Bristol Energy - Our Annual Review 2016/17 Powered by ...bristol-web-live.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/BD9517 - Bristol Energ… · economy If you’re a customer living in Bristol

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Bristol Energy - Our Annual Review 2016/17

Powered by Bristol Energy

Photos:Mshed; City Hall; Engine Shed; Create; Bristol Museum & Art Gallery


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We supply some well-known Bristol landmarks.

It’s easy to switch your business: www.bristol-energy.co.uk/business or call 0808 168 3888

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We can use our energy to make a positive difference


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Our profits will be reinvested back into Bristol City Council But there are plenty of other ways we are giving back to the city:

The Bristol Energy Hub The Hub is our high street presence, in a popular part of Bristol It provides face to face customer care, plus a unique events space for the local community

The Hub gives us the space to inform, educate and entertain It’s a space to bring energy to life

From energy efficiency workshops to half-term robot making, charity fundraisers to business community seminars, the Hub not only helps us raise awareness of Bristol Energy in the city, but provides a free space that the whole city can benefit from.

Face to face customer serviceThe Hub also provides a unique space for customers to come and speak to us in person Whilst we live in a digital age we also realise that some people like to speak to someone face to face Our team regularly gives people advice on their bills, and can switch people to Bristol Energy in person, over a cup of tea

Come and see usMonday - Friday: 9am - 5pm

Saturday: 11am - 4pm

“Yesterday I visited your Harbourside office and was impressed with the quality of your staff and your product. I have made and expect to make significant savings – so thank you!” James, Bristol

In the community As well as having a city centre space, we have engaged with communities across the city We’ve held or attended events in libraries, community centres, farms, shopping centres, churches and hospitals across the city, and plan to expand this more widely in the next financial year.

In January, we teamed up with city’s advice agencies to support Bristol residents, at what can be one of the most difficult times of the year. Thousands of people came along to gain money saving advice and support And our team was on hand to provide energy efficiency tips – as well as showing how easy it is to switch and save on your energy bills

A space for young peopleIn March, we welcomed students from a local secondary school to the Bristol Energy Hub, to explore young people’s experiences of racism The teenagers had worked with primary school children, encouraging them to draw their feelings about racism, and we exhibited the pictures at the Hub The event was alive with energy, emotion and discussion, and was a great example of how the space can benefit local communities.

Tackling lonelinessOur partnership with the charity Linkage Bristol helps us engage with older people across the city The Hub provides a space to bring people together, helping the charity to tackle the problem of loneliness amongst older people in the city And our team can make sure people know how easy it is to save money on their energy bills We’ve held monthly events this year, including an energy saving quiz, an afternoon tea, knitting workshops and chair yoga

“I’ve had a lovely time, made new friends, and learnt a lot too. And I saved money!”

Pam, Bristol

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Working togetherGreat partnerships are helping Bristol Energy to reach new customers and support local communities in our home city of Bristol.

One way we’re doing this is through our programme of affiliate offers. In the last year, hundreds of people have switched to Bristol Energy through our partners And for every switch, we donate money to the organisation or charity to help support their cause Our partners do incredible work across the city These are just a few examples:

Caring in Bristol is a small local charity that supports homeless and vulnerable people across the city As well as running night shelters, the charity also runs innovative projects like Helping Hounds to support dogs and Growing for Bristol, helping to provide fresh produce to people living on the streets We’ve raised almost £4,000 for the charity since the partnership launched in September 2016, through customer switches and fundraising activities

Over Christmas, we ran a gift-wrapping service in our Hub, for a small donation

And earlier this year our Managing Director Peter Haigh joined a sleep out to raise money and awareness of what is a sadly a growing problem in the city of Bristol

Bristol Pound is the city’s very own currency By working together, we’re helping to support our local economy If you’re a customer living in Bristol you can pay your bills in Bristol Pounds And if you switch using a Bristol Pound marketing code, we’ll give you £B20 to spend, and donate £B10 to Bristol Pound, to help keep the local currency going strong

Knowle West Media Centre: For over 20 years KWMC has helped people of all ages to make positive changes in their lives and communities, using digital technologies and the arts This includes offering skills, training and employment opportunities for young people, computer classes for older people, and creative projects addressing issues such as isolation, energy and food Every switch to Bristol Energy using the KWMC001 code will be match-funded by the Arts Council Catalyst fund, meaning that one new customer could generate a £60 donation

Better Food is an ethical institution in Bristol, offering locally-sourced, ethically produced food and drink for thousands of customers every year across three shops We’re helping Better Food customers to get better energy too, by giving Better Food vouchers to people who switch

“I run my own business, and was looking for a better deal. I love the fact that Bristol Energy is on my doorstep. And that it’s been set up to support the city. When you run your own independent business, it makes you even more aware of supporting businesses on your doorstep. I’m paying less too, which is the most important thing to me and my business.”

Philippa Bramley, from Bramley Pope opticians in Bristol.


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“Bristol Energy has run some fantastic activities for over 55’s at Bristol Energy Hub. The older people we work with have found the energy advice and money saving tips invaluable.”

Lucy Saunders, Business Relationships and Funding

Manager, Linkage Bristol

Our partners

Our MD Peter Haigh on a sleepout for Caring in Bristol.


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The energy marketIn 2006 there were just 10 companies you could get your energy from; now there are more than 50. This means more choice for customers. And between January and October 2016, 50% of customers that switched their gas and electricity chose a smaller supplier.

It also means there’s an even greater responsibility on these suppliers to treat their customers fairly and responsibly, especially when market prices are rising.

2016 was a tough year for energy retailing. Energy companies buy their gas and electricity from the wholesale markets. These energy markets were extremely volatile.

The year ahead cost of wholesale gas and electricity prices rose by

a staggering 50% and fluctuated by as much as +/-10% in one day – rare for any commodity. This saw more aggressive smaller energy companies running at a consistent loss, and is one of the reasons for one energy supplier’s demise (GB Energy) in Autumn 2016. More recently prices have dropped by around 30% from their highs of last year, but have retained a lot of the volatility experienced at the end of last year.

The reasons for rollercoaster market prices, and periods of extreme volatility have been many and varied, and show just how connected the energy markets are nationally and globally. Political changes such as the ongoing Brexit negotiations, the new US

president, the surprise shutdown of a proportion of EDF’s nuclear fleet, and the closure of the UK’s largest gas storage site have all put a strain on the market.

Against this backdrop, it was more important than ever that our growth was steady. It also highlighted the need for responsible energy trading. Unless a supplier has managed their current and future energy needs in a sensible manner, they might be forced to push prices up dramatically for new customers to pay for the increased costs. Or worse, they may risk going out of business because they don’t have the energy or money needed to service their current customers.

Bristol Energy Annual Review 2016/17

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Responsible growthAt Bristol Energy we buy our customers’ energy ahead of time, at the point they choose us as their supplier This means we can ensure a fair price over a fixed period. In doing so we protect our customers, our shareholder and ourselves, and the wider market against any unexpected price spikes

We have an experienced forecasting and trading team that predicts our customers’ needs, then regularly trades to make sure we buy the right amount of energy to reflect their demand in a controlled and low risk manner We believe this is the responsible and sustainable thing to do for all our customers - businesses, homeowners, landlords and tenants

“Switching was easy and hassle free, I get a good rate and there is no exit fee! I have stayed with Bristol Energy as I have found them to be very responsive when I email through any queries, the online system is very easy to use, it is functional and is a nice experience... Highly recommend. “

Sarah

Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol

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A sustainable future April 2017 brought us two significant, landmark moments for renewable energy: April saw the UK’s first coal free day, and in May solar overpowered nuclear energy for a short period At Bristol Energy, we are committed to making renewable energy available for all our customers, both to lessen our impact on the environment, and support a sustainable future

Last year, we launched a competitively priced 100% renewable electricity tariff, My Green Plus This year, we also launched a Green tariff for our business customers And we will continue to increase the level of green energy we can provide across all our tariffs For the period April 2016-April 2017,

our renewable generators provided around 37% of our total energy demand

Bristol Energy sources its renewable electricity from businesses, charities, famers, land owners and community projects, who are generating energy across the country We set up Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with these generators and, as of April 2017, we had 32 agreements in place As well as providing cleaner, greener energy to our customers, this also means we can support independent generators with a fair, ethical and trusted route to market for their energy

The level of renewable energy in our fuel mix is already above average, despite our infancy We

will work hard to improve this as we develop more partnerships with renewable generators in the coming year Green energy is not just for those people who choose a 100% renewable energy tariff We believe all suppliers should be offering as much green as they can across all their tariffs

Our renewable energy is made up of Wind, Hydro, Solar PV and Anaerobic Digestion (AD) Just like with conventional electricity generation technologies, a balance of different types of generation (known as fuel mix) helps us to forecast and trade for our customers’ needs in an efficient way This helps us to keep our costs down

Biogeneration 50%

Hydro 3%

Solar PV 11%

Wind 36%

Bristol Energy Renewable Fuel-mix


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“So let’s do something about it now, and not wait. What have we got to lose by going for cheaper green energy?”

Keith Jones, Snowdonia

Community Energy

Snowdonia’s community energy We’re very proud to have partnered with a new community energy scheme in North Wales The team from Afon Goch, near Caernarfon, is generating power using two of their best local assets – mountains and water We buy this 100% green electricity from the Afon Goch community, and they will reinvest the money raised to benefit local people in the heart of Snowdonia

Keith Jones headed up the team that made it happen.

“We like the whole ethos behind Bristol Energy as it emulates our own ‘do something about it’ sort of approach. It’s about people helping people. Bristol Energy also offered one of the best deals too. So values, and value.

“This is my first community scheme in ‘my valley’ – so this one feels like my fourth child! (I have three kids). We have an infinite appetite for energy, but within a finite world. I would like to hand back to my children a world in a better state than I got it. I shudder when I think what kind of world my future great grandchildren will inherit.“

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Our future


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Our main aim is to make a profit for Bristol City Council, by acquiring and retaining customers, and delivering a high level of customer care. We’ll build a financially stable business that is fair to our customers. And we will always be a force for social good, an ethos that has attracted and retained our customers and employees.

We will not make a profit overnight, but every customer that joins us takes us one step closer to reinvesting back into our founding city As we enter a new period of scrutiny in the market, we will lead the way by treating our customers fairly This means always offering fair prices and finding new ways to make sure our customers are always on the best possible deal for them

And we will continue to make energy more straightforward for businesses too, by offering competitive prices and fair contracts

We will grow our renewable electricity supply with the help of our generator partners We’ll also offer ‘green gas’ or biomethane to our customers in the near future, in addition to the gas we source from traditional fossil fuels

Customer service will be a priority We want to make sure all our customers get the very best standard of care, by email, phone, social media or in person We recognise that we’re not perfect, and will occasionally get things wrong When we do, we will do our best to put things right, and improve for the future

We will embrace smart technology, developing new products to maximise the advantages of a smarter energy system for all our customers

And we will keep putting customers at the heart of everything we do That’s the right way to run an energy company

Join us: www.bristol-energy.co.uk

Profit with a purpose

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Our Board

Merlin Hyman, Non-Executive Director

Merlin leads Regen’s mission to transform how we generate, supply and use energy

Merlin is a passionate advocate of a smart, decentralised, low carbon energy system based on renewable energy He is an influential figure in energy policy taking part in leading initiatives such as the global Energy Transitions Commission and UK government’s Shared Ownership Taskforce Merlin writes and presents extensively on Regen’s pioneering work

Merlin was previously director of the Environmental Industries Commission, where he worked in Whitehall and Westminster to ensure government support for British companies to succeed in the rapidly growing worldwide market for low-carbon products and services

Nick Jordan, Chair

Nick is a graduate of Oxford University, and pursued a career in banking for over 30 years He joined the Royal Bank of Canada as a senior banker, responsible for the origination and execution of corporate and investment banking business in the Energy, Utilities and Natural Resources sectors, as well as Fixed Income, Equity and M&A assignments and latterly as Partner of RBC Dominion Securities and Head of the RBC European Energy practice

He subsequently joined The Royal Bank of Scotland and worked in a variety of leadership roles, most recently in Risk Management Here he was a member of the senior management team in Corporate Banking, and was the Chief Credit Officer.

Alex Wiseman, Finance Non-Executive Director

Alex has significant experience within the utility sector specialising in regulation and strategy He is currently Non-Executive Director at the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation and for Nexus Infrastructure (which provides infrastructure services primarily to housebuilders)

He has previously held directorships across both public and private sector organisations, including open4energy, xoserve and the Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Trust His last full time roles were as Regulation Director at Northern Gas Networks and Head of Strategic Planning at United Utilities


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John Readman, Strategic Director for People, Bristol City Council

John is Strategic Director for People in Bristol City Council, leading services across Education, Children’s Services and Adult Social Care John has a passion and track record of developing partnerships and integration, and is currently leading the regional Health Sustainable Transformation plan for local authorities in the West of England Finding innovative and creative ways of working, in a dramatically changing public sector, is core to John’s DNA

William Edrich, Service Director for Energy, Bristol City Council

William has over 20 years of experience in the energy field, has represented the Local Government Association on energy matters at the EFRA select committee, the CBI Emission Trading Group and Innovation grants panel, working at Leeds and Kirklees Councils between 1994 and 2006

From June 2006, William was the Chief Executive of Yorkshire Energy Services, an international award winning, community interest company, in effect, a social enterprise working in the field of energy efficiency, fuel poverty and renewables As Service Director for Energy at Bristol City Council, he was instrumental in the set-up of Bristol Energy

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Our Executive Team

Laura Flowerdew, Director of Finance

Laura is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. She qualified with Arthur Andersen and then worked for Deloitte, advising a range of energy and utility companies for over 10 years from Big Six suppliers and established water companies to small renewable or retail start up companies She subsequently held senior finance roles at Anglo American plc and De Beers, before relocating back to Bristol and taking up the role of Finance Director for Bristol Energy

As a Director of Bristol Energy, Laura also sits on the Board

Nick Haines, Director of Commercial and Trading

Nick is responsible for overseeing the pricing, forecasting, origination, and trading functions at Bristol Energy

Nick has been in the energy industry for over 12 years and was previously Head of Trading at Good Energy for over 10 years, responsible for the trading positions for electricity, gas, and renewable certificates worth over £30m/yr, and built up a renewable generator portfolio of over 850 generators

Peter Haigh, Managing Director, Bristol Energy

Peter has worked at the heart of the UK energy market for over 25 years Once responsible for all of E ON UK’s trading activity, and CEO of Elexon, the Balancing and Settlement Company for UK electricity, Peter has been at the centre of many of the major developments in the UK energy industry At E ON UK, he was responsible for all of trading activity – electricity, gas, oil, coal and carbon – with a turnover of £3 3b p a

Peter has unique insight into energy risk management, having led all aspects of value creation, from the scheduling of power stations, to the setting of retail tariffs Peter is now using his trading, B2B and B2C experience to head up Bristol Energy

As a Director of Bristol Energy, Peter also sits on the Board


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Phillip Biddle, Director of Business to Business

Phil has over 30 years’ experience in the energy industry At Bristol Energy he is responsible for B2B retail sales, marketing, billing, customer service and revenue management Prior to joining Bristol Energy, Phil has held a number of leadership positions including Local Authority Sales Director at Mark Group, Director of Major Accounts and SME at EDF Energy, and General Manager/Head of SME at E ON UK Phil’s roles at E ON included General Manager of Major Accounts, Head of SME Retail and Head of Energy Efficiency.

Dave Ford, Director of Operations

Dave is responsible for overseeing Bristol Energy’s customer service, change and IT activities Before joining Bristol Energy, Dave held the role of Chief Operating Officer at Good Energy He has also worked as a contractor at all of the Big Six energy companies

Dave Mathews, Residential Sales and Marketing Director

Dave has substantial experience in consumer marketing with brands such as Zurich, Capital One, Moneysupermarket and Confused com More recently he built out the entire marketing mix for energy start-up ENGIE Home Energy

At Bristol Energy, Dave has responsibility for our residential marketing and customer acquisition, covering our brand development, customer experience, communications, products and our digital offering

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Bristol Energy & Technology Services (Supply) Limited 1 Temple Quay, Temple Back East, Bristol BS1 6DZ www.bristol-energy.co.uk Registered in England and Wales No. 09135084 VAT No. 220 428 253

Bristol Energy is a trading name of Bristol Energy & Technology Services (Supply) Limited. A company controlled by Bristol City Council under the relevant legislation.

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Bristol Energy - Our Annual Review 2016/17 Powered by ...bristol-web-live.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/BD9517 - Bristol Energ… · economy If you’re a customer living in Bristol