The trials will bring these existing homes to Octopus ‘Zero Bills’ standard where customers receive no energy bills for at least five years, beginning with a series of trials in Suffolk, where the company is partnering with Suffolk County Council through its £15,000 interest-free Warm Homes Loan.
This covers the upfront costs of installing solar panels and a battery, allowing Suffolk homeowners who already have a heat pump to embrace low-carbon living while unlocking major savings on their energy bills
Octopus is reaching out to local Suffolk customers with homes built since 2015, offering them a chance to join the revolutionary trial and take advantage of the council’s funding. The company estimates 500,000 UK properties built since 2013 could be eligible to be upgraded to a ‘Zero Bills’ home and is aiming to deliver 100,000 ‘Zero Bills’ homes by 2030, having already rolled out the initiative in Germany and New Zealand, as well as the UK.
“Upgrading existing homes is the next step in making energy-bill-free living accessible to more people” said Nigel Banks, Zero Bills Director, Octopus Energy. “Thanks to the innovative approach from Suffolk County Council, local authorities can now play a vital role in bringing sustainable, cost-free energy to householders. By working together, we can help local people eliminate bills, reduce carbon emissions, and create a model for communities across the UK to embrace a greener future.”
Octopus has already accredited well over 1,200 ‘Zero Bills’ homes through contracts with a number of prominent developers. Accredited homes span affordable and private rent, as well as private and shared ownership.
“Suffolk County Council prides itself in bringing pioneering net zero projects to our residents, and we’re excited to be the first local authority working with Octopus Energy on ‘Zero Bills’” said Councillor Philip Faircloth-Mutton, Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Communities and Equality. “We appreciate the role we have as local authority to be able to lead, influence and support local residents in as many ways possible to help reduce both their energy bills and their impact on the environment.”
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