A leading UK energy supplier has launched a trial scheme allowing solar customers to donate excess energy to charities that help people struggling to pay energy bills.
Instead of selling surplus solar energy back to the grid, Octopus Energy customers can now choose to send it to fuel poverty charity, National Energy Action (NEA), or to the company’s own £30m fund for helping customers in need.
Octopus Energy has committed to donating 15p directly to the chosen organisation for every kilowatt-hour gifted by its customers and hopes to incorporate more charities into the scheme going forward.
“Clean energy tech isn’t just for those with cash to invest in it, but it can unlock savings for all, ” said Rebecca Dibb-Simkin, Chief Product Officer at Octopus Energy Group. “It’s not just about building a greener system, but a fairer one too.”
Octopus Energy, the UK’s largest supplier of energy to domestic customers, has also been experimenting with other ways to persuade Brits to ditch fossil fuels and welcome new renewable energy infrastructure.
As of the end of August 2024 there is a total of 17.1 GW of solar capacity in the UK across 1,628,113 installations. This is an increase of 7.4% (1.2 GW) since August 2023.
