EDF business energy

EDF produces approximately one-fifth of the UK’s electricity. Using a variety of sources, the company provides gas and electricity for around five million residential and business accounts.

One of the so-called ‘Big Six’ suppliers, EDF is one of the UK and Europe’s largest energy groups, with commercial, residential, and industrial customers.

In this article, we discuss the contracts EDF offers to small businesses, and weigh up the pros and cons of working with the company. Read on for more information, or, fill in the form at the top of the page and receive tailored quotes today.

What’s on this page?

• How does EDF business energy work?
• EDF business energy tariffs
• EDF business gas
• EDF business electricity
• EDF plan management and support
• The pros and cons of EDF

How does EDF business energy work?

The energy industry is quite complex, and, also, to contextualise: EDF Energy not only creates its own energy, but also purchases energy via a two-pronged operation.

• The generation strand:
  Generates electricity via power stations. This is then fed directly into the National Grid and dispersed throughout the UK.
• The customer supply strand:
  Buys gas and electricity from the wholesale market to then re-sell to customers via a pipeline infrastructure.

Your business is considered an SME by EDF if you spend less than £30,000 per year on energy. While SMEs can choose their tariffs and contracts, large business customers are treated on an individual basis, and negotiate their contracts directly.

The following table details the different options (tariffs) available to SME businesses:

You can get a quote for gas and electricity from EDF by going online and submitting your postcode and energy usage (kWh).

No two energy bills are the same. This is because there are a number of different factors that have an impact on your bill. For example, energy prices will vary by region.Other factors that will affect your bill are the Climate Change Levy (CCL) and the Feed-in Tariff. Wondering what these are? Then skip to the FAQ section at the bottom of the page.

EDF business electricity and gas

EDF Energy offers various gas and electricity contracts for different business needs (see the below table for details).

An EDF account offers small business customers access to its online management tool: MyAccount and partnering app as well as its live chat function for existing customers. Using your EDF login, you can view and pay bills, submit meter readings and even change or renew your business energy contract.

EDF Energy also offers a 7% discount to any customers who pay monthly via direct debit. Businesses also have the option to paying using online banking, debit or credit card, or even cash via the Post Office.

EDF business gas

EDF business offers gas-only and dual fuel tariffs for businesses in need of a gas supply.

Stand-out features of EDF gas for business include:

• Gas Smart Meter –
  as an EDF business gas customer, you may be eligible for a free smart meter. This will allow you to see exactly what you’re using and spending, ensuring that you only ever pay for what you use, and offering the convenience of automatic gas meter readings
• Direct debit discount –
  if you pay for your business gas monthly via direct debit, you’ll be entitled to a 7% discount off your bill
• Easy switching –
  EDF will also take care of the whole switching process for you, making it quick, simple, and hassle-free

EDF business electricity

EDF offers a range of business electricity tariffs that can be fixed for one to four years. In addition to dual fuel contracts, they also offer electricity-only contracts.

Stand-out EDF business electricity features include:

• Energy saving support –
  EDF is committed to sustainability. All of its business electricity customers receive help and support when it comes to saving energy
• Discount off every bill –
  as with gas tariffs, if you choose to pay your business electricity bill monthly via direct debit, you’ll save an extra 7% off your bill
• Hassle-free switching –
  EDF will take care of the whole switching process for you, making it quick, simple, and hassle-free

EDF business plan management and support

Whichever plan you choose, you’ll have access to dedicated 24/7 Live Chat support.

You’ll also be able to manage your account online, allowing you to:

• Submit meter readings
• View and download bills
• Pay bills online
• Sign up to paperless billing
• Change or renew your tariffs
• Manage your account on the go

Meter readings can be supplied online or over the phone.

With the latest version of the EDF Energy App, you’ll also be able to submit your meter readings through a photo – a first for UK energy providers. Simply take a photo of your meter and submit it for reading.

EDF business energy pros and cons

FAQs

Due to the complexity of the energy industry, we know there will be lots of questions on the topic. That’s why we’ve covered a few of the key FAQs to iron out some popular pain points:

• Who are the Big Six energy suppliers?
  The Big Six are British Gas, EDF Energy, E.ON, Npower, Scottish Power, and SSE. Together, they hold a combined market share of 81% for the supply of electricity and 80% gas in Great Britain.
• What is the wholesale market?
  The wholesale market brings together producers (those that make the energy, whether gas or electric) and suppliers and customers (those that buy the energy). Only registered companies, such as EDF, can buy energy from the wholesale market, to then resell to their own customers.
• What’s the difference between fixed and variable prices?
  A fixed-price tariff means that the cost of your energy will stay the same, despite fluctuations in the market prices. Variable pricing means that your bill will be dependent on the cost of the energy from the wholesale market. Since the wholesale market’s prices fluctuate, so will your bill.
• What’s a smart meter?
  A smart meter sends your electricity supplier information about your energy usage automatically, so you don’t have to. This way your business will only pay for the energy it uses, while you can gain a better understanding of how your business uses gas and electricity to create efficiencies.For example, EDF Energy’s HeatSmart smart thermostat allows you to control your business heating from anywhere using an app, whether on a smartphone, tablet or PC. It is available on any tariff and installation is included in the price.
• Is EDF business energy environmentally sustainable?
  Owned by parent companies EDF Energy and EDF Energies Nouvelles, EDF Energy Renewables is the group’s renewables development company. Whilst EDF Energy is not 100% renewable, it invests in the development of renewable energy projects in the UK that produce low-carbon energy, with a primary focus on onshore and offshore wind farms.
• What’s the Climate Change Levy?
  The Climate Change Levy (CCL) is a tax on energy usage that encourages businesses to reduce their emissions and act in a more environmentally friendly way. This tax can affect the amount you pay for your business energy bills.
  You may be exempt, or have reduced rates on some taxes, if:
  You use a lot of energy because of the type of business you are, for example, a manufacturer of some kind
  Your business is so small that it doesn’t use a lot of energy
  You use energy-efficient technology in your business
• What’s a feed-in tariff?
  If your business produces electricity using either solar, wind, anaerobic digestion, hydro, or micro CHP, then you could be eligible to enter into a contract with EDF whereby you’ll paid a fixed p/kWh rate for every unit you produce. However, a recent Ofgem report stated that as of 1st April 2019, the scheme will be closed to new applications.
• How does EDF Energy generate electricity?
  Approximately 70% of EDF’s electricity comes from nuclear power, so if you’re not a fan of nuclear, it’s not the supplier for you. EDF owns eight nuclear power stations as well as two coal stations, one gas station, and a whopping 31 wind farms.

Overall

In general, EDF Energy is rated as a fairly middling business energy supplier. Neither the most expensive nor the cheapest, and with around a three star customer satisfaction rating, EDF is good, but could be better.

That being said, the business itself is very well established, and its popularity in the market shows EDF’s familiarity with how to supply business energy. EDF’s big name and loyal customer base can’t be ignored here.

For more information on business energy suppliers, pop over to the Startups’ small business energy comparison page. Or, to compare direct quotes, simply fill in the form at the top of the page.