By taking a wider view of Blue Skies’ energy and water position, we were able to identify opportunities across efficiency, trade effluent charges and energy cost relief.
Blue Skies is a company that loves fresh fruit! From sourcing and harvesting to meticulous processing, they are proud to provide only the highest quality, best-tasting and freshest fruit products you can find.
Underpinning this are a set of values that ensure Blue Skies returns greater value to local communities while delivering products that are truly fresh from harvest. Sustainability, efficiency, and responsible resource management are central to the company’s operations.
Blue Skies wanted to optimise their business’s energy and water portfolios while gaining clearer visibility of their utility costs. Being an environmentally conscious company, they wanted to better understand their usage; ensure there was no wastage and take advantage of any opportunities to reduce energy and water-related costs through available schemes and exemptions.
It was also important for the company to understand their invoices and check that the charges accurately reflected site activity.
Brownlow Utilities carried out comprehensive energy and water audits to assess consumption, efficiency, and billing accuracy across the site. The audits provided a detailed understanding of how energy and water were being used and where improvements could be made.
Through this audit process, Brownlow Utilities identified issues with trade effluent charges. Brownlow Utilities used its supplier connections and expert knowledge to interrogate these charges, ensuring they were an accurate reflection of the company’s usage.
The energy audits also highlighted that Blue Skies was eligible for a Climate Change Agreement (CCA), enabling access to energy levy discounts. Brownlow Utilities handled the application and management of the CCA, ensuring the business could benefit from reduced energy taxation.
The combined energy and water audits gave Blue Skies clear visibility and control over its utility costs. The business gained awareness of incorrect water charges and was able to make informed decisions on how to proceed, supported by improved understanding of the water market. Further, with Brownlow Utilities as their trusted partner, Blue Skies could relax knowing utility negotiations were handled, allowing focus to be kept on day-to-day operations.
In addition, identifying eligibility for a Climate Change Agreement unlocked access to levy discounts, reducing ongoing energy costs. Overall, Blue Skies achieved improved cost control and a clearer pathway to long-term energy and water efficiency.
“The tight-knit team at Brownlow have been a breath of fresh air in an increasingly complicated and volatile industry. They are our first port of call for any utility-related query and have provided the highest levels of expertise and professionalism from day one. Blue Skies has gained a lot of comfort across one of the largest overheads facing our business, thanks in no small part to the trust we place in Brownlow. A true energy partner.”
– David O’Keeffe, Finance Manager
