E.ON Next's Battery Push
E.ON Next is spending £4 million on 1,000 home batteries across the UK. The kit will form part of its Flex Fleet scheme, where batteries in different homes are managed together as a virtual power plant. The supplier says the approach lets households charge when power is cheap and use it later when prices are higher.
Savings Already Seen
Earlier trials give a sense of what is possible. In Coventry, customers with a battery and time-of-use tariff saved more than £255 a year on average. Projects in Crowle and Starbeck with Northern Powergrid also beat expected savings while helping local networks avoid costly upgrades. E.ON Next modelling suggests wider rollout could deliver around £150 million a year in direct bill savings if market conditions are right.
What Customers Want
New research for the supplier found 59% of people prefer longer-term cost control over one-off help, and 66% would consider a battery deal with no upfront cost. Yet 73% did not realise batteries can work without solar panels. Chris Norbury, Chief Executive, E.ON UK, said: “We are investing in battery technology that can make a practical difference for customers and the wider energy system. Our projects around the country have shown that batteries can deliver meaningful, lasting savings without asking customers to change the way they live. Crucially, households do not need solar panels to benefit.”
How This Fits Earlier Moves
This follows E.ON Next’s recent launch of Next Optimise, its half-hourly tariff for solar and battery homes, and its increased stake in Amber’s technology. We have covered both steps here and here. More details are at eonnext.com/battery-boost. Check our energy comparison page to see how flexible tariffs compare with standard deals.
