Who this is for

This guide is for commercial and industrial businesses with higher energy use and greater exposure to market risk.

Commercial and industrial businesses are typically those that:

• Spend more than around $3,000 per month on energy

• In the NSW, VIC, QLD and the ACT they typically consume over 100,000 kWh in electricity per year (In South Australia, the threshold is higher at over 160,000 kWh per year)

These businesses usually receive monthly bills, operate under fixed-term energy contracts, and are more directly affected by wholesale market conditions.

At a glance

These are the energy checks that matter most for large business energy users in 2026:

• Review contract positions well ahead of expiry

• Use energy data to improve forecasting and budgeting

• Review tariffs and network settings

• Manage demand charges

• Eliminate non-essential after-hours load

• Maintain energy-intensive equipment

• Use energy efficiency to reduce structural cost

• Replace ageing assets strategically

• Plan electrification and on-site generation carefully

• Treat energy as a strategic cost, not an overhead

Introduction

Energy plays a very different role for commercial and industrial businesses. Higher consumption, monthly billing, and direct exposure to wholesale market movements mean energy decisions are rarely short-term. Choices made today can shape costs and risk for several years.

In 2026, volatility remains part of the operating environment. Prices may ease at times, but weather events, outages, fuel markets, and policy settings continue to influence outcomes. For large energy users, treating energy as a passive overhead increases financial risk and limits control.

These ten energy saving tips are designed specifically for commercial and industrial businesses that want stronger visibility, better planning, and more deliberate decision-making. The focus is on managing demand, improving efficiency, and aligning energy decisions with how the business actually operates. For large energy users, treating energy as a passive overhead increases financial risk.

Energy saving tips for commercial and industrial businesses in 2026

Quick actions that protect cost and risk

These actions focus on timing, structure, and avoiding unnecessary exposure.

“For commercial businesses, early planning is what reduces energy risk. Having visibility well ahead of time allows businesses to act when market conditions are favourable, rather than being forced into panic buying as contracts approach expiry, particularly at the end of the calendar or financial year.” - Aaron Burns, Commercial and Industrial Business Manager

1. Review contract positions well before expiry

When to check: Review energy contract before the end date

For commercial and industrial businesses, energy contracts often run for multiple years, which means a poor decision can lock in higher costs for a long time. Reviewing positions early creates space to consider different term lengths, pricing structures, and risk approaches.

Early review also allows energy decisions to be aligned with budget cycles, capital planning, and operational forecasts, rather than being made in isolation.

2. Use energy data to improve forecasting and budgeting

When to check: As part of annual budgeting, with quarterly reviews

For large energy users, energy costs should be forecast with the same discipline as other major operating expenses. Relying on assumptions or last year’s totals increases the risk of budget overruns.

Using interval data and historical usage trends helps businesses build more accurate energy budgets, understand cost drivers, and plan for seasonal variation. Better forecasting also supports stronger internal decision‑making and reduces the likelihood of reactive cost control measures later in the year. This is where tools and insights from Zembl’s Energy Intelligence service (https://www.zembl.com.au/commercial-energy/intelligence) can provide ongoing visibility and support more confident planning.

3. Review tariffs and network settings regularly

When to check: Every two years, or after operational changes

Network tariffs are the charges set by electricity networks for using the poles and wires, while capacity settings determine how much maximum demand a site is allowed or charged for. These settings are often set once and then forgotten. Over time, operational changes can make them inefficient.

Sites that have changed production levels, upgraded equipment, or altered operating hours often carry unnecessary fixed costs. Reviewing these settings ensures you are not paying for capacity you no longer need.

Smarter operational controls that reduce bills

These actions focus on how energy is used day to day.

4. Manage demand charges actively

When to check: During peak seasons or after equipment changes

Demand charges are fees based on the highest level of electricity your site draws at any one time, usually measured over a short window such as 15 or 30 minutes. They are not based on how much electricity you use overall, but on the single highest spike in demand during the billing period.

This means one brief event, such as multiple machines starting at once or systems ramping up together, can increase charges applied across the entire month. For businesses unfamiliar with demand charges, this can be surprising.

Managing demand is often about awareness and sequencing rather than cutting usage. Adjusting start-up times, spreading loads, or avoiding overlapping high-demand activities can significantly reduce these charges without affecting productivity or comfort.

5. Eliminate non‑essential after‑hours load

When to check: Monthly, including weekends

After-hours load refers to electricity being used when a site is closed or when operations are significantly reduced. This includes lighting, heating and cooling, equipment left on standby, and systems that continue running by default.

For businesses that have never reviewed after-hours usage, this can be one of the easiest sources of waste. Energy used overnight or on weekends delivers no operational benefit, but still appears on the bill.

Regular checks help identify what genuinely needs to run and what does not. Timers, automation, and clear shutdown procedures help ensure savings are maintained without relying on staff memory or manual processes.

Investment decisions that deliver long‑term value

These actions focus on asset planning and future risk.

“It's essential that commercial and industrial operators treat energy expenditure as a strategic cost - it should be a board-level conversation. How you contract, when you use power, and how efficiently your assets run all influence bottom-line profitability. Looking at energy through a strategic lens turns it from an uncontrollable, risky cost into something you can actively forecast and optimise.” - Luke Pearce, Commercial and Industrial Business Manager

6. Maintain energy‑intensive equipment

When to check: As per manufacturer guidance, typically every 6–12 months

Energy‑intensive equipment includes systems such as HVAC, refrigeration, motors, compressors, and processing equipment that consume a large share of a site’s electricity. Because they run frequently, small efficiency losses can have a big cost impact over time.

As equipment ages or falls out of calibration, it often draws more power to do the same job. This increase is gradual and easy to miss, especially if production output remains unchanged.

Routine maintenance keeps equipment operating closer to its original efficiency, reducing energy costs and lowering the risk of breakdowns that can disrupt operations and drive unexpected expense. This is also where a structured Energy Audit, like the service offered by Zembl (https://www.zembl.com.au/energy-efficiency/efficiency), can help identify underperforming equipment, maintenance gaps, and efficiency opportunities that are not always obvious in day-to-day operations.

7. Use energy efficiency to reduce structural cost

When to check: As part of asset planning or energy audits

Energy efficiency for commercial and industrial businesses is about using less energy to deliver the same output. It is not about short-term behaviour changes, but about improving how assets, systems, and processes perform over time.

Inefficient equipment and processes quietly increase baseline energy costs year after year. Improving efficiency reduces this structural cost, lowers exposure to rising network and wholesale prices, and supports more predictable long-term outcomes.

Efficiency opportunities are often identified through audits, maintenance reviews, and performance data, allowing businesses to prioritise actions that deliver durable value rather than one-off savings.

8. Replace ageing assets strategically

When to check: When assets approach end of life or efficiency declines

Ageing assets are equipment and systems that still operate, but no longer do so efficiently. While they may not be broken, they often use more energy than modern alternatives to deliver the same output.

Over time, this inefficiency becomes part of everyday operating costs and can quietly erode margins. Replacing assets strategically allows businesses to make informed decisions about timing, cost, and impact, rather than reacting when equipment fails or costs spike unexpectedly.

9. Plan electrification and on‑site generation carefully

When to check: Before committing to new equipment or vehicles

Electrification refers to replacing equipment that uses gas, diesel, or other fuels with electric alternatives, while on-site generation typically includes assets like solar or batteries. These changes are often made to reduce long-term cost or emissions.

Without proper planning, however, these upgrades can shift costs rather than reduce them. Considering how changes affect demand, tariffs, and network capacity upfront helps ensure electrification and on-site generation deliver genuine benefits, not new constraints.

10. Treat energy as a strategic cost, not an overhead

When to check: As part of bi-annual financial and operational planning

Treating energy as an overhead means it is only reviewed after costs appear on a bill. Treating it as a strategic cost means decisions are made in advance, with an understanding of how energy affects margins, risk, and long-term planning.

For commercial and industrial businesses, this shift changes how energy decisions are approached. Energy becomes part of broader financial and operational discussions, supporting more deliberate, resilient outcomes as markets continue to evolve.

Why energy efficiency matters more in 2026

Rising network costs, infrastructure constraints, and ongoing volatility mean inefficient energy use will continue to become more expensive over time.

Businesses that actively manage energy are better positioned to absorb market changes, protect margins, and avoid sudden cost shocks.

How Zembl helps

Zembl supports commercial and industrial businesses across the key areas that have the biggest impact on energy cost and risk.

That includes helping businesses review and plan energy contracts, understand load profiles and demand charges, assess tariffs and network settings, and identify efficiency opportunities through services like Energy Audits. Zembl also supports longer-term decisions around asset replacement, electrification, and treating energy as a strategic cost rather than a passive overhead.

By bringing these pieces together, Zembl helps businesses make informed energy decisions with confidence, while staying focused on their core operations.