Swedish cleantech company Aira and the UK’s largest energy supplier, Octopus Energy, have joined forces to launch two new green energy tariffs for UK customers, one of which specifically benefits those with solar panels installed.
The companies say the tariffs could cut consumer bills by up to £1,245.
The Aira Zero tariff is available to Aira heat pump customers, who could save up to 33% of their annual energy bills, representing up to £500 for a typical British household. Under this tariff, energy will be available at a 51% discounted rate compared to the local day rate for eight hours of the day.
Those who have both a heat pump and solar panels installed can take advantage of the new Aira Solar Export tariff, which could save them up to 44% on their energy bills. The tariff allows excess solar energy to be sold back to the grid, either automatically at a fixed rate of 15p/kWh for every unit sold back to the grid, or manually using the Flex option, allowing customers to choose to sell their surplus energy back at times when wholesale prices are high to gain even greater savings.
Kaj af Kleen, Aira’s chief product and technology officer, said: “At Aira, our mission is to take Europe off gas by accelerating the electrification of home heating. This strategic partnership with Octopus Energy is another step forward for the clean energy transition. We’re proud to be driving this mission forward together and saving people more money with clean energy tariffs.
“Aira Intelligence’s native integration with the tariff allows us to manage the heat pump optimisation seamlessly, offering customers maximum cost savings and complete peace of mind. We’re excited to continue on this path, expanding our ecosystem further and developing future collaborations to bring more clean energy-tech solutions to the market.”
Rebecca Dibb-Simkin, chief product officer at Octopus Energy, added: “We’re delighted to be powering Aira in their mission to supercharge the transition to cheap, clean power for all. Together we’re launching two trailblazing new tariffs that will empower Aira customers to slash emissions and save serious money.”
Suppliers warm up to heat pump tariffs
The surging popularity of heat pumps is pushing energy suppliers to look towards specialised tariffs for those using heat pump tech.
Applications to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), the UK government’s grant for households looking to install a heat pump, were found to have skyrocketed by 93% year on year this April, with the available money for grants being raised by 50% the previous October.
Since then, Octopus Energy has launched a new off-peak rate for customers on its Cosy Octopus heat pump tariff. ScottishPower has announced its own specialised heat pump tariff, which allows customers to heat their homes at a reduced rate of 15p/kWh.
