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A Hack Day for the future of energy

Maddie Inglis, Social Media Manager

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Iresa Updates

Keep your eye on this blog for regular updates as we take over the accounts of all Iresa customers. Are you an Iresa customer? Read our FAQs.

Maddie Inglis

Social Media Manager

Leicester’s local businesses: now powered by sunshine

We’re working together with Leicester’s awesome local businesses to power the city with solar energy… sourced just down the road!

Business energy

Maddie Inglis

Social Media Manager

Optimising a website for users with anxiety

Ashley Firth, Head of Front-end development, outlines some key guidelines for designers and developers to create inclusive web experiences for users with anxiety.

Ashley Firth

Head of Front-end development

What does it mean to call electricity "100% green"?

We take a look at how renewable energy is certified & reported

Renewables

Pete Miller

Head of Customer Experience

Spotlight on... Fiona Howarth, CEO of Octopus Electric Vehicles

Fiona gives the lowdown on all things EV, from how Vehicle-to-Grid charging is a game-changer for the renewables industry, to how drivers can unlock cheap prices with Octopus Energy’s new Agile tracker tariff.

Spotlight

Maddie Inglis

Social Media Manager

Agile Octopus: The bigger story

We delve a little deeper into Agile Octopus: who it's for and why we launched it.

Renewables

Greg Jackson

Founder

What difference does 1,000 trees make?

On World Environment Day last year, we made a promise to plant 1,000 trees across the U.K. to help improve air quality, absorb CO2, and increase biodiversity. The tree planting season's wrapped up now, and we've planted over 1,600 trees. Read about our tree team's experiences planting all around the UK!

Renewables

Maddie Inglis

Social Media Manager

Spotlight on... Rebecca Dibb-Simkin, Product and Marketing Director

We talk product innovation, development blitzes and deciphering deep code with Product and Marketing Director, Rebecca Dibb-Simkin.

Spotlight

Maddie Inglis

Social Media Manager

Spotlight on... Adeayo Sangowawa, energy specialist and future industry innovator

Our energy specialist Ayo talks about what’s at stake in being part of the renewables sector, and importance of understanding customer experience when creating innovative products.

Spotlight

Maddie Inglis

Social Media Manager

Spotlight on... Nia Hughes, energy specialist and firebrand for renewables

Nia talks Octopus Energy's renewable credentials, the new Leicester digs, and her work researching ways to help local towns go green.

Spotlight

Maddie Inglis

Social Media Manager

Spotlight on... Lisa Loftus, DigiOps destroyer

We’re talking to Lisa Loftus, DigiOps destroyer, about being part of Octopus’ customer service secret weapon.

Spotlight

Maddie Inglis

Social Media Manager

Spotlight on... Lily Stein, customer service guru

I work in the Operations team, which means I look for problems and try to fix them before they affect our customers. 

Spotlight

Chris Roper

Writer

Spotlight on... Gilly Ames, front-end developer

Gilly talks about improving what our customers see and interact with.

Spotlight

Chris Roper

Writer

Octopus Referrals: Your Questions Answered

We’ve created this walk through to answer your questions, show you where you can find your referral code, when you can expect to receive your referral payments and how we pay these rewards to you.

Pricing

Maddie Inglis

Social Media Manager

Stuart wins a signed Arsenal shirt in our November prize draw

Stuart wins a signed Arsenal shirt in our prize draw, and talks taking inspiration from David Seaman and being impressed by Arsenal's endorsement to become an Octopus Energy customer.

Arsenal

Maddie Inglis

Social Media Manager

Michael wins our Parlour's Picks prize draw

Michael wins himself a signed Arsenal shirt in our Parlour's Picks prize draw after correctly guessing the outcome of October's Watford game.

Arsenal

Maddie Inglis

Social Media Manager

Why we're planting 1,000 trees this Autumn

We're proud to be partnering with the United Nations to improve air quality around the UK.

Renewables

Pete Miller

Head of Customer Experience

We welcome the PM’s energy price cap pledge

We're delighted with the PM's decision to enforce an energy price cap to stop millions of families being ripped off.

Pricing

Greg Jackson

Founder

Do we owe you money?

Without sending us regular meter readings, you could be paying for more energy than you're using. 

Energy explained

Chris Roper

Writer

Spotlight on... David Winterbottom, Head of Engineering

Our Head of Engineering explains how building our own technology creates better customer experiences. 

Spotlight

Chris Roper

Writer

Smart meters are coming 😱

Smart meters are coming. This will be a game changer in the energy industry, and we’re buzzing about it. As part of the government’s pledge to get smart meters in all UK homes by 2020, we’re installing SMETS1 smart meters in our customer’s homes now. So if you want a smart meter – book an installation appointment from your online account dashboard or get in touch with our team and we’ll sort it.

Energy explained

Maddie Inglis

Social Media Manager

Congrats, Hannah! July's Arsenal Prize Winner

Hannah Lenton won a signed Arsenal football in the July prize draw.  

Arsenal

Tom Breare

Partnerships Manager

A beginner's guide to buying energy

From choosing a tariff to understanding your usage, we explain it all in this short guide.

Energy explained

Chris Roper

Writer

"Please hold the line." For how long?

Giving great customer service while keeping costs low is a tricky balance to get right – here's how we do it. 

Greg Jackson

Founder

Moving house? Here's what you need to know

Save time and hassle when you move by following these useful tips.

Energy explained

Chris Roper

Writer

Ofgem: Consumer Future & Regulation

At a recent Ofgem event, our CEO, Greg Jackson, spoke about the importance of competition and companies truly understanding their customers:  "As a new supplier, we need to compete to win every single customer or we don't have a business."

Energy explained

Greg Jackson

Founder

Improving lives through renewables

Renewable energy does a great deal more than help prevent climate change. From health to the economy, there are many reasons why going green is the right choice for you and your communities. 

Energy explained

Chris Roper

Writer

Congratulations Jo! June's Arsenal Prize Winner

Jo Brooks won an Arsenal shirt signed by the first team squad in the June prize draw. 

Arsenal

Tom Breare

Partnerships Manager

Spotlight on... Anouska Ameratunga, Industry Specialist

In the latest of our “Spotlight on…” series we talk to Anouska Ameratunga, Industry Specialist and informal (well, formal really) Social Secretary, about fighting bad data and planning big parties...

Spotlight

Chris Roper

Writer

The growth of solar power

Clean Energy Analyst Charlie Cook examines whether the rapid rise of solar power matches that predicted by Moore's Law.

Renewables

Charlie Cook

Clean Energy Analyst

Carbon monoxide: the invisible killer

Look out for these warning signs to protect you and your family from carbon monoxide poisoning.

Chris Roper

Writer

Renewable energy – what's it all about?

From technology to price and reliability, we give you the lowdown on renewable energy. 

Renewables

Chris Roper

Writer

World Environment Day: What difference has your energy supply made?

June 5 is United Nations' World Environment Day, so let's take a look at what we've achieved over the last 12 months.

Chris Roper

Writer

Octopus Tracker: first impressions

One of the first Octopus Tracker customers shares what he thinks about the new tariff and its features.

Pricing

Chris Roper

Writer

Why are tracker tariffs so important?

Tracking the wholesale energy cost ensures you always get good value, and importantly, enables you to use energy in a way that's cheaper for you and better for the planet. 

Pricing

Chris Roper

Writer

Jacqui wins an inside view in May's Arsenal prize draw

Jacqui wins an inside look at Emirates Stadium in this month's Arsenal Prize Draw. We talked to Jacqui about her passion for the club.

Arsenal

Chris Roper

Writer

Jean and family win April's Arsenal prize draw

We speak to Jean and her daughter as they reminisce about their favourite Arsenal moments.

Arsenal

Chris Roper

Writer

Why we support the government's price cap proposals

A price cap on energy prices will create a fairer energy market for UK consumers and end the misery of millions overpaying on Big Six exploitative tariffs. 

Pricing

Chris Roper

Writer

How Project Nexus will affect your switch

Project Nexus is a huge upgrade to the gas network that should make switching faster and billing more accurate. There's going to be some downtime while the work goes on, so read on to find out how it might affect you.

Energy explained

Chris Roper

Writer

Greg Jackson talks Relative Price Cap on BBC Radio 4 Today Programme

If energy companies want to offer low prices to win new customers, they should have to give good prices to all their customers. That's why we support the proposals for a relative price cap.

Pricing

Chris Roper

Writer

Death of "tease and squeeze"?

Octopus Energy is Supporting John Penrose's Proposed "Relative Cap" On Energy Company Prices

Pricing

Greg Jackson

Founder

Blockchain: building blocks of better energy

Blockchain promises massive gains in industries as diverse as fine wine and music streaming. Now, it could deliver huge efficiency benefits to the UK energy market while empowering customers and saving them money.

Tech

Chris Roper

Writer

Congrats Paul! March's Arsenal prize winner

Paul Lewis won a signed football in March's prize draw.

Arsenal

Chris Roper

Writer

Win the trip of a lifetime to Sydney with Arsenal

Join our Arsenal tariff before midnight on 31st May to be in with a chance of winning.

Arsenal

Chris Roper

Writer

Batteries included: meet the cars of the future

Electric vehicles are making cheaper, cleaner transport a reality for everyone. Read on to find out why you might never need buy petrol again.

Tech

Chris Roper

Writer

Denise Lewis OBE talks Arsenal, football, and scrambled eggs

Denise Lewis OBE reminisces about her favourite Arsenal moments.

Arsenal

Chris Roper

Writer

Going beyond Earth Hour with Arsenal and Octopus Energy

Arsenal and Octopus Energy join forces with WWF to promote climate action for Earth Hour and beyond.

Arsenal

Chris Roper

Writer

What the Energy Switch Guarantee means for you

We're proud signatories to the Energy Switch Guarantee, and hope that all suppliers sign up to this promise of faster, safer switching.

Energy explained

Chris Roper

Writer

Not leaving anyone behind

Why we are proud to knock on people's doors and help them understand their energy bills (and switch to us if they want).

Energy explained

Chris Roper

Writer

Switching: love and hate

Switching every year could, and should, be a thing of the past if suppliers prioritise long-term value over short-term deals.

Chris Roper

Writer

Congratulations Kester for winning February's Arsenal prize draw!

We met with Kester Potter, February's prize winner, to discuss why he went green with Arsenal.

Arsenal

Chris Roper

Writer

Lighting the way to faster switching

Ofgem's consultation on faster switching was the perfect opportunity for us to champion the customer, so that's exactly what we did. 

Greg Jackson

Founder

Why talking to people is the right thing to do

It's not easy reaching the millions of people overpaying for energy, or suffering poor service, so we do everything we can to help them.

Chris Roper

Writer

Why are British Gas Really More Expensive?

We take a closer look at claims that the big suppliers are expensive because they have to pay obligations that smaller suppliers don't.

Pricing

Greg Jackson

Founder

The secret life of an opening meter reading

What happens to your opening reading when we get it? Why do we sometimes use a different reading to the one you submitted? We reveal the hidden adventures of one of the most important readings you give us.

Energy explained

Chris Roper

Writer

Why going green is good for your business

Choosing sustainable energy isn't just great for the planet, but makes sound business sense, too. As more firms (large and small) declare for renewables, we delve into the planetary and economic potential of a green business landscape.

Renewables

Chris Roper

Writer

Anaerobic digestion: How we get energy from waste

Turning waste into electricity is just one of the ways we're beating fossil fuels – but how does it work?

Renewables

Chris Roper

Writer

5 renewable energy myths debunked

We set the record straight by debunking and demystifying 5 common renewable myths.

Renewables

Chris Roper

Writer

The state of wholesale energy prices in 2017, and what it means for bills

A look at what's happened to the wholesale cost of energy over the past 12 months, and what it means for bills.

Pricing

Chris Roper

Writer

December and January's Arsenal prize winners

Graham & David have each won themselves a Behind the Scenes VIP Stadium Tour at Emirates with three of their friends! 

Arsenal

Chris Roper

Writer

5 ways to kickstart your New Year's resolutions

To help make that transition to 2017 easier, we’ve taken 5 of the most common New Year’s resolutions and given them a boost to help you start the year on the best foot possible

Chris Roper

Writer

Spotlight on... Matt Bunney, Fuel Procurement Manager

Matt Bunney, Fuel Procurement Manager and cricket fan, talks about securing renewable energy for our customers...


Spotlight

Chris Roper

Writer

The price of progress: how we became addicted to fossil fuels

We release 25% more carbon dioxide today (404 ppm), than the highest recorded output over the last 400,000 years (300 ppm) – and there are few signs of slowing.

Chris Roper

Writer

Where does your money go?

Energy bills. They're a decent chunk of household expenses, yet many don't know where their money goes. 

Pricing

Chris Roper

Writer

Congratulations Steve! November's Arsenal prize winner

We talk to Steve, November's Arsenal prize draw winner, to find out a bit more about his love of the club and green energy.

Arsenal

Chris Roper

Writer

When is the best time to switch?

Maybe you're locked into your tariff, with exit fees to leave, or perhaps you've built up a large debit. In these cases, it's worth thinking about the best time to move to us...

Energy explained

Chris Roper

Writer

What drives wholesale energy prices?

The wholesale cost is a big chunk of your energy bill – and to understand why it varies, it's helpful to know a bit about how the energy market works.

Pricing

Chris Roper

Writer

How technology informs our beliefs

We’re massive fans of technology and believe it can solve even the most complex problems.

Tech

Chris Roper

Writer

What does it take to create the energy company of the future?

We believe the future of energy requires a new breed of supplier, one built from the ground up for the challenges of tomorrow.

Chris Roper

Writer

Octopus Energy: Built to last

Our founding principle is to deliver our customers value for the long term – not just a fixed term – so we’ve built our business to last. 

Chris Roper

Writer

Nat wins big in our first monthly Arsenal prize draw

He takes home a signed Arsenal shirt, including signatures of the first team squad. 

Arsenal

Chris Roper

Writer

Don't let your supplier put your day on hold

Calling suppliers is far from perfect, and often downright inconvenient. 

Chris Roper

Writer

An afternoon with Iain Wright, MP

Iain Wright, Chair of the Business, Energy, and Industry Select Committee, spent an afternoon finding out how we're putting customers first.

Chris Roper

Writer

What is carbon offsetting, and why does it matter?

Carbon offsetting compensates for nasty CO2 emissions through planting trees, reducing deforestation, and creating sustainable communities for people and animals alike.

Chris Roper

Writer

How we offer 100% green electricity (even when it's dark)

When we say our Green tariffs offer 100% renewable electricity, we mean it. The sun might not always be shining, but no matter what the weather or time of day, we guarantee green. 

Renewables

Chris Roper

Writer

How renewable investment is shaping the future of energy

The energy industry is at an inflection point. Simon Pickett explains how smart, networked, renewable technology that keeps the lights on without costing the earth, will change the sector for good.

Energy UK Annual Conference (2016)

Chris Roper

Writer

Spotlight on... Ronan McKinless, designer

When you get design right, it's almost like you've done nothing at all.

Spotlight

Chris Roper

Writer

How to give great customer service in the digital age

Technology helps make the incredibly complicated world of energy simple, but for suppliers using older systems, it can hinder more than help. 

Chris Roper

Writer

Learn Solar #3: How to store sunlight (and other renewables)

In the third and final part of our Learn Solar series, we investigate both existing and emerging solutions to storing solar energy. 

Renewables

Chris Roper

Writer

Spotlight on... David Sykes, Data Analyst

I analyse the underlying costs in the market then set a price that reflects the wholesale cost of energy, while also being competitive.

Spotlight

Chris Roper

Writer

When is a saving not a saving?

3 questions to ask when your old supplier tries to stop you switching.

Pricing

Chris Roper

Writer

Octopus Energy calls for greater transparency in energy pricing

We believe that when choosing a supplier, customers should be aware of likely future pricing. 

Pricing

Greg Jackson

Founder

More info on Octopus's analysis of Tease and Squeeze

The BBC has covered our analysis of Tease and Squeeze energy pricing. Here we share more details on methodology and data.

Pricing

Greg Jackson

Founder

Exposing the real price of energy

Beneath the glittering facade of cheap fixed deals lies a snarling beast called the Standard Variable Tariff (SVT), which pounces the moment you forget to run (or switch).

Pricing

Chris Roper

Writer

How green technology is the smart choice for investors and the planet

Matt Setchell, Head of Renewables at Octopus Investments, writes about securing a healthy planet for generations to come.

Renewables

Matt Setchell

Head of Renewables

Learn Solar #2: Solar panels – how we capture sunlight

We explore different solar panels, their efficiency, where to put them, and how many you'd need to power your home.

Renewables

Chris Roper

Writer

Smart meters: the truth behind energy's next big thing

Smart meters are big news, but are they fulfilling their promise? Here we explore the facts behind the new technology hitting UK homes.

Tech

Chris Roper

Writer

Learn Solar #1: How much solar power do we receive?

The sun is an explosive and fiery ball of starpower – but just how much of that power reaches the earth?

Renewables

Chris Roper

Writer

8 cost-free ways to save electricity

Here is a list of 8 things you can do to cut down on electricity usage, and the best news is they won’t cost you a thing.

Chris Roper

Writer

Spotlight on... Ashley Firth, developer

I'm a front-end developer, which means I take all the designs and user journeys and ensure they're consistent and good-looking for everyone, no matter what device or browser you're using.

Spotlight

Chris Roper

Writer

Making Octopus accessible for everyone

We audited our website to see if we were providing all of our visitors and customers with an easy and enjoyable experience

Tech

Ashley Firth

Head of Front-end development

What happens during your switch

For you, it should be fast, simple, and convenient. For us… well, we like doing the complex stuff so you don’t have to.

Energy explained

Chris Roper

Writer

How energy reaches your home

We're so used to energy being there when we want it, we often forget how it reaches us. 

Energy explained

Chris Roper

Writer

Our green credentials

We've recently published a breakdown of our green credentials, including our fuel mix figures and carbon footprint compared to the national average. 

Renewables

Maddie Inglis

Social Media Manager

Hey! Just so you know, your device is fully charged and you're still charging it. Removing the charger will avoid degrading your battery 😊

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