How to get your half-hourly data and 12 months of electricity bills
Your desktop survey needs two things from your electricity supplier: 12 months of half-hourly consumption data and 12 months of full bills. Here is how to get them, supplier by supplier.
Key takeaways
- Half-hourly data shows when you use power; bills show what you pay. We need both to size your system accurately.
- Send every page of each bill, including standing charges, unit rates, capacity and network charges and the MPAN.
- Most suppliers let you download bills online; half-hourly data usually comes from a portal export or an email request.
- Only the account holder can request data, or we can do it for you with a signed letter of authority.
- Ask early: email requests can take up to two weeks.
Before you start
- Find your MPAN. The 13-digit number on your bill, usually in a box starting with "S". You need one for each meter.
- Check your meter type. A profile class of 00 (the first two digits of the top line) means a half-hourly meter. Smart and AMR meters can usually provide half-hourly data too.
- Check who holds the contract. The account holder, or someone authorised by them, must make the request. If a broker or landlord manages the supply, see below.
- Know what to ask for. "Half-hourly consumption in kWh for the last 12 months, as a CSV or Excel file" plus "PDF copies of all bills for the same period".
Three ways to get half-hourly data
- Your supplier's online portal. Quickest if an export option is shown.
- Email your supplier or account manager. Use the template below.
- Your data collector or meter operator. For half-hourly meters, the appointed data collector (named on some bills or available from your supplier) holds the readings if the supplier cannot help.
Instructions by supplier
Supplier processes and portal names change. Last checked September 2026. If something differs, the supplier's business customer team can always point you to the right place.
British Gas Business
- Log in to your British Gas Business online account and open the account for the site.
- Download PDF copies of the last 12 months of bills from the bills section.
- For half-hourly data, use the energy usage section if it is shown for your meter, or contact your account manager or the business customer service team and ask for a CSV of half-hourly consumption for the MPAN.
Tip: Larger half-hourly accounts usually have a named account manager, who is the fastest route.
EDF (SME and Corporate)
- SME customers: log in to MyAccount for Business and download your bills.
- Corporate and half-hourly customers: ask your account manager or use the EDF business online portal to export half-hourly consumption.
- If no export option is shown, email your account team with the MPAN and the date range.
E.ON Next / E.ON Business
- Log in to your E.ON business online account and download the last 12 months of bills.
- Smart and half-hourly meters may show usage charts; export them if available.
- Otherwise contact E.ON business customer service and request 12 months of half-hourly data as a CSV for each MPAN.
Tip: Former npower business customers are now served by E.ON, so use the E.ON contact routes.
Npower Business Solutions (now E.ON)
- Contracts that used to be with npower are now managed by E.ON.
- Ask your account contact or E.ON business support for bill copies and a half-hourly data export.
- Quote your MPAN and account number to speed things up.
Octopus Energy for Business
- Log in to your Octopus business account and download your bills.
- Smart meter consumption can be viewed in the account and, for many meters, downloaded.
- For a full 12-month half-hourly CSV, email the business support team with the MPAN and date range.
Tip: Octopus also offers API access to smart meter consumption, which technical teams sometimes prefer.
OVO / SSE Business Energy
- Log in to your business account and download 12 months of bills.
- Contact business customer service and ask for a half-hourly consumption export for each MPAN.
- If you were an SSE business customer, your account may now sit with OVO; use the current account details on your latest bill.
ScottishPower Business
- Log in to your business online account for bill copies.
- Request half-hourly data from your account manager or the business customer team.
- Give the MPAN, site address and the 12-month period you need.
TotalEnergies
- Log in to the TotalEnergies online portal, where many customers can download bills and consumption data.
- Look for the consumption or reporting section to export half-hourly data.
- If it is not available there, ask your account manager.
Opus Energy (Drax)
- Log in to your Opus Energy online account and download your bills.
- Contact customer service to request a half-hourly data file for the MPAN.
- Ask for the data in kWh per 30-minute period, as a CSV or Excel file.
Haven Power (Drax)
- Use your Haven Power online account for bill copies.
- Ask your account manager or the customer team for 12 months of half-hourly consumption.
- Multi-site customers can ask for one file covering every MPAN.
SmartestEnergy
- Most SmartestEnergy business customers have a named contact; ask them for bills and half-hourly data.
- Their customer portal may also offer consumption reports.
ENGIE
- Log in to the ENGIE customer portal for bills and consumption reporting.
- Otherwise request a half-hourly export from your account manager.
Crown Gas & Power
- Use your online account for bill copies.
- Email customer services with the MPAN and ask for 12 months of half-hourly data.
Yü Energy
- Download bills from your online account.
- Request half-hourly consumption data from customer services, quoting the MPAN.
Pozitive Energy
- Ask your account manager for bill copies and a half-hourly data export.
Brook Green Supply
- Download bills from the customer portal.
- Request half-hourly data from your account team.
Dual Energy
- Request bill copies and a half-hourly data file from customer services, quoting the MPAN.
Valda Energy
- Use your online account for bills.
- Request half-hourly consumption from customer services.
Supplier not listed? The same request works everywhere: ask business customer services for 12 months of half-hourly kWh data and bill copies, quoting your MPAN.
Email template to send your supplier
Subject: Request for half-hourly consumption data and bill copies - MPAN [your MPAN] Hello, We are the account holder for [business name], [site address], account number [number]. Please could you send us: 1. Half-hourly electricity consumption data (kWh per 30-minute period) for MPAN [MPAN] covering the last 12 months, as a CSV or Excel file. 2. PDF copies of every electricity bill for this site for the same 12 months, including all pages. The data is needed for a commercial solar feasibility study. Please contact me if you need any further authorisation. Kind regards, [Name, job title, phone]
Brokers, landlords and multi-site accounts
- Broker: your broker can often get the data quickly, as they usually hold a letter of authority already.
- Landlord: if the landlord holds the supply, ask them or their managing agent for the data and recharge invoices.
- Multiple sites: ask for one file listing each MPAN, so every site is covered in a single request.
If you can't get everything
Send what you have. We can request the rest for you with a signed letter of authority, and for smaller sites 12 months of bills alone is often enough for an initial estimate.
FAQ
Why do you need half-hourly data as well as bills?
Bills show what you pay and your unit rates. Half-hourly data shows when you use power across the day and year, so the system can be sized to your daytime demand rather than just roof size. Together they give an accurate savings and payback figure.
How do I know if my meter is half-hourly?
Look at the top line of the MPAN on your bill. A profile class of 00 means a half-hourly settled meter. Sites with a smart or AMR meter can usually provide half-hourly data too, even if they are not billed that way.
How long does a supplier take to send the data?
It varies. Portal downloads are instant; email requests usually take a few working days and sometimes up to two weeks. Ask early so your desktop survey is not held up.
Does my supplier charge for the data?
Most suppliers provide consumption data for your own account free of charge. If you are quoted a fee, check with us first, as there may be another route.
What if I have no smart or half-hourly meter?
Send 12 months of full bills and any meter readings you have. We can model your usage from those, although the estimate is less precise than one based on half-hourly data.
Can you request the data for us?
Yes. Sign a letter of authority and we can ask your supplier or broker on your behalf.
Send us your data
Upload your bills and half-hourly file on the contact page, or ask us for a letter of authority.
Read next
Related guides & sector pages
Choosing a commercial solar installer
12-point checklist for shortlisting installers.
Read GuideRoof & structural survey
The pre-construction checks that de-risk your project.
Read GuideAre commercial solar panels worth it?
The 2026 UK business case - payback, IRR and risk.
Read SectorFactories & manufacturing
Match daytime process loads with on-site solar.
ReadRequest your free feasibility review
Share a few details and our team will send a no-obligation review of your site - indicative system size, annual generation, savings and payback. Prefer to explore numbers yourself first? Run the calculator or contact us directly.
- MCS & RECC accredited installer
- Response within one working day
- No cost, no obligation