Through Drax’s Electric Assets service, Sundown Products has unlocked £35,000 in annual savings and greater energy flexibility, proving sustainability and efficiency can go hand in hand.
A smarter approach to energy
As the UK moves toward net zero, the role of flexibility in the electricity system has never been more important. With renewable generation increasing, the grid faces new challenges, particularly around supply and demand balance. Businesses that can adapt their operations to respond to this variability are not only supporting decarbonisation but also unlocking new financial value.
That’s exactly what Sundown Products, an agricultural manufacturer based in Cambridgeshire, has achieved through its partnership with Drax. The company, which produces premium animal bedding and feed and holds a Royal Warrant, has been a Drax (formerly Haven Power) customer for almost a decade. Now, with support from Drax’s Electric Assets team, it’s saving around £35,000 a year through energy flexibility.
“Drax is helping its customers optimise their energy use by delivering fixed, risk-free savings,” says Adam Hall, Energy Services Director at Drax. “Flexibility supports decarbonisation while creating tangible financial benefits, it’s a win-win for UK industry.”
Identifying opportunity through data
The journey began with a detailed operational review. Drax’s Electric Assets team worked with Sundown Products to analyse half-hourly electricity data and understand how its processes aligned with energy market fluctuations.
By collaborating with site engineers and understanding production constraints, Drax identified opportunities where Sundown’s operations could become more flexible without affecting output or quality.
“We like booking our contracts long-term, and Drax has always offered competitive rates,” says David Cubitt, Managing Director at Sundown Products. “When they introduced us to their Electric Assets team, we were interested to see what extra value we could find. We’ve been delighted with the results.”
Using its proprietary optimisation model, Drax was able to guarantee an annual saving up front, removing financial risk for Sundown. The model combines wholesale trading, cost avoidance, and system stability benefits into a single, easy-to-manage agreement.
Delivering guaranteed value
Flexibility allows businesses to adapt electricity consumption in response to changes in grid demand or market prices. In simple terms, this might mean adjusting the timing of certain energy-intensive processes to take advantage of cheaper, greener electricity when it’s available.
Drax’s Electric Assets service makes this seamless. It commits to a pre-defined annual “flexibility value”, giving customers a fixed discount on their electricity costs without the need for complex reconciliation or risk exposure.
“Demand flexibility will help shape the future of the energy network,” says Jake Miller, Head of Electric Assets at Drax. “As renewable penetration increases, flexibility provides resilience to the grid and valuable opportunities for our customers.”
For Sundown Products, this approach has proven transformative. By adapting its production schedules to align with energy availability, the business not only saves money but also helps balance the UK’s energy system.
“We’re a seasonal business,” explains David Cubitt. “If we can turn down in the winter and work longer in the summer when energy is cheaper and more available, that’s a big advantage. The optimisation, combined with 100% renewable electricity, is a significant benefit to us.”
Partnership in practice
The success of this collaboration also reflects the power of partnership. Working closely with Brownlow Utilities, Sundown Products’ energy consultant, Drax ensured the transition was smooth and fully aligned with the company’s existing contracts.
Brownlow Utilities carried out additional audits to help Sundown further reduce costs, including minimising exposure to the Climate Change Levy (CCL) a non-commodity charge on electricity.
“We’re delighted to work alongside Drax,” says Stephen Cross, Operations Director at Brownlow Utilities. “Together we’ve helped Sundown realise significant savings. Drax’s professional, partnership-based approach makes it easy for customers to get more value from their energy portfolio.”
Flexibility for a renewable future
The UK’s rapid decarbonisation has brought both opportunities and new challenges. While renewable generation reduces emissions, its intermittent nature increases volatility in the energy market. This makes flexible demand, the ability to reduce or shift usage is an essential part of maintaining grid stability.
Through Drax’s integrated flexibility offering, businesses like Sundown Products can participate in this evolving energy landscape without additional complexity. Drax manages everything from energy trading and demand-side response participation to cost avoidance and reporting while providing a clear, unified view of the savings achieved.
By enabling industrial customers to act as partners in the energy transition, Drax is helping to create a more efficient, resilient, and sustainable electricity system for the UK.
Looking ahead
For Sundown Products, flexibility is now a core part of its energy strategy not just a cost-saving measure. The business plans to build on its success by exploring further optimisation opportunities and continuing its close collaboration with Drax.
“We feel good about supporting the grid when it’s needed,” Cubitt adds. “It’s the right thing to do for our business, our customers, and the environment.”
With guaranteed annual savings and a clear path toward decarbonisation, Sundown Products’ story demonstrates how flexibility isn’t just a technical concept it’s a practical solution delivering real value today.
To discover how Drax can help your organisation unlock guaranteed savings through energy flexibility, visit https://energy.drax.com/decarbonise/
Adam Hall, Energy Services Director at Drax
Adam Hall leads Drax’s Energy Services team, helping UK businesses decarbonise and cut costs through renewable and flexible energy solutions.
For more articles like this, visit our Sustainability channel.
