83% of UK households keen to shift consumption this winter to save money and prevent blackouts

• New OVO trial helps to reduce peak demand on grid over winter, with customers rewarded up to £100 for shifting energy usage to different times of day
• 1 in 4 eligible customers opts in to OVO scheme – demonstrating high demand for energy saving support
• Typical household uses a fifth of their daily energy between 4pm and 7pm leading to grid overloading 
• Mass rollout of this scheme to all OVO customers could save £450m every winter

Tuesday 1st November 2022, London: Consumer research shows that 83% of households would be willing to reduce their energy consumption between 4pm and 7pm for potential cash back, with the number rising to 90% for those with an income under £20,000.

To meet this need, OVO, the UK’s third largest energy supplier, announces its money saving, grid balancing trial Power Move – aiming to shift consumption out of peak times to avoid the potential of blackouts – has launched. The trial, which one in four eligible customers has signed up to, commences with an initial 7,000 participants, today.

The trial rewards customers up to £100 in total for moving non-essential energy use to times when the grid is (on average) greener and less congested. If the scheme was rolled out to all OVO customers it could save £450m every winter. 

OVO has used customer data to determine that between 4pm – 7pm is usually when demand on the energy grid is usually the highest. Its data shows that the average household uses 19% of their daily total usage during these hours. At these times of peak demand, there’s often not enough renewable energy to go round, and so dirtier carbon-heavy power fires up to fill the gap. 

The trial will run until March 2023, rewarding customers up to £100 in total for moving non-essential energy use to times when the grid is (on average) greener and less congested. 

Data from the trial will be used to understand usage during peak times and develop propositions that support a greener, fairer and more resilient energy system.

Raman Bhatia, CEO of OVO, said:

“We’re heading into a critical moment for the UK energy sector, and we need a resilient grid to support households through this winter. It’s testament to our customers’ willingness to support new trials and engage with their usage that we’ve surpassed the target of trialists. We hope the results of this trial will give customers a deeper insight into how they can support the wider system, with potential savings to help over winter.”

END

Notes to Editors

Customer information:

• Please find more information on the blog here. 

For more information please contact:

[email protected] 

About OVO

OVO was founded in 2009 and redesigned the energy experience to be fair, effortless, green and simple for all customers. OVO was awarded Company of the Decade at the BusinessGreen Leaders’ Awards and has won multiple awards, including Innovation Project of the Year, for investing in the market leading technology, customer service operations and digital products to help customers cut their carbon emissions. OVO is on a mission through its sustainability strategy Plan Zero to tackle the most important issue of our time; the climate crisis, by bringing our customers with us on the journey towards zero carbon living. OVO Energy has committed to being a net zero carbon business and achieve bold science-based carbon reduction targets, while helping customers reduce their household emissions at the same time. 

Polling:

Strand Partners surveyed 1,021 nationally representative members of the UK public, online, between 6pm 30.10.22 – 7am 31.10.22.