There's no getting away from it, energy is a big issue.
It's always been important but with oil prices and the return of the nuclear debate, it's become a topic never far from the agenda. Now, with the launch of the Energy Saving Trust's Energy Efficiency Week, the topic has raised its head again.
Although the week is primarily aimed at energy use in the home, there is no escaping that this is also a big issue for businesses too.
Northern Foods, De Vere hotel group and Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries are some of the diverse companies that have recently warned of the impact that rising energy prices will have on their bottom line.
Many have reacted by pointing fingers angrily at energy companies for inflating prices.
The truth is, however, that we have enjoyed many years of cheap energy and, as supplies start to decline, this era is coming to an end.
It's not just a problem of bills. Investors are starting to take stock of the implications of this rise, with powerhungry companies becoming increasingly unattractive investments. High-energy companies will increasingly become high-cost companies.
Now, it is true that some industries doing very necessary work are, by their very nature, larger consumers of energy than others.
But those in the business of promoting energy efficiency are constantly faced with firms that could easily make savings on bills, but just don't do it.
The statistics are eyeopening. Office workers who leave computers on stand-by are costing British industry £123.2 million a year in energy bills, yet in a recent survey by Fujitsu around 37 per cent of office workers admitted to leaving their computers on stand-by when they leave the office.
It is no wonder that those working in the energy efficiency sector often claim that it will take a massive energy crisis to stir the majority of UK businesses into action.
But why is this? Well for many who work in the industry the problem is simple - you can't see energy.
Energy is always there - on tap and on demand. Many of us are unaware how much we use in a day. It is in the background keeping us warm, making our tea, powering security, charging our mobiles, laptops and a host of other electronic goods.
As long as it's there, doing its job we don't actually care that much about it, especially when we're not paying the bills.
This is a big problem for businesses trying to cut energy costs.
If there is no link up between a finance director bewailing the impact of energy prices and an employee leaving their monitor on stand-by over night, you've got to question how things can improve?
Yet all it would take is a small shift in culture, something that many firms have already proved can happen.
Using low energy lighting, opening the blinds and using natural light, turning the heating down by one degree and a host of other simple measures can all make a positive contribution.
It really isn't that hard to make the change. In fact, it's as easy as flicking a switch.
