Drax has reached agreement for the sale of up to 90,000 Small & Medium-sized (SME) customer meter points from Opus Energy Group Limited (Opus) to EDF Energy Customers Limited.

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Earlier this year, North Tyneside-based Business Energy Claims (BEC) hit the headlines after helping recover more than £14,000 for a small amusement arcade business after energy provider Engie was found liable for failing to disclose the commission a broker was making from the contract.

The groundbreaking ruling against Engie opened the floodgates for further claims from businesses which have found themselves in a similar position – but this appears to be just the tip of the iceberg.

The mis-selling of energy contracts scandal appears to be far more than just a problem with unscrupulous brokers. Instead, it’s a multi-faceted issue, according to Callum Thompson, the managing director at BEC and Energy Solicitors (ESL).

ESL is a dedicated law firm which works in partnership with sister organisation Business Energy Claims (BEC) to support businesses affected by mis-sold energy contracts.

As the only company with specialist business energy consultancy knowledge, ESL’s  experienced team has an unrivalled level of expertise and specialises specifically in energy-related disputes.

Thompson is concerned that many people still won’t know they could have a claim, and he and his colleagues are on a mission to ensure businesses that have experienced any kind of unscrupulous behaviour from intermediaries or commercial energy suppliers get the opportunity to redress the situation.

“The business energy landscape can be quite complex, or certainly it is often made that way for the customer so they struggle to understand exactly what they are paying for,” Thompson said. “This can lead to things such as mis-selling and overcharging for instance.

“This whole thing is a huge minefield and every day we are hearing from people who’ve been heavily impacted and more often than not don’t realise it’s happened.

“Business owners may not have the time or knowledge to fully understand the energy industry and many could face issues that might impact their business, whether that be undisclosed commission, being pursued by brokers for lost commission, energy overcharging and the threat of data breaches.”

So what pitfalls should small businesses owners be looking for?

Recently the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) announced how businesses will soon have access to free support to resolve issues with energy contracts as part of government and Ofgem changes to tackle hidden fees, issues and mis-sold services.

Thompson, however, points out this is by no means a panacea. “While I think everyone welcomed this move, there is still a massive group of businesses who won’t fit the bill to benefit from this,” he said.

“There are a number of people who won’t be able to use this service (based on historic cases) which means there’s a gap there which isn’t being addressed – that’s where we can step in.”

Another big issue centres around protection of sensitive data. Following a rise in the number of energy suppliers and brokers going bust in recent years, there has been an increase in data breaches.

“When this happened, we saw a lot of people being automatically switched to different suppliers which has, in some circumstances, led to some data breaches, ” said Thompson.

“We’re certainly seeing more calls for us to step in to help defend these data breach claims at the moment and it’s something that is potentially very frightening for people.

“Nobody wants to imagine their data has fallen into the wrong hands and it can lead to all kinds of problems so it’s something we find a lot of people are, quite rightfully, very concerned about.”

The BEC team has also noted a lot more enquiries about revenue recovery over the last 12 months.

This is a process of energy firms pursuing businesses for alleged lost revenue, representing the sum of commission they say that they would have earned for contracts that were due to go live, but subsequently didn’t.

It’s something which has risen in prominence particularly over the last 12 months, as Thompson explained: “Sometimes energy contracts won’t go as initially planned or often someone doesn’t take up a contract which a broker has recommended and that can result in a broker calling in a debt resolution service to recover the money they think they’re owed.

“There are many other reasons why these kinds of disputes can arise but they can have a detrimental impact on the person or business involved. A key area of concern for us is that we have a growing number of businesses being pursued by brokers for lost commissions.”

Additionally, high pressure sales tactics continue to come under fire, as many businesses continue to fall victim.

“Customers feeling like they’ve pushed into an agreement is a recurring theme. Typically, smaller businesses will have someone looking after their energy but often, due to the pressure on them to secure the best deal, they can be pushed down a certain route when they don’t have all the correct information to hand.

“We see so many examples of people being pressured into a contract that may not be the best one for them.

“There are many other areas where we have been able to help clients, things like threats of disconnection and other areas including mis-selling or misrepresentation.

“There are many pitfalls and issues that can affect small businesses, so it’s vital to know your rights and what you could be entitled to if you have, or believe you may have, been mis-sold or misrepresented in your energy contract.

“We have helped hundreds of businesses across the country win compensation. We offer a no win no fee structure because we understand the challenging environment many smaller and medium businesses find themselves in. Energy and other bills are high enough for businesses already struggling, without the added challenge of being overcharged or mis-sold.

“It’s really simple to access our support on https://businessenergyclaims.co.uk/ or https://energysolicitors.co.uk/ .

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Working with Lewes-based prize-winning co-operative Community Energy South (CES), the money from UK Power Networks will help as many as 20 community organisations & charities with grants of at least £50,000 in support of bill-payers in peril of falling behind in the nation’s transition to Net Zero.

UKPN believes energy groups including co-operatives play a key role in supporting vulnerable customers. This work will put boots on the ground, helping pay for local jobs for local people, towards a goal of reaching 20,000 people and conducting over 1,200 in-person home visits.

An award-winning not-for-profit consultancy providing mentoring to speed growth in the community energy sector, Community Energy South (CES) has been awarded funds to enlist and support the participating groups in delivering the work. This partnership will be crucial in ensuring the right support is established in the right places across London, the East and South East of England.

Six community energy groups are already on board and working on plans to recruit and expand their energy advice services. More groups will be coming online for the second phase starting in September.

Suleman Alli, UKPN’s director of finance & customer service, said: “We’re extremely proud to be able to support the impactful work of community energy groups across the areas we serve. We hope this funding boost will make a meaningful difference to those in our community and provide our customers with support and guidance to ensure no one is left behind in the transition to Net Zero.”

CES will provide fully funded bespoke training for new recruits to become ‘energy champions’, now a sought-after career opportunity within the community energy sector.

One energy champion already working in the area said: “I enjoy visiting homes and meeting people and being able to help them with ideas on how they can improve their home and spend less money – and help the environment too. It’s a win win! The training gave me the knowledge and confidence to be able to go out to people’s homes and talk to them about saving energy. The support from the leaders and wider group has been brilliant for when something different crops up.”

CES chief executive Ollie Pendered said: “This is a groundbreaking moment for the community energy sector.

“The intrinsic value of all the hard work by thousands of volunteers across the country has been recognised, and through this campaign up to 20 community energy groups will have the opportunity to receive funding to create local job opportunities and deliver their energy saving campaigns within their communities. This is an extraordinary development and one we thank UK Power Networks for enabling.”

CES has previously worked with UKPN on their Energy Smart Communities  social venture, enabling infrastructure development to leave a lasting legacy which builds more resilient communities.

With a showcase project in the capital’s Leicester Square theatreland, Energy Smart Communities looks at innovative ways to develop community energy projects, raises awareness and provides support for those in fuel poverty and improves knowledge and skills in sustainable living through educational programmes with partners.

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Backed by investment group Eurazeo, the seven year old start-up operates services including microgrid trading of clean power generated on office campuses & industrial estates up and down the country.  Linking generating commercial tenants to consuming companies in neighbouring or adjacent premises is a key offering.

UrbanChain’s founders Somayeh Taheri and Mo Hajhashem, pictured, described the licence grant as a major milestone. It permits UC Energy Ltd to supply to non-domestic premises, elevating the quality of its product array offering to customers, while ensuring more control for its generator clients.

The two originators met at Manchester University and launched Urban Chain in 2017. It is based on the city’s Science Park.

Chief operating officer Mo said: “Obtaining our electricity supply licence from Ofgem ranks extremely high, as you have to pass a very rigorous due diligence process. It’s a major turning point for us.”

“This step will enable us to step up our ability to offer customers a real traceable choice of energy and advance UrbanChain’s plans for granular ESG ( – environmental, societal & governance  – ) tracking.”

UrbanChain’s deeptech platform for peer-to-peer energy exchange uses integrated smart contracts and machine learning to match generators of renewable energy and consumers on a half hourly basis – resulting in secure energy prices and secure physical flows for energy generators.

Local government organisations, companies from across the private sector, generators of renewable energy, energy suppliers and domestic households all trade within the regulated platform.

Two months ago, the company allied with business supplier Equans & Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council to create a virtual power plant (VPP) across council-owned buildings & homes on the West Midlands authority’s Brockmoor estate.

Reacting to Ofgem’s licence grant, the recipient’s portfolio director Garry Pickering explained:

“With UrbanChain now an official energy supplier, it ensures we have full control of our peer-to-peer matching process which enables greater security for generators of renewable energy.

“We will also have clearer transparency on data flows and it will allow us to roll out a new suite of products, ensuring generators have true choice in where their generation goes.”

UrbanChain employs 30 people. This month it revealed it is gearing up for a Series B funding round push towards the end of this year.

It follows last year’s successful raising of £5.25 million, led by Eurazeo.  Further backing comes at present from the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero and Innovate UK.

Somayeh Taheri, UrbanChain CEO, said: “We started UrbanChain with a mission to alleviate fuel poverty and to fix a broken inefficient energy market model.

“Our social responsibility values haven’t wavered and we see ourselves as more than a platform or an energy exchange, our role is to create communities.

“Renewable energy is not just for the well off and we are tackling this. Our goal is to connect as many generators as possible to their regional communities and local businesses.

“Peer-to-peer energy exchange is a choice in itself and if we can help all parts of society become renewable prosumers then we are succeeding in our core missions.”

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The duo are seeking to deepen their 25 year relationship around the compound of nitrogen & hydrogen.

Global demand for ammonia is estimated to grow to more than 600 million metric tonnes by 2050 due in part to its greater ease of storage and transport when compared with pure hydrogen.  Operators of industrial processes, plus power generators and shipping lines are looking with increased interest at the compound.  Its low carbon variant is predicted to meet two-thirds of ammonia demand by mid-century, implying an estimated market size for low carbon ammonia of over $200 billion then.

Johnson Matthey reckons its patented LCH^TM technology captures as much as 99% of the CO2 released in producing ammonia.  Combined with JM’s autothermal reformer, or in conjunction with JM’s gas heated reformer, the LCH method has been selected for early and prestigious blue hydrogen projects such as BP’s 700-megawatt H2Teesside hydrogen plant, and the 600-megawatt H2H Saltend project undertaken with Equinor and German company Linde.

Thyssenkrupp Uhde brings to the partnership its unique uhde^® dual pressure technology.

The firm’s heritage includes licensing, engineering or building more than 130 ammonia plants worldwide since 1928. It says it leads the market in bigger plants, those producing more than 3,000 tonnes per day.

For Johnson Matthey, its managing director of CT licensing Alberto Giovanzana said: “We know multiple routes are needed in the energy transition. Ammonia provides several options because it can be used directly in power and shipping industries, and as a hydrogen carrier to safely transport hydrogen to areas it is not easy to produce.

“Combining our expertise and over two decades worth of partnership with thyssenkrupp Uhde, we are excited to offer this technology which will allow our customers to produce ammonia with significantly lower CO2 emissions.”

Thyssenkrupp Uhde’s chief operating officer Lucretia Löscher said: “We are committed to our purpose, ‘we create a livable planet’. With this strong partnership we further broaden our portfolio of climate-friendly solutions and can help our customers even better to reach their sustainability goals.”

The post Johnson Matthey & Thyssenkrupp pledge to advance blue ammonia appeared first on theenergyst.com.

Get it right and it can be an amazing success, but get it wrong and it can be a catastrophe.

For all the developments within the PPA market, getting the clarity and independent expertise needed to operate effectively hasn’t kept pace.  Finding relevant, real-life commercial support and knowledge from unbiased, trusted, independent advisors, that have actually used PPA contracts and fully understand their pro’s and con’s has been tricky to find. This is leaving many companies in a confused state about what is the best path to take.

To fill the gap, Cielo Energy, built on 30 years of front-line electricity market experience, has created a series of on-line, easy to access and simple to understand courses on PPA contracts. The online curriculum is built to provide focussed training covering the real-world commercial realities of PPA contracts, delivering clear knowledge in an easy to understand, digestible format.

Stuart Lloyd-Evans, Managing Director of Cielo Energy says, “I was involved in my first PPA contract in the late 1990’s and have stayed close to the market ever since.  PPA contracts can be fantastic if used properly, but the key to long term success is really understanding what you’re getting into up front, and being able to ask the right questions. We take an awful lot of calls from companies, who need simple, basic, straight forward commercial assistance with PPA’s. This is why we have created the online PPA training courses.  Available at your convenience, for buyers and sellers, making sure this potentially complex subject is covered in a straight forward real-world way.”

The Cielo PPA Courses cover a short, but information packed, ‘Executive Summary’ Course for those looking to really accelerate their knowledge quickly.  Aimed at senior leaders and new entrants to provide an effective introduction to the PPA marketplace.

There is also a longer more in-depth ‘Effective Implementation’ Course covering the commercial realities for buyers and sellers – aimed at those using or thinking about using PPA contracts themselves, or are party to clients using them.  Typically appropriate for, advisors, analysts, investors and academics, investors, lawyers, and renewable energy companies.

On completion, included in each course is a free 1:1, 30-minute consultation with one of the Cielo experts, allowing you to focus on any specific questions you have, relevant to you and your business.

Naturally, Cielo are well placed to handle any PPA Agreements for you, if that’s your preference. The key thing to remember that as an Independent Advisor, Cielo Energy has your best interests at heart.

Visit Cielo Energy or get in touch to see how we can help make your decarbonisation journey a long-term success, or contact us via email.

The post PPA contracts: Getting the knowledge you need, when you need it appeared first on theenergyst.com.

Lack of policy-focused leadership and financial constraints are both holding back this major part of the economy – estimated to represent half of the UK’s business emissions  – from pursuing green growth.

Last month, Small Business Britain polled more than 2,000 SMEs – small to medium enterprises –  to examine their sustainability efforts, requirements, ambitions, and prospects.

Four in five business owners want to improve their sustainability, the survey found. Almost one in four view ‘going green’ as a growth opportunity.

Yet the survey – analysed by Oxford Brookes Business School – found almost two thirds (64%) want greater support to make sustainability improvements. Two fifths – 41% – feel lack of finance is a substantial barrier to action.

Over three quarters – 77% – of SME owners say they have already taken steps to make sustainable changes. But only 20% feel their action is significant, indicating a gap between the level of change needed and current progress.

The parties’ ‘Small Business, Green Growth’ report calls for greater leadership across government and the private sector, particularly around providing access to finance, if Britain’s employment and commercial backbone is to reach its full potential in sustainable growth, and achieve Net Zero by 2050.

Recent economic pressures – from the cost-of-living crisis to recession – are clear factors behind 34% of business owners feeling restricted in their efforts to reduce emissions. 65% want more grants to be made available.

Despite this, 25% of small businesses recognise the financial benefits and business opportunity of going green. The trend is most visible among younger start-ups. With customer and supply chain demands growing, as sustainability increasingly becomes seen as a critical issue, small businesses are also being driven by their own personal values.

Wilmer Carcamo, co-founder, Caribe Coffee Co. said: “As a small business, we prioritise sustainability as our customers expect that from us, and it’s the right thing to do. We use compostable packaging for all our coffee bags, donate our coffee sacks to a reuse and recycle community project, and would love to invest in an electric van and go further – but finances are a barrier.

“We see the desire to do more in the small business community but people are limited and need more support – while sustainable practices can unlock cost savings, this needs to be more affordable.”

“There are mounting concerns about climate change and the transition businesses and society need to make in the coming years,” said Michelle Ovens CBE, founder of Small Business Britain.

“Our research clearly shows that small business owners overwhelmingly want to go greener – driven by their own ethics as well as growing consumer expectations and supply chain demands. However, the path they need to take is not clear at all. We need more leadership and ambition – across society, the private sector and with Government – to engage and educate this vital part of the economy and to find innovative solutions for the major challenges businesses now face, particularly around financing greener growth.”

Recognising the need for enhanced practical support, Small Business Britain and BT also today launched applications for a new free, six-week ‘Sustainability for Small Business’ training programme to empower small businesses across the UK to better understand their environmental impact and embrace more sustainable practices and opportunities for change.

Delivered entirely online, with over 1000 places for small businesses available, it will focus on key sustainability topics such as measurement, accreditation, and financing.

“The commitment to sustainability among small businesses in the UK is growing, but there are challenges that still need addressing,” said Chris Sims, Managing Director, Small and Medium Business at BT.

“BT has already supported more than 1 million small businesses with digital skills support, but we are determined to help even more, which is why we are launching these new initiatives. They are designed to provide enhanced practical support to the UK’s entrepreneurs, so they can cut their CO2 emissions, implement lasting sustainability principles into the core of their businesses, and drive forward the UK’s net zero agenda in a manageable way.”

Read the report here.

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Originally developed by Shell Oil, Stanlow at Ellesmere Port in Cheshire began in 1924 – pictured – as a production site for bitumen, also blending and cleaning imported crude oil. It is now among the UK’s largest and most complex refineries, processing 10 million tonnes of crude each year.

Following its purchase in 2011 by Essar Oil UK, since re-branded as EET Fuels Ltd, Stanlow has received major investment, advancing the owners’ ambitions to make it the world’s first low carbon refinery, and among the globe’s biggest hubs for steam-cleaning fossil fuels into “blue” hydrogen.

EET Fuels, controlled by billionaire brothers Prashant and Ravi Ruia, today announced its non-specific intention for forthcoming events in celebration, including donations to charities community groups. Details will be released in coming weeks.

EET chairman Prashant Ruia commented: “For a century, Stanlow has kept Britain moving.

“We are immensely proud of the refinery’s heritage and its unwavering commitment to supplying high-quality products and fuels safely and reliably. We want to recognise the thousands of colleagues who made this happen.

“The Stanlow story is only just beginning. The massive transition strategy we are implementing, with the ambition of making Stanlow the world’s first low carbon refinery, as well as the UK’s leading producer of hydrogen as part of the HyNet consortium, is set to re-position Stanlow and the North West of England for the next 100 years and beyond.”

Manufacturing has taken place at Stanlow since 1924, first of bitumen and specialist solvents. Aviation spirit was added to the output during World War 2.

Recognising the importance of refineries closer to customer markets, Shell in 1949 began a three-year build programme to create a fully-fledged crude oil refinery.

Essar Group acquired Stanlow in 2011, and has since invested a claimed $1 billion on improvements.

Now employing more than 700 people directly and the same total again in its local supply chain, Stanlow remains a prominent supplier to the North West’s major fuel retailers, to Manchester Airport and leading commercial airlines, and to  the region’s trains and buses.

Through HyNet and other initiatives, EET Fuels is investing $1.2 billion over the next five years to decarbonise its operations. It aims for a 95% cut in carbon emissions by 2030 through energy efficiency, carbon capture and fuel switching.  If achieved, that figure will deliver a 12.5% reduction the North West’s overall carbon emissions.

In February 2023, Essar announced a new entity Essar Energy Transition (EET) would position Stanlow as a leading hub for energy transition in the North West.  EET plans to invest US$3 billion in developing a range of low carbon energy transition projects across the site before 2029.

They include state-of-the-art ventures in industrial Carbon Capture and Hydrogen Fuel Switching, to be achieved this decade.

The Stanlow site is also home to EET Hydrogen, founded in 2022 under the name Vertex Hydrogen. EET bills the offshoot as the UK’s leading hydrogen production project. It is developing 1GW of blue hydrogen for the UK market, with follow-on capacity set to reach 3.8 GW.

More on Stanlow’s centenary here.

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The star quintet showed outstanding promise among participants in the DNO’s ‘Power Among Us’ programme. They now receive apprenticeships in craft roles related to the capital’s power grid.

The ‘Power Among Us’ programme saw UK Power Networks reaching out for the first time to various youth groups across the capital, to offer work experience for young people from communities so far under-represented in the energy industry.

The initiative was inspired by the UK’s cost-of-living crisis, where significant levels of unemployment are being experienced in London. Opportunities were given to nine individuals not in employment, education or training (aka ‘NEETs’).

Participants spent two weeks in UKPN’s offices where they developed soft skills in communication and interaction with colleagues, at the same time growing to understand how the UKPN operates.

The second half of the programme saw them go out with trained engineers to see first-hand how the power network is maintained.

UK Power Networks aimed to provide interns with employability skills that can be transferred into a variety of industry sectors.  The enterprise has judged  ‘Power Among Us’ first cohort to be a success, with every intern displaying skill and determination to learn about the industry.

The regional netco, a Top 50 Inclusive Employer, has made been at pains to give opportunities to youngsters who have traditionally not considered or had difficulty in accessing careers in electrical engineering. It plans to expand the initiative to the South East and East, after the programme’s success.

UKPN’s outreach and development specialist Natasha Paramasamy was among the initiative’s leaders. “The progress and growing maturity observed in our interns are commendable, “ she noted.

“They have dedicated themselves wholeheartedly, embracing an open mindset throughout the programme. The presentations they delivered at its end reflect the positive influence it has had on their personal and professional development.”

UKPN’s director of network operations Patrick Clarke began his career as an apprentice. He added:

“I think the industry has got some way to go. It’s still not seen as an attractive industry to some young people, and certainly not to young people from diverse backgrounds.

“To make this change, fishing in many different pools is essential, so when we cast our nets there will be interest from all types of people – because the best candidates come from every part of society”.

Kamron Nicely is one of the chosen five.  “The skills that I’ve developed is learning the difference between an electrician and an electrical engineer”, he said.

“If I wasn’t offered this opportunity, I would be doing voluntary work for an electrician, which is what I was doing before this. I would say this will have a good impact on my life and change my life because hopefully, I can get to a place where I want to be.

‌”It’s going to improve my future”, Kamron added, “by giving me the experience to come across business people, working class people and build networks in the future. I’m ready to start at UK Power Networks right away to be honest. They’re saying May or September, but hopefully it will be May”.

The post Star interns celebrate UKPN’s offer of full-time roles appeared first on theenergyst.com.

Here are our top five need-to-know topics for businesses this quarter writes Michael Byrne, Head of Marketing and Insight at npower Business Solutions

A mixed report for the Government

While the Spring Budget failed to deliver the level of certainty and support many businesses were hoping for, it did include some positive announcements, including a commitment to investing in future nuclear capacity, as well as £1 billion committed to the Contracts for Difference (CfD) auction held in March. There was also good news for businesses around full expensing, which may help with future sustainability investments.

However, a poll of participants at our recent Energy Insight webinar – which is now available on demand – suggested businesses want the government to provide better incentives to help them become more energy efficient. This is something we are continually campaigning for, so it needs to be a priority.

Policy and network charges on energy invoices to rise

The non-commodity charges share of business electricity invoices is increasing, from 21% in Q1 2023 to 46% in Q1 2024. By Q4 2025, our Industry Charging team forecasts it will reach 60%.

We are also looking at six new costs due to hit invoices in the next few years – the nuclear ‘Regulated Asset Base’ (RAB) subsidy, the Green Hydrogen Levy, the Energy Intensive Industry (EII) subsidy, carbon capture subsidy, Data Integration Platform (DIP) charges and the Virtual Lead Party supplier (VLP) reconciliation.

A downward trend for wholesale energy costs

Prices for gas and electricity are coming down – and this trend looks to continue over the longer term.

But experts are not forecasting a return to pre-2020 levels of £50/MWh for some time, if ever. This can partly be attributed to lower than hoped for renewable capacity – especially offshore wind – replacing gas-fired generation. And while prices are reducing, volatility is very much expected to remain in the market.

When it comes to reaching net zero by 2050, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) recently reported the government has failed to make progress on any of the seven key areas the CCC identified as necessary to achieve this.

New trends in securing renewable supply

The UK may be generating more renewable energy – forecast to hit 47% of our power mix by 2025 – but demand still exceeds supply.

This is driving growth in two kinds of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs). Firstly, those where businesses invest in on-site renewable generation, and secondly, the expanding area of third-party Corporate PPAs.

Major new initiative to impact all electricity consumers

Market-wide Half-Hourly Settlement (MHHS) will significantly reform how electricity is generated, used and stored in the UK. For energy consumers, this will bring changes to the way consumption data is calculated and managed.

The MHHS delivery deadline is December 2026 – and all industry parties are currently working on a plan of action, which will be communicated to consumers in the coming months.

You can put your questions to our MHHS experts here.

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Greg Jackson’s bouncy renewables-to-heat pumps creation, privately held, gained more than 1.9 million net customers in the twelve months since March 2023, latest statistics from Ofgem reveal.

That rocket skywards puts the generator-retailer on a market share now of 22%, with 6.8 million households served.  Octopus was the only large energy supplier to increase its market share over the past year.

The company’s spokespeople say it is persuading more Brits than any of its rivals to switch away from existing suppliers.  Over the same period, the firm accepted more than 800,000 customers from other providers, equal to one account switched inbound every minute.

In a separate mass transfer, 1.3 million households moved over from Shell Energy Retail following Octopus’ takeover of the business in late 2023.

The figures mean Octopus is now officially the UK’s largest electricity supplier, only eight years after launching to the market.

Company spokespeople point to the brand’s popularity among its own customers. Octopus Energy comes out on top in almost every service ranking, including Which?, Trustpilot and Money Saving Expert. It is also the only energy supplier named as a Which? Recommended Provider for seven years in a row.

TIME Magazine has named Octopus as one of the world’s ‘100 Most Influential Companies’. Britain’s government recently featured it as a poster child for the country’s businesses in its ‘GREAT’ campaign, intended to attract foreign investmen.

After rapid worldwide expansion, including into Japan & Italy and investing in both European offshore wind and in Xlinks, the Morocco-to-Devon wind and solar mega-venture, Octopus says it is active in 18 countries, looking after almost 8 million households globally. It is also one of the largest investors in renewables in Europe, managing a portfolio worth £7 billion.

The technical core of Octopus’s success – its Kraken platform for billing, fulfilment and power trading – is now licensed to 54 million customer accounts across 16 countries. It is increasingly being adopted in other sectors such as water and broadband.

Pictured above with Kraken boss Deepak Ravindran, Octopus’ founder Greg Jackson commented: “We’ve invested relentlessly in outstanding people and technology to deliver better customer service and lower costs.  Today’s news shows that this works.

“I hope that we can inspire both entrepreneurs and existing companies”,  Jackson went on.

“By investing for the long-term, and by truly focusing on customers, they can deliver success for themselves and for those they serve.”

The post Octopus now officially UK’s No 1 electricity supplier, deflates B Gas appeared first on theenergyst.com.

Accountable to its 700,000 members, Midcounties Co-operative calculates that connecting PV arrays at 29 of its sites stands to save it around £180,000 per year, through generation of 5 million kWh of low carbon electricity.

Sam Webb, pictured, the manager of Midcounties’ Your Co-op store in Lydney, Gloucestershire had the brainwave of introducing his employers to The Big Solar Co-op, in support of the Society’s efforts to generate more green energy.

The site-specific solar generation initiated by Sam is forecast to meet around 5% of Midcounties’ annual power use. In line with the society’s goal of cutting out 40% of its direct green house gas emissions before 2026, the manager’s initiative also stops 290 tonnes of CO2 entering the atmosphere.

Besides supermarkets, Midcounties’ head office on Warwick’s Technology Park, pictured, will also receive PV arrays, as will its premises promoting travel services and childcare.

The society is a leading supporter of community energy in the UK. It has established partnerships with more than 270 renewable community energy projects nationwide through Younity, the society’s joint venture with Octopus Energy.

The Big Solar Co-op, a volunteer-led, not-for-profit social enterprise, wants to install 100MW of community solar projects this decade. The agreement with Midcounties allows both co-operatives to deepen further their commitment to energy generation undertaken by locally-focused community organisations.

Midcounties Co-operative’s head of sustainability Mike Pickering said: “The partnership between ourselves and Big Solar Coop demonstrates the power of co-operation in driving positive change.

“By integrating solar power generation into our operations, we not only reduce our carbon footprint, but also further our commitment to building a fairer, more sustainable and ethical future.

The Big Solar link complements Midcounties’ achievement to boost energy efficiency at its premises, which has cut 11% from its energy use in only twelve months.   It has budgeted a further £800,000 in similar measures this year

The Midcounties Co-op is fully owned by its 700,000 members.  It operates a collection of Your Co-op businesses, including more than 230 Your Co-op Food stores across the West Midlands, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.

Nationwide it also trades under Your Co-op brands covering travel, childcare, broadband and mobile telecoms and energy provision.

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Running for 15 years, today’s deal will see the Co-op taking all the output from the dedicated 9MW site, pictured, near Wisbech.

Peak output from Coldham’s 19,000 panels will be enough, the Co-op calculates, to power 55 of its food stores, a demand equalling that from 2,000 homes.

Chief executive Shirine Khoury-Haq said; “The launch of Coldham solar farm, as a result of our PPA with ScottishPower Renewables, shows Co-op’s commitment to achieving Net Zero in our own operations by 2035.

“Co-op maintains that the government should make decarbonising the grid a top priority”, Khoury-Haq went on. “

“However, businesses still have their part to play, and this solar farm is a further step in Co-op’s approach to renewable energy procurement through a mixture of PPAs and embedded generation.”

ScottishPower Renewables boss Charlie Jordan responded: “We’re delighted to partner with companies that understand the importance of decarbonising their operations.

“By securing long-term commitments, PPAs provide stability, certainty, and ultimately accelerate our journey towards a greener, more resilient energy landscape.”

Enriched with 7,500 native trees planted by SPR, the Coldham solar farm sits next to SPR’s existing windfarm, and benefits from the same grid connection.

The Co-op recently signed of a 15-year CPPA to offtake from a 34MW solar farm in north Yorkshire, Its arrays are due to come fully onstream next year.

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Benefitting for at least 10 years will be the UK subsidiary of Kerry Group, the global supplier of nutrition ingredients.  The deal will meet at least half of the company’s electricity consumption.

The agreement is structured as two separate financial pay-as-produced PPA deals. It commits capacity from two of RWE’s imminent solar farms, Cotmoor in Nottinghamshire and Copse Lodge in Northamptonshire.

Each has a potential capacity of 49.9MWp.  Construction of the Cotmoor farm begins this year, with Copse Lodge expected to follow in 2025.

Olaf Lubenow, RWE’s head of trading solutions covering the UK: “Solar power is one of the quickest and easiest renewable technologies to deploy, and can quickly make a significant contribution to the UK’s energy system.

“Through the build-out and operation of our UK portfolio of over 4.4GW of solar, our clean electricity can help even more businesses like Kerry Group to decarbonise for the future by sourcing clean green electricity for years to come.

“We’re delighted to be able to support the transition of businesses away from fossil fuel-sourced electricity and to be making a meaningful contribution to the UK’s net zero ambitions.”

 Juan Aguriano, Kerry’s global head of sustainability added: “Kerry intends to reduce our combined Scope 1 & 2 carbon emissions by 55% by 2030 and achieve Net Zero by 2050.

“PPAs represent a key pillar of Kerry’s renewable energy strategy to deliver on these commitments.

The agreements with RWE are Kerry’s first PPAs in the UK and represent approximately 50% of Kerry’s electricity volume used in the country. We look forward to supporting more projects like these in the future in Europe and around the world.”

Essen-headquartered RWE seeks to commission on average 450MWp of new solar and storage projects in Britain every year. It is committed to investing 8 billion euros every year this decade in support of its Growing Green strategy.

The company was the most successful solar developer in last year’s Allocation Round 5 for Contracts for Difference, securing agreements for six UK solar projects.

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