Procure Smart were represented at the Energy Consultants Association (ECA) AGM last week in Manchester.
As founding members of the ECA, we believe it is imperative that energy intermediaries have a voice whilst the sector continues to evolve to meet the needs of UK businesses and consumers.
Liam Groves, Head of Operations, represented the business at the event, which featured panels with senior supplier officials, leading Third Party Intermediaries (TPIs) and other sector players.
One of the hot topics of the event was around the further regulation currently being proposed within the industry, in the form of the TPI code of practice, which will introduce additional areas of best practice for TPIs operating in the UK energy sector.
Liam said: “It is imperative that TPIs take responsibility for ensuring their operations are compliant.
“It was reassuring for us that, should further regulation be introduced, we are well positioned with our current processes and policies to incorporate the proposed changes within the TPI code of practice.
“We have the advantage of having created our methods of working relatively recently. We were able to start from a position of modern best practice and engaging with the ECA has been invaluable in making Procure Smart future-proof in this regard.
“There will be tweaks needed, but no wholesale change will be required for us. There have been several rules introduced in recent years which protect businesses, but it is important that these principles are applied across the sector, not just with TPIs.”
Senior executives from suppliers including Smartest Energy, SSE, Yorkshire Gas and Power and Yu Energy were present at the AGM and discussed how to increase collaboration with the TPI sector for the benefit of businesses.
The ECA also outlined a programme of engagement with energy regulator Ofgem.
Liam continued: “It is encouraging to see that the ECA have managed to engage regularly with Ofgem. TPIs are a valuable source of intelligence for them and I’m sure they can learn plenty about the inner workings of the sector if they take a collaborative approach.
“We will continue to support the ECA and Ofgem to deliver a fairer business energy market for all.”
