Commercial Energy Solutions

What Commercial Energy Solutions does

Commercial Energy Solutions (CES) is a UK-based independent energy broker and utility management consultancy headquartered in Beckenham, serving commercial businesses across multiple sectors including commercial property, data centres and telecoms, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing, and retail. Founded in 2008, the company operates a service-led model built around four interconnected pillars: energy procurement (flexible, fixed, and pooled group buying), utility cost management and invoice validation, revenue recovery from billing errors, and compliance/sustainability advisory covering ESOS, SECR, CCA, EPC, and DEC frameworks. Technology assets include invoice validation software, an online customer portal (Utility Click), bespoke energy data and reporting tools, and a daily market intelligence platform providing live wholesale price access and buying trigger alerts. Water services and metering/new connections round out the core offering.

CES monetizes through a hybrid model: commissions from energy suppliers for securing contracts (leveraging aggregated volume through the CES Group Energy Basket) and professional services fees for bill validation, compliance, and consulting work. Through partner-led delivery, the company has extended into Energy Reduction Solutions encompassing Solar PV, CHP, Voltage Optimisation, Battery Storage, and Air Source Heat Pumps, with Power Purchase Agreement financing partners enabling zero-cash-outlay client deployments and a carbon offset partnership with Creating Tomorrow's Forests. The firm reports over 90% client retention since 2008, indicative of strong relationship economics in a market where supplier-tied brokers are common. The go-to-market is sales-led, driven by website quote requests, direct consultation, content marketing (bi-weekly market reports and industry news), LinkedIn presence, and referrals from existing clients. CES is privately held with no disclosed external funding, acquisitions, or parent company relationships in the available data.

Name

Commercial Energy Solutions

Legal name

Commercial Energy Solutions Ltd

Website

https://cesgb.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Commercial Energy Solutions is a UK-based independent energy broker and utility management consultancy, founded in 2008, that procures energy contracts, validates utility invoices, and delivers compliance and sustainability advisory to commercial businesses across multiple sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Beckenham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Energy Procurement Commission: Commission from energy suppliers for securing commercial contracts. CES offers competitive rates by leveraging volume buying power across their client base.
2. Bill Validation Services: Revenue recovery through identifying billing errors and overcharges. Can deliver significant rebates and savings of 4%-7% of annual utility expenditure.
3. Compliance and Sustainability Services: Services for regulatory compliance including ESOS, SECR, CCA, EPC, DEC assessments and reporting
4. Energy Reduction Solutions: Installation and project management services for renewable energy solutions including Solar PV, CHP, Voltage Optimisation, Battery Storage, Air Source Heat Pumps

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Commercial Energy Solutions (CES) is an independent UK utility broker and energy consultancy that secures competitive energy supply contracts for businesses, validates utility invoices for billing errors, and recovers overcharges from suppliers. The firm additionally advises on energy compliance (ESOS, SECR, CCA, EPC, DEC), delivers utility cost management and market intelligence reporting, and coordinates renewable energy installations such as Solar PV, CHP, voltage optimisation, battery storage, and air source heat pumps.

Product overview

Commercial Energy Solutions (CES) operates as an energy brokerage and consultancy offering a portfolio of interconnected services. At its core is energy procurement (flexible, fixed, and group buying options) paired with utility cost management and invoice validation to manage energy spend. A complementary suite covers compliance (ESOS, SECR, CCA, EPC, DEC), metering and new connections, market intelligence, and energy tools. A dedicated revenue recovery service helps reclaim billing errors. Additionally, through partner-led delivery, CES offers energy reduction solutions including solar PV, CHP, voltage optimisation, battery storage, and air source heat pumps, alongside support for government incentives such as SEG and RHI. The offering is structured as a service-led consultancy model rather than a unified software platform, combining advisory, validation, procurement, and installation services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Energy Procurement Tailored electricity and gas procurement service for UK businesses, offering flexible, fixed, and group-buying (CES Group Energy Basket) contract options to secure competitive supply rates.
• Utility Cost Management Comprehensive management of electricity, gas and water expenses with online access to energy data, management tools, and bespoke reporting for businesses.
• Invoice Validation Detailed, accurate, and speedy validation of utility invoices using advanced software to identify billing errors, overcharges, and discrepancies for UK businesses.
• Revenue Recovery Service to identify and recover historic overcharges and billing errors from energy suppliers, including dispute resolution and processing of refunds on behalf of clients.
• Compliance and Sustainability Advisory Advisory service helping UK businesses meet energy regulations and reporting requirements under ESOS, SECR, CCA, EPC, and DEC frameworks.
• Metering and New Connections Coordination and management of utility meter installations, new connections, and supply upgrade projects for business customers.
• Market Intelligence Daily and weekly energy market reports, live wholesale price data, market tracking charts, and geopolitical and economic supply-demand analysis to support purchasing decisions.
• Energy Tools Online energy management tools and bespoke reports to help businesses understand and target reductions in energy waste and carbon emissions.
• Water Services Water utility management and procurement services for UK businesses.
• Energy Reduction Solutions Bespoke renewable energy and efficiency solutions including Solar PV, combined heat and power (CHP), voltage optimisation, battery storage, and air source heat pumps, delivered through partner installers.
• ESOS Compliance Advisory Compliance advisory for the UK government's ESOS (Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme) mandatory energy assessment scheme.
• SECR Compliance Advisory Advisory services for businesses required to report on energy use and carbon emissions under SECR (Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting) regulations.
• CCA Advisory Support and advisory services for businesses participating in the UK government's Climate Change Agreement (CCA) scheme.
• EPC Advisory Advisory relating to Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) required for buildings.
• DEC Advisory Advisory relating to Display Energy Certificates (DEC) for public buildings.
• Flexible Energy Procurement Energy procurement option allowing businesses to take advantage of market fluctuations and buy energy at favourable times.
• Fixed Energy Procurement Energy procurement option providing price certainty by locking in energy rates for a defined contract period.
• CES Group Energy Basket Collective energy buying group that aggregates demand across multiple clients to secure more competitive energy rates.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4%-7% of annual utility expenditure saved through bill validation and revenue recovery
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Renewable Energy Installation PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with specialist renewable energy installers for delivering Solar PV, CHP, Voltage Optimisation, Battery Storage, and Air Source Heat Pump installations. Partners provide project management from inception to completion with seamlessly integrated designs and efficient installations.
• Creating Tomorrow's ForestsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarbon offset partnership where emissions from renewable energy installations are offset via tree planting through this environmental initiative.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Utility Aid: UK-based energy broker and consultancy focused on the charity, not-for-profit, education, and public sectors. Comparable to CES in independent advisory positioning, bill validation services, and energy procurement offerings, though concentrated in the third sector.
• Indigo Swan: UK-based independent business energy broker and consultancy offering procurement, bill validation, and energy management services to SMEs and enterprises. Highly comparable to CES in service portfolio, customer segments, and commission-based revenue model.
• Carbon Trust: UK-based advisory organisation helping businesses reduce carbon emissions and comply with energy regulations including ESOS, SECR, and CCA. Comparable to CES's compliance and sustainability advisory offering, though with a stronger focus on carbon strategy than procurement.
• Switch (Love Energy Savings): UK business energy price comparison and broker platform helping SMEs and commercial customers switch energy suppliers. Operates a similar independent broker model targeting the same customer verticals as CES, including multi-site commercial clients.
• Ylem Energy: UK energy management consultancy providing procurement, bill validation, and carbon reduction services to commercial customers. Highly comparable to CES in service mix, customer base, and independent broker positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Opus Energy: Major UK business energy supplier (now part of the Drax group) supplying electricity and gas to SMEs and commercial customers. Overlaps with CES in serving similar end customers with energy supply and procurement services, but operates as a licensed supplier rather than an independent broker.
• EDF Energy Business: Major UK business energy supplier and one of the Big Six, serving commercial and industrial customers with electricity, gas, and energy services. Comparable in target market and energy management services but operates as a vertically integrated utility rather than an independent advisor.
• ENGIE UK: Global energy services company with significant UK operations providing energy supply, energy management, and decarbonisation services to commercial and public sector customers. Comparable to CES in energy reduction solutions and energy management, but at much larger scale with a broader portfolio.
• E.ON Next Business: Major UK business energy supplier offering electricity, gas, and sustainability solutions to SMEs and large commercial customers. Overlaps with CES in serving similar verticals and offering energy management services, but as a licensed supplier with direct customer relationships.
• British Gas Business: Largest UK business energy supplier offering electricity, gas, and energy management services to commercial customers. Competes with CES for the same end customers but offers supply as a licensed utility with bundled energy management tools rather than independent brokerage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/commercial-energy-solutions-ces-

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Commercial Energy Solutions