A government scheme that offers up-front loans to encourage people to install energy efficiency measures could be a prime business opportunity for small to medium sized businesses (SMEs).

The Green Deal scheme has been focused on householders but Ernst & Young predicts that there is an untapped market around savings on business deals.

In their report, commissioned by British Gas Business, the consultants estimate that a 10% take up in the Green Deal from non-domestic users, such as SMEs, could generate business of up to £800million a year by 2020.

Bill Easton, a Director in Ernst & Young’s Power & Utilities team said: “The success of this policy will depend on government adopting a consciously ‘business-centric’ mindset in developing the necessary policy details.”