The Illawarra Business Chamber will play a key role in delivering the Australian Government's $11.7 million Business Energy Advice Program (BEAP), in a bid to help local, medium-sized businesses reduce their energy costs and improve energy efficiency.
All interested Illawarra businesses employing between six and twenty staff are eligible for the energy advisory service, which will deliver face-to-face, phone and digital advice to help them understand their energy saving opportunities and more effectively switch energy plans and retailers.
"Energy costs are a major pain point for Illawarra businesses, so this will be an important tool to help them lower their energy costs and get a fairer deal on energy," said Adam Zarth, Executive Director of the Illawarra Business Chamber.
"Thirty-two percent of businesses surveyed across the Illawarra, Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven identified energy as a cost reduction priority in our June quarter Business Conditions Survey, so this is a very timely announcement,"
"I would encourage small business with between six and twenty employees to take advantage of BEAP and lower their energy costs. There are significant savings to be had, new technologies to be employed, and best practices to be adopted," said Mr Zarth.
BEAP is a result of recommendations from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's Retail Electricity Pricing Inquiry, which found that small businesses find it difficult to navigate the energy retail market and as a result are paying more than their fair share for energy.
