Stockley Park, U.K. --- (METERING.COM) --- February 10, 2012 - British businesses may be spending up to £1 in every £2 of their electricity bills on powering their business when staff have left for the day, according to data from over 6,000 smart meters studied by British Gas.

According to the data 46 percent of the business electricity use happens in the hours from 6 pm to 8 am. Typical examples of such use include the lighting of car parks at the weekend, pubs keeping fruit machines permanently switched on, retail units in shopping centers keeping display lights on when the center is closed, and vending machines left switched on in offices overnight and at weekends.

In order to address this loss British Gas has launched the Business Energy Insight service, to show businesses how, when and where they are using electricity and proactively help them to save money through energy efficiency measures. Businesses signing up to the service will have a smart meter installed on their premises and access to an online dashboard showing their energy usage as well as support from trained executives in implementing energy saving measures.

“Small and medium sized businesses … tell us that reducing their costs is essential to competing in a challenging economy, however, many don’t understand their electricity costs and how they could reduce them,” commented Marc England, managing director of SME Energy, British Gas Business. “Business Energy Insight has been designed to provide our customers more accurate bills and the insight to reduce their costs and improve their competitiveness.”

According to British Gas the switching off of car parking lights at the weekend when they aren’t needed could save a customer £1,200 on their annual electricity bill.

As part of the launch of the Business Energy Insight service, five customers – a pub, high street baker, chocolate factory, local convenience store and manufacturing business – who have signed up for the service are demonstrating their energy saving progress online.