SmartestEnergy has announced its acquisition of small business energy supplier Dual Energy.
Complementing Smartest’s industrial and commercial energy supply business, the acquisition will help expand Sussex-based Dual, which has a particular focus in providing smart meters.
It is also set to enable Smartest to take its customer service to smaller businesses with Non-Half Hourly meters, laying the foundations for the transition to net-zero, it said.
The acquisition will enable all of Dual’s customers to benefit from Carbon Trust independently certified 100% renewable electricity.
SmartestEnergy’s VP of supply, Louise Wapshare, said: “This is a really exciting opportunity for SmartestEnergy to support the unique business model that Dual Energy have in this difficult to reach business segment, using our strengths to accelerate their activity to disrupt the business energy market.”
SmartestEnergy had previously been providing wholesale market access services to Dual Energy, the acquisition builds on this established partnership.
Ben Giddings, Dual Energy’s CEO, said the companies have worked together since Dual began trading nine years ago.
“The acquisition means we will continue to drive business smart meter adoption,” he added.
Driving the smart meter rollout is particularly important for suppliers, with Ofgem warning that it is “ready to take tough action” on suppliers that fall short of smart meter goals.
In general, it has faced a number of problems, in particular with regards to fitting smart meters in homes, the deadline for which was recently pushed back to 2024 after suppliers said 2020 would be impossible.
There is progress though, with the Data Communications Company announcing earlier this week that more than three million second-generation smart meters have now been installed in the UK.