gas, although ‘green gas’ is not yet widely supplied, and only a few suppliers offer business gas tariffs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you’ve still got a long way to go before rethinking a new business energy contract, then making small ‘greener’ business decisions might be the way to go. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, if you are a coffee shop and you currently pay landfill tax, you can investigate other sustainable ways to dispose of waste or leftover food.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You could sign up for initiatives that recycle food waste, like \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.businesswaste.co.uk\u002Fyour-waste\u002Ffood-waste\u002F\" data-new-window=\"true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Business Waste\u003C\u002Fa> or sell your leftover food on apps like \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.toogoodtogo.com\u002F\" data-new-window=\"true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Too Good To Go\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cobject type=\"application\u002Fkenticocloud\" data-type=\"item\" data-rel=\"component\" data-codename=\"b743c3e5_b1e6_01cf_7db5_217cc811df76\">\u003C\u002Fobject>\n\u003Ch2>How can Bionic help?\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>At Bionic, we can advise on the best business energy deals based on your business circumstances. Our experts can talk you through the best green business energy deals including \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbionic.co.uk\u002Fbusiness-energy\u002Fbusiness-gas\u002F\" title=\"Compare business gas prices\">business gas\u003C\u002Fa> and \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbionic.co.uk\u002Fbusiness-energy\u002Fbusiness-electricity\u002F\" title=\"Compare business electricity deals\">business electricity\u003C\u002Fa> and compare live rates with you to help sort your next contract. Get in touch and \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbionic.co.uk\u002Fbusiness-energy\u002F\">speak to an expert today\u003C\u002Fa> or read more with our helpful \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fbionic.co.uk\u002Fbusiness-energy\u002Fguides\u002F\">business energy guides\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>",{"name":113,"type":114,"value":115,"linkedItems":117},"Author","modular_content",[116],"author___laura_court_jones",[118],{"elements":119,"system":177},{"name":120,"title":123,"linkedin":125,"twitter":128,"intro":131,"body":138,"slug":145,"image":149,"seo__meta_title":161,"seo__meta_description":164,"seo__add_no_index_tag":167,"seo__canonical_url":174},{"name":121,"type":7,"value":122},"Name","Laura Court-Jones",{"name":6,"type":7,"value":124},"Small Business Editor",{"name":126,"type":7,"value":127},"Linkedin Address","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.linkedin.com\u002Fin\u002Flaura-court-jones-b731b6a3\u002F",{"name":129,"type":7,"value":130},"Twitter Address","https:\u002F\u002Ftwitter.com\u002FBionic_Business",{"images":132,"linkedItemCodenames":133,"linkedItems":134,"links":135,"name":136,"type":110,"value":137},[],[],[],[],"Intro","\u003Cp>Laura Court‑Jones is Small Business Editor at Bionic. She creates clear, practical content on UK business insurance and utilities. With 10+ years’ experience in content and digital marketing, Laura's content aims to educate small business owners to help them make more confident decisions.\u003C\u002Fp>",{"images":139,"linkedItemCodenames":140,"linkedItems":141,"links":142,"name":143,"type":110,"value":144},[],[],[],[],"Body","\u003Cp>Laura Court‑Jones is our Small Business Editor at Bionic, where she researches and creates practical content on UK business insurance, energy and broadband for small business owners. She turns complex insurance topics into clear, actionable takeaways to help business owners make more confident decisions.  \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Laura has over 10 years of experience creating content for a variety of topics, including insurance and utilities. Since joining Bionic in 2023, Laura has created multi-format content to help UK small businesses understand their risks and insurance needs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She holds a bachelor's degree, with a major in content and has previously worked in digital marketing roles where she planned, researched and edited customer‑first content across web and social channels. Outside of work, you’ll find Laura at her local fitness studio or coffee shop, supporting small businesses in South London.\u003C\u002Fp>",{"name":146,"type":147,"value":148},"Slug","url_slug","laura-court-jones\u002F",{"name":150,"type":151,"value":152},"Image","asset",[153],{"name":154,"description":155,"type":156,"size":157,"url":158,"width":159,"height":159,"renditions":160},"head-shot-sos.png","Laura Court-Jones, Small Business Editor at Bionic","image\u002Fpng",74280,"https:\u002F\u002Fassets-eu-01.kc-usercontent.com:443\u002F77bbf83a-1306-0152-fea5-3b5eaf937634\u002F7c353b82-35b6-4021-9d3a-1f3ffc751b89\u002Fhead-shot-sos.png",200,{},{"name":162,"type":7,"value":163},"Meta title","Laura Court-Jones | Small Business Editor at Bionic",{"name":165,"type":7,"value":166},"Meta description","Laura's experience writing for business means she can break down complex topics in energy and insurance, creating content that truly helps UK business owners.",{"name":168,"type":169,"value":170},"Add no index tag","multiple_choice",[171],{"name":172,"codename":173},"No","no",{"name":175,"type":7,"value":176},"Canonical URL","https:\u002F\u002Fbionic.co.uk\u002Fauthors\u002Flaura-court-jones\u002F",{"codename":116,"collection":39,"id":178,"language":39,"lastModified":179,"name":180,"sitemapLocations":181,"type":182,"workflowStep":183,"workflow":39},"7f9ace33-dd62-4f75-ad64-b2c9f73499cb","2026-01-12T10:45:49.8493442Z","AUTHOR - Laura Court-Jones",[],"author","published",{"name":185,"type":114,"value":186,"linkedItems":187},"Reviewer",[],[],{"name":189,"type":190,"value":191,"displayTimeZone":192},"Publish Date","date_time","2023-07-12T13:00:00Z","Europe\u002FLondon",{"name":194,"type":190,"value":44,"displayTimeZone":44},"Updated Date",{"name":196,"type":147,"value":197},"URL","what-are-green-taxes\u002F",{"name":162,"type":7,"value":199},"Energy Policies & The Impact of Green Taxes In The UK | Bionic",{"name":165,"type":7,"value":201},"Clue up with everything you need to know about ‘green taxes’ & energy policies - from what they are to how they affect business energy rates.",{"name":168,"type":169,"value":203},[204],{"name":172,"codename":173},{"name":175,"type":7,"value":206},"https:\u002F\u002Fbionic.co.uk\u002Fbusiness-energy\u002Fguides\u002Fwhat-are-green-taxes\u002F",{"name":208,"type":114,"value":209,"linkedItems":210},"Related Articles",[],[],{"name":212,"type":114,"value":213,"linkedItems":215},"Categories",[214],"category___business_energy_guide",[216],{"elements":217,"system":270},{"name":218,"short_name":220,"call_to_action":223,"call_to_action_button":226,"mobile_name":229,"url_slug":232,"icon":235,"active_icon":244,"seo__meta_title":251,"seo__meta_description":253,"seo__add_no_index_tag":255,"seo__canonical_url":258,"type":260,"order":266},{"name":121,"type":7,"value":219},"Business Energy Guide",{"name":221,"type":7,"value":222},"Short Name","Business Energy",{"name":224,"type":7,"value":225},"Call To Action Title","Get a quote for business energy",{"name":227,"type":7,"value":228},"Call To Action Button Text","Start a quote",{"name":230,"type":7,"value":231},"Mobile Name","Energy",{"name":233,"type":147,"value":234},"URL SLug","business-energy",{"name":236,"type":151,"value":237},"Icon",[238],{"name":239,"description":240,"type":241,"size":242,"url":243,"renditions":44},"business-energy-orange.svg","Energy Icon","image\u002Fsvg+xml",5492,"https:\u002F\u002Fassets-eu-01.kc-usercontent.com:443\u002F77bbf83a-1306-0152-fea5-3b5eaf937634\u002Fe7af8fd3-1fae-4b4a-8e3a-fcb5b49954fd\u002Fbusiness-energy-orange.svg",{"name":245,"type":151,"value":246},"Active Icon",[247],{"name":248,"description":249,"type":241,"size":242,"url":250,"renditions":44},"business-energy-white.svg","Energy Icon White","https:\u002F\u002Fassets-eu-01.kc-usercontent.com:443\u002F77bbf83a-1306-0152-fea5-3b5eaf937634\u002F6f05ed3c-9e23-4a60-8879-cd0402bb0da9\u002Fbusiness-energy-white.svg",{"name":162,"type":7,"value":252},"Business Energy Guides | Business Gas and Electric | Bionic",{"name":165,"type":7,"value":254},"Bionic's business energy guides use our expert knowledge to cut through the jargon and help you find the best gas and electric deals for your business ",{"name":168,"type":169,"value":256},[257],{"name":172,"codename":173},{"name":175,"type":7,"value":259},"https:\u002F\u002Fbionic.co.uk\u002Fbusiness-energy\u002Fguides\u002F",{"name":261,"type":169,"value":262},"Type",[263],{"name":264,"codename":265},"Guide","guide",{"name":267,"type":268,"value":269},"Order","number",1,{"codename":214,"collection":39,"id":271,"language":39,"lastModified":272,"name":273,"sitemapLocations":274,"type":275,"workflowStep":183,"workflow":39},"6792dcae-3009-4c58-a113-f7827f7d0184","2024-03-12T12:30:12.9734149Z","Category - Business Energy Guide",[],"category",{"name":277,"type":114,"value":278,"linkedItems":279},"Subfolder",[],[],{"name":281,"type":114,"value":282,"linkedItems":283},"Tags",[],[],{"name":285,"type":151,"value":286},"Thumbnail Image",[287],{"name":288,"description":15,"type":289,"size":290,"url":17,"width":19,"height":18,"renditions":291},"GettyImages-1413038230.jpg","image\u002Fjpeg",7800282,{},{"name":293,"type":169,"value":294},"Show on index page",[295],{"name":296,"codename":297},"Yes","yes",{"name":299,"type":169,"value":300},"Hide Author",[301],{"name":172,"codename":173},{"name":303,"type":169,"value":304},"Hide Reviewer",[],{"name":306,"type":169,"value":307},"Hide Tags",[308],{"name":296,"codename":297},{"codename":310,"collection":39,"id":311,"language":39,"lastModified":41,"name":312,"sitemapLocations":313,"type":265,"workflowStep":183,"workflow":39},"energy_guide___what_are_green_taxes__energy_polici","8478ef75-abba-4325-b05f-8922786b18ad","ENERGY GUIDE - What are Green Taxes? Energy Policies",[],1784822978794]