Octopus Renewables: Europe’s biggest solar generators

Octopus Renewables, pump almost four terawatt hours of green energy into the grid every year. We wanted to showcase some of the great work they’ve been doing to make energy greener for all.

“Alexa, how green is energy right now?”

You can track how green the UK’s energy is, moment-to-moment, through our new ‘carbon intensity’ feature.

Meet nCube, the ‘brain’ behind the carbon-neutral homes of the future

Enter nCube: a universal smart home ‘bridge’ engineered by our Future Technologies Evangelist, Phil Steele.

How will Brexit affect my Energy Bills?

The impact of Brexit on your energy bills, explained

Making energy fair and inclusive through web accessibility

Shining a bright light on accessibility, and offering tips on how to build a website with inclusion in mind.

Quick and easy energy saving tips

Energy saving tips - a list of some of the quickest and easiest things you can do to help lower your energy bills.

Behind the Wheel of Fortune

The truth behind the Wheel of Fortune, straight from one of the very developers who built it.

Spreading climate change solutions with the Institution of Environmental Sciences

Discussing climate change with our partners, Institution of Environmental Sciences.

About our partnership with Co-op Energy, including Flow Energy and GB Energy

Frequently asked questions about our new partnership with Co-op Energy.

Why the new Energy Price Cap won't affect Octopus Energy

You might’ve read last week that some energy prices will fall this winter as Ofgem adjusts its energy price cap to reflect lower wholesale prices. This means that around 11 million households will see an average of £75 slashed from their yearly bills.

Meet Fiona Howarth and her team of EVangelists

Meet the Octopus Electric Vehicles team, headed up by CEO and EV pioneer Fiona Howarth.

An update on outgoingOctopus now that the Feed-in Tariff has ended

An update on outgoingOctopus, our smart export tariff – including an insight into the process of getting customers set up on the cutting edge of export. 

Climate change and land: Understanding the IPCC's latest report

The ability of the planet to sustain human life is now seriously endangered. Climate change caused by fossil fuels and food production as the planet warms inexorably means we must take action and change our behaviour. The warmest ten years since records began in 1884 have all occurred since 2002. 

Most homes would slash their bills with Octopus Energy

More than 60% of households could make big savings by switching to Octopus, as well as knowing they’re doing their bit to help save the planet.

Outgoing Power: Export Strength

Get acquainted with Outgoing Octopus, our successor to the Feed-in Tariff.

The Warm Home Discount: everything you need to know

Starting in October 2019, we’ll be offering the Warm Home Discount. Here’s everything you need to know about working out if you’re eligible, applying, and when to expect the discount.

How we’re trying to help you avoid surprise debt

Surprise debt is a big problem in energy. Find out how we're working to tackle this issue head-on with our customers with regular account health check-ups...

Donating to WWF after Earth Hour

“The Earth was small, light blue, and so touchingly alone, our home that must be defended like a holy relic.

The Earth was absolutely round.

I believe I never knew what the word round meant until I saw Earth from space.”

Powering the future of the food industry

Director of Octopus Energy for Business Zoisa Walton has vertical markets firmly in her sights to continue her division’s staggering growth – literally so when it comes to vertical farming, as she tells Eugene Costello…

Unblocking second generation smart meters...

Octopus's SMETS2 programme in the Southern region may soon be gaining pace

Meet our new smart meter install service

We’re putting a fleet of octopus vans on the streets, piloted by our own meter engineers! Find out more about them here.

Saving battery lives with ChargedUp

We’re partnering with ChargedUp so that you can recharge your phone on the go, 100% green! We chat to co-founder Charlie Baron about how this sustainable tie-up came together...

Follow us as we plant trees around the UK

Read on for a tree-by-tree account (a 'log', if you will) of our mission to plant 10,000 native saplings across the UK.

Black Friday Winners

It's the moment we've all been waiting for! All the referrals have been counted. We’ve even crafted our very own ‘digital tombola’ to ensure a completely randomised method for picking the winners. It's time to announce the winners of our Black Friday refer-a-friend competition.

Zoisa Walton knows Octopus Means Business

Octopus Energy for Business is showing astonishing accelerated growth. Eugene Costello meets Director Zoisa Walton to hear about the vision underpinning this rapid rise that means the division is punching well above its weight...

Octopus gets Fully Charged

Octopus is at the forefront of the push to move away from petrol-based cars to electric vehicles, EVs. That’s why we were delighted to partner with Fully Charged, the YouTube channel dedicated to all things EV. It’s presented by actor Robert Llewellyn, and we were thrilled to take part in their three-day event at home of British motor racing Silverstone in June.

Back to Black Friday - Competition Winners

We announce the BIG FOUR WINNERS of a Tesla, Jaguar, BMW and Nissan electric car jackpot prize. Plus, competition mastermind Max reflects on our epic Black Friday electric car giveaway.

The challenges of working on the cutting edge of smart energy

Energy needs to change, and fast. The only way to really discover what the right answers look like is to build solutions in the real world with real customers.

As Octopus is working at the cutting edge of smart meter capabilities (and exceeding them) we are encountering and solving issues that were unknown, unforeseen or unresolved.

Meet our team in London

Our energy specialists provide end-to-end support for Octopus Energy customers in Leicester, Brighton, London and beyond. Meet Team A and Team B, Octopus' oldest service 'teams', who look after customers from our office in Soho.

Meet our team in Leicester

Our energy specialists provide end-to-end customer support from Leicester, Brighton, London and beyond. Meet the team working in the heart of Leicester!

Parliament has declared a climate emergency

Energy specialist and long-time climate activist Grace Newton writes about her experiences fighting for action on climate change here in the UK, in the wake of Parliament's vote to declare a climate emergency.

Meet our team in Brighton

Our energy specialists provide end-to-end customer support from Leicester, Brighton, London and beyond. All our staff are part of little mini-teams of <10, with each team responsible for looking after a few thousand customers. Meet our Brighton lot.

Smart Meters - The Innovators’ Challenge

Octopus has created the most innovative smart propositions in the UK energy market. However, some of our early customers are held back by the smart meter transition and some currently get a poor experience of the smart meter installation.

Powervault for the people

Calling all early adopters! Octopus Energy is proud to reveal a pioneering new link-up with Powervault, trialling the energy technology of tomorrow, today.

An update on the smart meter rollout, April 2019

Currently, we're not able to install Smart Meters as effectively as we were doing before now. Our CEO Greg breaks down the reasons why, and gets into the complexities of the UK's smart meter rollout.

Good things come in trees

Why we’re pairing up with customer-nominated schools, charities, and community organisations around the UK to plant over 10,000 native trees where they’ll matter most to our customers.

Why we don't send monthly statements

We don't do monthly energy statements. Instead, just send us a meter reading and we'll send you a statement within 48 hours. This is unusual in the energy industry, but give us two minutes to explain...

A word on GDPR

On the 25 May 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation overhauled the rules for how organisations process and handle personal details, and other data which could be used to identify users. Our founder Greg breaks down exactly how we ensure we comply with the principles of the GDPR.

April Foolishness: Why every Big Six supplier is hiking prices, and we’re cutting ours

Customers on our standard Flexible Octopus tariff will see a price cut of around £30 per year* – that’s a 2% drop for electricity, and a 4% drop for gas.

Should I go for a fixed or flexible tariff?

We’re often asked whether you should go for an Octopus Fixed or Flexible Octopus tariff and how we set the price for each. Read on for the answer...

Smart meters: what they are, and why you should get one

Smart meters are here. These are energy industry game changers, and we’re buzzing about their potential. The technology will save UK consumers a lot of time (no more meter readings!) and potentially a fair bit of dough too.

Smart meter customers: Make our Earth Hour pledge

Smart meter customers: cut your electricity consumption by 50% during Earth Hour, and we’ll donate £5 to World Wildlife Fund.

Carbon offsetting: what it is and how we do it

What's carbon offsetting and how do we do it? Read all about our carbon offsetting partner Renewable World!

"Alexa, ask Octopus..."

We're pleased to launch our brand new integration with Amazon Alexa!

Tepeo are electrifying heat for a greener future

Our Future Technologies Evangelist Phil blogs about Tepeo, the latest in heat-battery tech.

Go on, ask us anything about our EV tariff

All the questions you've ever had about our enigmatic electric vehicle tariff, Go, answered.

Agile pricing explained

Our Smart Tariff and IoT project manager Phil Steele teams up with Head of Data Science David Sykes to explain the calculation model behind Agile Octopus' dynamic pricing.

Charging your car with cheap, green electricity

Do you drive an electric vehicle? Get up to speed on Octopus Energy Go and Agile Octopus, the smart tariffs that'll let you charge your electric car using only the cheapest, greenest energy.

Your smart home just got smarter with Agile Octopus and IFTTT

Agile Octopus customers can now pair the world's first time-of-use energy tariff with If This Then That (IFTTT), the app that connects all your smart tech, to truly benefit from dynamic energy pricing, saving cash and carbon without even having to think about it.

The Energy Price Cap is Increasing

What does the increase mean for you?

Agile Octopus: A consumer-led shift to a low carbon future

Agile Octopus represents the future, a crucial step towards redesigning energy infrastructure to support a low-carbon society. Read the first results here, along with a foreword from our founder Greg.

Octopus Energy: built to last

This year has seen a number of newer energy suppliers going bust, prompting some of our customers to ask whether we’ll go the same way. Here's why you can be confident we're here for the long haul.

A Hack Day for the future of energy

“Alexa, can you do my washing when it’s cheapest?”

Octopus Energy’s first Hack Day makes this a reality

The green credentials of electric transport

Stu, Octopus Electric Vehicles' marketing mastermind, looks at the environmental impact of the green cars of the future.

Meet the Agile community

Meet the community of tech innovators integrating their products and services with our Agile API to revolutionise energy.

Empowering your business

Find out how we’re helping to power thousands of businesses across the UK, from the your local Harry Potter shop to the coffee place down the road to Arsenal FC’s Emirates Stadium with 100% renewable energy. And how your business could sign up to simple, affordable sun power, too!

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!

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!

Cut the crap: the vegan case for anaerobic digestion

Some debate has been circulating in the past few months about the impact of energy production on animals, and the use of animal products in the generation of some types of energy – specifically, anaerobic digestion.

We asked Grace, energy specialist and London office vegan extraordinare, to set the record straight.

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.

Spotlight on... Rodna Ntabeni

We talk to Rodna, a business energy specialist working in our Leicester office, about finding a surprise career in energy that dares to be different!

How we guarantee your electricity is 100% green

There are a few different ways of being green. It’s not quite as simple as just buying energy from renewable generators and sending it straight down the wires to our customers’ homes. Meet the solar farms we buy energy directly from, as well as some of the other ways a supplier can can fulfil their 100% renewable promise.

Our commitment to 100% green electricity

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

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.

Forester by day, DigiOp by night – Steph sees the woods for the tree

Watch DigiOp and forester Steph on Countryfile's Autumn Special talking about her work at the forefront of innovation in tree mapping, using the latest in drone technology to conduct aerial surveys.

Agile Octopus: The bigger story

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

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.

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 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 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 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 on... Gilly Ames, front-end developer

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Spotlight on... David Winterbottom, Head of Engineering

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

Congrats, Hannah! July's Arsenal Prize Winner

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

Renewable energy – what's it all about?

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

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.

A beginner's guide to buying energy

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

"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. 

Moving house? Let us know through your online account

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

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."

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. 

Congratulations Jo! June's Arsenal Prize Winner

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

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...

Carbon monoxide: the invisible killer

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

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.

Octopus Tracker: first impressions

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

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. 

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.

Jean and family win April's Arsenal prize draw

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

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. 

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.

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.

Death of "tease and squeeze"?

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

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.

Congrats Paul! March's Arsenal prize winner

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

How renewable sources can power your home, even when the sun isn't shining

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.

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.

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.

Denise Lewis OBE talks Arsenal, football, and scrambled eggs

Denise Lewis OBE reminisces about her favourite Arsenal moments.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

5 renewable energy myths debunked

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

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.

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.

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! 

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

Spotlight on... Matt Bunney, Fuel Procurement Manager

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

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.

Where does your money go?

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

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.

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...

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.

How technology informs our beliefs

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

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.

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. 

Nat wins big in our first monthly Arsenal prize draw

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

Don't let your supplier put your day on hold

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

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.

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.

Spotlight on... Ronan McKinless, designer

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

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. 

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.

When is a saving not a saving?

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

Octopus Energy calls for greater transparency in energy pricing

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

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.

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).

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.

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. 

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.

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?

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.

Spotlight on... Ashley Firth, Head of Front-end Development

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.

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

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.

How energy reaches your home

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

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. 

Meet Energy Local, a new UK energy venture keeping small-scale green generation within the community

We’re partnering up with Energy Local to help small green energy generators to directly power homes in the neighbourhood at far cheaper rates. Here’s how we’re helping small generators go off-the-grid (kind of) to build the roots of a truly decentralised community energy network.

Meet Phil Steele, our Future Technologies Evangelist

With Phil’s help, Octopus Energy are building the smart energy system of the future, today.

What is the average energy bill in the UK?

As homeowners and tenants, you might want to find out how much you could be paying for your gas and electricity bills.

When will fossil fuels run out?

Fossil fuels won’t last forever, so the question we should now be asking is: when will fossil fuels run out?