Issue #33 - Have you got the energy for this? ⚡
How will the price cap rise affect your business? | Isle of Eigg Brewery news | How to advertise a job at your business | What are the world's greenest cities? | Tunes | Podcasts | More
🦾 G O
The energy price cap is back in the news 📰
Welcome to Issue #33 of The Backbone - the fortnightly newsletter from Bionic.
Just when you thought things couldn’t get much worse when it comes to energy prices, Ofgem drop the bombshell that the October energy price cap review will see a typical energy bill rise by £800 a year. That’s an increase of around £1,500 in less than a year.
The price cap was introduced back in 2019 to end what the government called ‘rip-off energy prices’. It’s largely been doing its job, but prices have now increased by so much that the energy regulator has had no choice but to impose huge increases in the level of the cap.
It seems a price cap alone is no longer enough, and so the government has announced households will each get £400 in October to help with a further hike in energy bills. The cost of this will be partly offset by a 25% windfall tax on oil and gas firms' profits, which have soared in recent months
But even this windfall tax is fraught with complications, as this Twitter thread outlines:
So, what can you do about your energy bills?
As a domestic energy customer, switching suppliers is still just about an option, but a very limited one. It’s still worth comparing household energy deals, but those on offer may well be higher than the current price cap level.
But what about as a business owner?
Remember, there is no price cap on business energy.
This means suppliers can increase their rates by whatever they see fit to cover their costs. This has seen out of contract rates (the ones you’re rolled onto when your fixed deal ends) increase by 100% since August last year.
Securing your rates is the only way to avoid any future potential price rises. Unlike with much of the domestic market, we have business energy deals you can switch to now. Find out more by calling 0800 084 3361.
Right, that’s the gloomy bit out of the way, let’s crack on with Issue #33 of The Backbone.
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🗣 S H O U T O U T
#BionicBusinessStory - Isle of Eigg Brewery 🍺
Its’ been six months since we had a progress report from the Isle of Eigg Brewery, so we thought it was time we took another look at how Scotland’s first cooperative brewery is coming along.
The brewery is now built and has been running entirely on its own power for the last two months, thanks to those solar panels on the roof and some cutting edge tech - the Isle of Eigg Brewery will be the first off-grid system in Europe to use the Tesla Powerwall.
Brewing is an energy-intensive business, which means being self-sufficient is a big win, especially for a microbrewery in the current climate (check out the Bionic blog for more about the ongoing uncertainty in the energy market).
Shiny new brew kit
Beer in the making
Beer!
Next up is finishing off the taproom (including all associated licences), revamping the website, and setting up the webshop where you’ll be able to order beer and t-shirts.
For more on the brewery’s journey, check out the following issues of The Backbone:
Issue #5 - Sunshine after the rain 🌤
Issue #10 - Step back in time 📅
Issue #21 - Hot off the presses 🗞
📩 J O I N
Get involved with our business community 🔊
Share your thoughts and tips to give other busy business owners a helping hand. Or ask a question to see if anyone can help you out.
🗞 R E A D
How to advertise a job to find the best candidates for your business
Whether you’ve just started your business or you’re rapidly expanding, having skilled employees is essential if you want your company to succeed.
To get the right candidates into your business, you need to know how to properly advertise a job. But with so much to wrap your head around, knowing all of the key information that you need to include when writing your job advertisement can seem a little overwhelming.
We explain all you need to know in our guide.
What are the world’s greenest cities?
More and more businesses across the world are fighting to combat global warming by introducing new green technologies designed to reduce their carbon footprint and ensure we have a world to enjoy for many generations to come.
We’ve looked at worldwide cities’ pollution levels, electric vehicle uptake, renewable energy usage and more to find out which are the world’s greenest cities.
📊 B U S I N E S S
Get your business costs sorted 💷
Bionic - the business price comparison experts - compare a range of business essentials to help you save time, money, and hassle.
Our tech-enabled team will answer all your questions in simple terms, and help you find the best deal on business energy, insurance, phone, broadband, or finance. No jargon. No-fuss. #BeABionicBusiness 🦾
Check out more ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Trustpilot reviews
🎧 L I S T E N
Playlist
We’re almost in June, which means the summer is (hopefully) about to pop! It’s a really hot one out there is a playlist for long days and short nights but without all the cliched summer singles. It kicks off with Led Zepplin and ends about 11 hours later with Eurythmics - that tells you all you need to know, really.
Podcast
A podcast that does exactly what it says on the tin, Behind the Bastards looks at some of the worst humans in history and exposes the bizarre realities of their lives. Hear how young adult novels helped Hitler form his monstrous ideology, find out about Saddam Hussein’s side career as a trashy romance novelist, and recoil at John Landis making an inappropriate appearance at a funeral, among other terrible things.
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🚫 S T O P
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