Energy company OVO is set to pay customers not to use energy between certain times as part of its new trial. The UK's third largest energy supplier is trying to help customers cut usage during peak times and save money.
The trial, called Power Move, will reward its customers up to £100 in total. It rewards those who move non-essential energy use to times when the grid is less congested.
Hull Live reports data from the trial will be used to understand usage during peak times. It will also aim to develop propositions that support a greener, fairer and more resilient energy system.
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OVO has used customer data to determine that between 4pm - 7pm is 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 company is looking for participants to cut their average consumption during these hours to less than 12.5%.
For the average household, that could be the equivalent of moving three loads of washing per week from peak time to a greener time of day. A total of £20 will be rewarded for each month that this is achieved on average. The trial runs from November 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023.
An independent report commissioned by OVO in partnership with Energy Systems Catapult concluded that energy retailers must radically rethink their approach to consumers, helping them navigate net zero and move away from planet harming fossil fuels and towards home energy efficiency.
OVO will be contacting customers to apply from mid October. Raman Bhatia, CEO OVO, said: "The UK energy sector is at a crucial point, and we need a resilient grid to get us through this winter.
“This trial provides essential consumer data which can be shared with the Government and the National Grid to prevent power shortages, and will give customers a deeper insight into their energy consumption habits, with great potential savings.”
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