OKEHAMPTON businesses should attempt to reduce their energy consumption as it 'makes good financial sense', according to one Okehampton couple.

John and Kay Bickley run Upcott House Bed and Breakfast. During the recent Climate Change week, they rigorously monitored their electricity consumption at their property, with a view to put in energy-saving measures in place like LED lights and A++++ rated electrical goods.

In the last three years, the couple have made great strides in making their business more energy-efficient. In 2010-2011, they spent more than £6,000 per year heating their water and living areas, and were using their diesel car for every journey.

In 2011, they purchased a Nissan Leaf electric car, that costs £2.35 for every 100 miles of use, and paid no road tax. In the first year of ownership, they used their electric car for local journeys, covering around 12,000 miles. Their diesel car, which was costing them £17 for every 100 miles covered, was only used for 1,200 miles of driving.

During that year they also installed 10kw of solar photovoltaic panels to generate their own electricity to offset their consumption. In the first year the panels generated 9,627kw of clean energy. EDF Energy installed an air-source heat pump in the property to heat its water, and John and Kay re-activated their old solid fuel burner, which is being powered with locally sourced recycled waste wood to power their central heating.

Their heating bills have dropped from more than £6,000 to around £550 due to the changes made. They are now encouraging other businesses in the area to strive to lower their own energy consumption.

Kay said: 'Becoming more energy-efficient as a business is as much about reducing our overheads during these times of austerity as it is about saving the planet.

'We already do our bit on the waste and recycling front and have reduced our food miles by supporting local businesses, growing and rearing our own food. Reducing our energy consumption makes good financial sense.

'We have all had the carrots in business with feed-in tariffs, renewable heat incentives and now the Green Deal, but if we do not start to wake up to the need to take positive action to prevent climate change, we will get the stick next in the form of a carbon tax. At Upcott House we pay enough tax as it is, and we are committed to not paying any more.'

To help lower their bills, businesses can work with Peninsula Enterprise, who offer an 'Improving your Resource Efficiency' service, which offers 12 hours of free and impartial specialist environmental support to eligible businesses based in Devon and Somerset.