As businesses expand across multiple sites, energy contracts can quickly become fragmented, with different locations operating under different retailers, contract terms, and renewal dates. Without a coordinated strategy, businesses may miss opportunities to leverage their collective buying power and secure more competitive energy rates and contract terms.

One often-overlooked aspect of multi-site energy procurement is site aggregation. By bringing multiple sites together under a coordinated procurement strategy, businesses can strengthen their position in the market and improve commercial outcomes.

Many businesses establish new sites as they grow, often accepting the energy arrangements available at the time. Over several years, this can result in a portfolio of sites spread across multiple retailers and contract structures.

By aggregating sites under a single procurement strategy, businesses can often:

• Increase their overall purchasing power
• Simplify contract management and administration
• Align contract terms and renewal dates
• Improve visibility across their energy portfolio
• Access more competitive retailer pricing and commercial terms

Rather than viewing each site individually, retailers can assess the combined energy consumption of the portfolio, which may create opportunities for stronger commercial outcomes.

When a business opens a new location, relocates premises, or acquires an existing site, there is often an opportunity to review how that site fits within its broader energy portfolio.

A roll-in involves incorporating a new site into an existing energy agreement or procurement strategy, rather than allowing it to remain on separate arrangements. When procuring energy as a multi-site organisation, roll-ins are critical in optimising business growth.

This can provide several advantages:

• Consistent pricing structures across the portfolio
• Reduced administrative burden
• Improved forecasting and budgeting
• Greater flexibility when approaching the market in future tender processes

For growing organisations, each new site represents more than additional energy consumption. It can also strengthen the organisation’s overall position when negotiating with retailers.

A Recent Multi-Site Energy Procurement Case Study

Edge Utilities recently assisted a growing multi-site hospitality group that operated several venues and was preparing to open a new location. Like many expanding businesses, its electricity and gas contracts had been established at different times and across different sites. With our Free Energy Savings Audit, we identified an opportunity to bring the portfolio together, roll the new venue into the broader energy arrangements, and leverage the group’s combined energy consumption when approaching the market.

By reviewing the group’s portfolio as a whole, consolidating sites under a more strategic procurement approach, and engaging the market competitively, we were able to:

• Deliver annual savings of approximately $22,000
• Reduce energy costs by 25%
• Simplify energy management across the portfolio
• Secure a more competitive commercial outcome for the business

Importantly, the result wasn’t driven solely by finding a lower rate. It was achieved through a portfolio-wide approach that recognised the value of the group’s combined energy footprint.

Don’t Let Growth Create Inefficiencies

As businesses expand, energy arrangements are rarely top of mind. Whilst new sites need to be connected quickly, existing contracts often continue unchanged in the background.

Over time, however, this can lead to missed opportunities.

Businesses that regularly review their energy portfolio, particularly following the addition of new sites, are often better positioned to secure competitive pricing, streamline administration, and ensure their procurement strategy continues to support their growth objectives.

Is It Time to Review Your Portfolio?

If your business has opened new locations, is in the process of acquiring additional sites, or simply hasn’t reviewed its energy arrangements in the last 12 months, now may be the right time to assess whether your current strategy is still delivering value.

A structured market review can help identify whether opportunities exist to aggregate sites, roll new locations into existing arrangements, and improve outcomes across your entire portfolio.

Growth doesn’t just create additional energy demand and operational expenses. 

It can also create opportunities to increase buying power, simplify energy management, and secure stronger commercial outcomes for the business as a whole.

Learn how our Free Energy Savings Audit can identify opportunities across your entire energy portfolio, and read more client success stories.