Brazil’s energy sector comprises a series of standards and guidelines that are very restrictive, especially in terms of making it more dynamic and open. Unlike what it was some time ago, today, we now talk about the Free Energy Market, but the freedom to choose an energy supplier is only a reality for certain company categories today with a minimum consumption of 500kW/month.
In other words, you need to have a minimum demand if you want to choose a different supplier. It also means that, considering Brazil’s current rules, household consumers still cannot choose the energy company they wish to work with. Compared to the European market, for example, this is a long-standing practice, in view that even residential consumers get to choose who to buy their energy from.
Opening up this market makes the sector more competitive, which means that both consumers and the environment win. With cleaner sources of energy, at lower costs and more affordable prices, the goal is to prepare yourself to choose the best supplier.
If you still don’t know how to do this, even though you can already choose your supplier, don’t worry. We will help you make the best decision according to your reality. Continue reading and find out more!
An energy supplier is a company that uses different sources, which can be renewable or not, to produce energy in an amount sufficient to distribute to different buildings — residential, business or even industrial.
To distribute energy, the supplier must be regulated in accordance with the laws of each country. In Brazil, we have the so-called Regulated Contracting Environment (ACR).
This is a compulsory energy-supply system, in other words, it has a group of captive consumers that have access to energy at tariffs stipulated by the government and paid every month for the service of generating and distributing energy.
The good news is that we have already started to build a Free Contracting Environment (ACL) with competitive and cheaper offers. In this new market, it is consumers who negotiate the contracting of energy in the so-called Free Energy Market. As a result, everyone has the opportunity to choose the energy supplier that best meets their needs with regard to a series of factors, such as:
This lends more autonomy to consumers and, in return, more competitiveness to suppliers. You will see further ahead that this is also very positive.
For a long time, opening the energy market up was not a topic on the agenda. People believed that having a supplier of energy captured from conventional sources was sufficient to meet their demands.
With the evolution of this system, however, people and businesses began to realize that, just like in the banking and telecom sectors, it could also be modernized and more qualified. Faced with this, some new suppliers emerged as alternative to the traditional ones, while others remained where they were.
Basically, this is the factor that today determines who is considered a good energy supplier. Do you know why it is important to have the best? Learn more!
One of the first impacts of having different types of energy suppliers in the market is noticing the difference in your electrical bill. In short, you can choose who to buy from and, consequently, what price to pay for the energy supplied. This only happens thanks to one determining factor: the need to increase energy efficiency, which means generating the same amount of energy using fewer natural resources, or increasing production with the same amount of energy available.
When we talk about a company that can grow the business and expand without increasing costs in the same proportion, we are talking about scalability. In the supplying of energy, energy efficiency means the same thing: being able to supply a greater amount of energy without costs increasing proportionally.
This way, commercial consumers end up paying a considerably lower amount and receive a fairer electricity bill that matches their consumption profile. A bill that, in fact, ends up being cheaper even for the environment, as you will see further ahead.
When we talk about vulnerability moments, such as a water crisis, a homogeneous energy supply system can become quite risky, especially if it does not have a diversified energy matrix.
Suppliers in the Free Energy Market operate in a very fierce and competitive scenario. If they can’t meet a demand in a time of crisis, consumers migrate to another supplier. To prevent this from happening, they need to guarantee delivery.
As a result, the energy sources of these suppliers tend to be diverse and can come from practically any natural resource, especially non-exhaustible ones. This way, it’s much easier to adopt emergency measures, such as redirecting efforts and prioritizing one source over another.
Consumers, in this case, are more assured and confident that their supplier will be able to overcome challenges and meet their demand, so that their business does not have to stop. This is particularly important for industries, but relevant in any segment.
To have more assurance when contracting in the Free Energy Market, the ideal is to choose companies that, in addition to selling, also produce their own renewable energy. This way, they guarantee delivery of the contracted energy, regardless of market supply and demand fluctuations.
Valuing renewable energies is the main way to achieve energy efficiency for a country. Many nations have discovered this new alternative and are benefiting from it, through energy suppliers that understood this need.
Relying on a company that takes this approach seriously means ensuring a more sustainable system, which respects the environment’s limitations and needs. As a result, many companies turn to those regulations that list the best and most reliable suppliers with regard to sustainable practices.
The good suppliers are in an extremely competitive market. They are committed to delivering the best energy efficiency, the best costs, maximum sustainability and solutions that create value for their consumers.
Who benefits from this is your company, which has the same advantage when purchasing energy as you do when purchasing food in the supermarket, since you can choose the brand that best meets your needs. This makes it much simpler to switch suppliers when the current one is not delivering what was promised.
This autonomy and being able to negotiate what is best for your company are two very important factors for your business.
Many aspects can make a difference when it comes to choosing an energy supplier. They can also vary greatly according to a consumer’s needs. Nonetheless, there are common points to help understand when a company is advantageous. Keep reading!
One of the first steps is to understand what your energy demand is. In terms of consumption, this is a relatively easy piece of information to find out. You can have a good idea by averaging your company’s electrical bill for the last quarter, for example.
Then, it is important to know what type of energy source you would like to use. Many companies assume an environmental commitment with premises that reinforce their responsibility to mitigate the impacts caused by their activity on the ecosystem.
In this scenario, what is your company’s particular case? Is it paramount for it to use renewable energy sources or is this not a major supply condition? Before choosing a supplier, it is interesting to know what alternatives it offers, that is, the diversity of sources it uses to generate energy.
After understanding what your needs are and analyzing which suppliers can meet your demand, it is necessary to research prices charged in the market and why.
In some cases, you can find reference tariff values for consultation. In others, you will need to request an individualized quote for your company. In any case, values can vary from one supplier to another, especially due to their cost to generate energy.
An energy supplier with complete infrastructure, various renewable sources and a good generation system lends assurance and predictability in expenses by having proprietary renewable energy units, constant innovation to optimize operational intelligence, and selling the clean energy produced, for the most part, through its own generation units.
This is the case of Serena, which has been investing in energy generation from renewable sources for 15 years, offering clean and affordable energy.
You just saw that service prices can vary considerably from one energy supplier to another, but this is not the only factor to consider. We recommend that you analyze different proposals in full.
Just like any purchase or contracting you do for your company, the best energy supply does not depend solely on price. You need to evaluate the supplier’s conditions of offering resources that are advantageous to you.
This includes evaluating service quality, how it resolves what your company needs, whether the supplier is also an energy generator, among many other factors. Before deciding for the cheapest service, thoroughly evaluate the proposals and plans offered.
When analyzing the cost-benefit of an energy supply service, the ideal is to define a priority list of the characteristics you are looking for, using a rating scale or something similar. If guaranteed delivery of the contracted energy within the contract period is much more important than price, for example, its rating value should be higher.
This way, you can place your alternatives side by side on a comparison table and assign a score to each one in relation to each item. This way, it’s easier to see which supplier is the most advantageous to satisfy your needs.
Before partnering and signing the contract, we have one last suggestion: seek references about the energy supplier you are about to establish a relationship. Find out its positioning in the market, who its best-known customers are and what is their level of satisfaction with the service.
If possible, see how it performed in the last energy crises. This way, you will know what to expect if such a scenario repeats itself.
It is very common for companies to maintain the same supplier for years. Even so, this doesn’t mean that they are good or that there aren’t better options out there. It is important to watch for cost optimization opportunities and ensure the best quality service.
In general, some signs show up when it is time to look for other options. Check out the main ones below.
Every contract has pre-defined dates. This is a requirement for a good relationship with the energy supplier, as it is based on this variable that you plan your activities. When these dates are not met or respected, this should serve as a warning signal about the supplier.
Another frequent situation in the energy sector is constant price adjustments to keep up with inflation and the resulting costs of the business activity. It is very important to know whether this is not being done abusively and, most importantly, without advance notice. If you suspect something, check prices charged by the competition and compare them to your consumption range.
It is the energy supplier’s obligation to keep products and services up to date in order to ensure efficiency. This includes everything from infrastructure to the proposal presented for your company.
From time to time, reevaluate whether the service still meets your business needs and analyze innovations that are being implemented in the market to find out if your package is still good.
There’s nothing wrong in looking at what other energy suppliers are offering to see if you are still getting good value for money from your current supplier. This is a good way to know if you are having access to good quality inputs.
If you really see the need to change energy suppliers, it is important to plan this process without it interfering or hindering your company’s activities. You will need to follow some basic steps. Check them out!
Structure a plan with all the steps that must be followed with dates and deadlines. Ideally, this should be done with the energy supplier, so that it can accept and mobilize the teams necessary for this transition process. It is important to do this in advance to ensure there’s enough time to resolve any setbacks.
The next step combines all the tips we shared before, that is, choosing a new supplier, which will require a lot of research and analysis. Do not hesitate to spend time doing this, after all, it is what will ensure good results in the future and avoid a breach of contract during the partnership.
For more than 15 years, Serena has been nurtured by nature’s generosity. Focusing on the customer, Serena offers a fluid experience with digital tools that simplify day-to-day management. With integrated data, investments in cutting-edge technologies and respect for the environment, the company provides real savings to customers.
The energy that is sold comes from the combination of different generation units in the best climatic regions of the Americas, enabling it to offer clean technology and growth to generate a more sustainable reality for everyone. With more than 2,000 MW of energy generated from clean sources, Serena creates real and positive impact.
This allows customers to choose energy that comes from the source, in a simple and hassle-free manner, without the need to install panels or do any maintenance, ensuring clean and more affordable energy.
We work according to a cycle composed of three business fronts combined into a single company. Our Development area is responsible for the projection and implementation of new renewable assets, such as solar, wind and hydro. This work is end-to-end, from the study of locations to the operational delivery of assets.
The Generation area is our investment front in clean energy generation, where we manage, operate and maintain all assets acquired and in operation.
And lastly, the Commercial area is the business unit that focuses on consumers. It develops solutions so customers can advance their business objectives via the purchase of energy through the online sales platform or customized contracts.
Serena’s competitive advantages are clear:
Wish to join other companies that are already saving money and have the peace of mind of contracting clean energy from a reliable supplier? Access the digital platform and calculate your savings. [include link to platform]
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