The benefits of having a fully fixed energy contract

It can be hard to be sure that you have the most cost-effective and best energy contract in a fluctuating market. Whether you want regularity or just desire to find an energy option that allows your business to adjust to the changing market, it’s a good idea to get an energy contract that suits your business model. Remember that having the right business energy contract can improve the bottom lines of your business. This post explains the benefits of having a fully fixed energy contract.

A fixed energy contract

Traditionally, many businesses have preferred utilizing fixed energy contracts. This allows these businesses to have a fixed rate for their gas and electricity at any point in time. This means these businesses can keep on paying this determined price for the entire duration of your contract regardless of some changes in energy prices.

It’s worth noting that there are advantages and disadvantages to choosing fixed energy contracts. A fixed energy contract can be an attractive option for you if you want to be sure of your energy. Your energy costs may not change each month. Check out power of choice electricity to learn more about fixed rate energy plans and your options.

This means that when you sign the energy contract, you don’t have to spend a lot of time looking into the budget and managing the energy payments. Therefore, if you decide that you want to sign the energy contract, then it makes sense to get a fixed-rate plan that meets the needs of your business.

You can protect your business from price increases on the market by opting for a fixed energy contract. But there can also be some risks associated with a fixed-rate energy contract. If there is a dramatic drop in energy prices, it means you will end up overpaying for your energy.

A fixed contract can also sometimes sell at a premium. This is because your energy supplier has to account for the risks related to your contract. Some of these risks include volume variations and non-energy charges and credit risks, such as green taxes and transport charges. 

You may also have to stick within the agreed energy volumes stated in your energy contract. This can be a huge problem, especially if your energy usage can significantly change depending on the season. 

It’s also important to understand all the terms and conditions of the fixed energy contract. This is because some fixed energy contracts are not fully fixed as stipulated by the energy supplier. 

Many energy suppliers attempt to say they will pass through unexpected rises in non-energy costs during the duration of your energy contract. Therefore, ensure that you know this risk before signing the energy contract, and make sure that you have enough money should these costs come.   

Flexible energy contracts

You should note that a flexible energy contract can allow you to buy energy in bulk during the duration of the energy contract. With a flexible energy contract, you can choose and even change the quantity of the energy, and purchase it when you want it. This allows you to take advantage of changes in the market. Therefore, rather than sacrificing flexibility for consistency and security, you can have control and save a lot of cash. 

There are also several advantages and disadvantages to choosing flexible energy contracts. The key advantage of going for a flexibility energy contract is flexibility and predictability. There is no risk of you overspending for the energy supply. Also, you don’t have to spend more money on risk premiums. Flexible energy contracts can be suitable if you run a large business that needs large energy volumes of energy. The good thing is that you may not experience any volume restrictions.

But a flexible energy contract needs a high level of alertness and a good approach. You also need to be ready to regularly check the market so that you can decide when to purchase your energy.  

So if you think a flexible business energy contract is good for you, you need to work with an energy broker. An energy broker can inform you about any decisions they make on your behalf. They can also manage the associated risks and get rid of the pricey risk premiums.  

As you can see, a fixed-rate tariff may not guarantee you that you will be paying lower amounts than some types of energy tariffs, but you are safeguarded against an increase in energy prices from suppliers. However, when you sign up for a fixed-rate contract, you get committed to paying that rate for the entire duration of the contract. And, if you decide to cancel the energy contract, then you can be liable to pay exit fees to the energy supplier.

Fixed-price electricity and gas tariffs make sure that the cost of the energy doesn’t rise for the time your contract runs. The price you need to pay is fixed for several years, which can be at least a year or 18 months, though some energy contracts can take longer.  

Therefore, this means the price you need to pay per unit of energy tends to be fixed. But this doesn’t mean that your expected annual energy bill may not rise because your energy bill depends on the energy usage.

The good news is that there are several fixed-rate packages available on the market. You need to compare energy suppliers at Utility Bidder to find the best offers based on your energy usage and location.

Many energy brokers out there can handle the energy comparison for you as they have the right tools to do such tasks. In this way, they can be in a better position of finding the best energy deals for your business.

By now, you may be wondering what you can do at the end of fixed-rate energy contracts. Well, you can decide to switch tariffs or even suppliers at least sixty days before the expiry of your fixed-rate energy contract. 

If you fail to make a switch, the energy supplier can roll it over to a default tariff which is also called a standard variable tariff. Unfortunately, a standard variable tariff can be more expensive than the other types of energy tariffs.