Millions of UK households could be handed free batteries worth around £500 in efforts to reduce high energy bills. The innovative gadgets act as a power bank for your home, using cheap overnight electricity and releasing it during the day, when prices are higher. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) is planning to launch a scheme to purchase the devices in bulk and hand them to families on lower incomes, according to The i Paper.
The good thing about these gadgets is that they plug straight into a normal wall socket, meaning you do not need an electrician or any expert to come and install them.
The batteries charge when electricity is cheapest, then supply power when prices rise, meaning households buy less electricity at the most expensive times, slashing energy bills.
Clean energy experts at Regen estimate that the model could pay for itself in as little as two and a half years, far quicker than traditional home batteries, where installation could cost £1,000 just to install.
The company’s analysis suggests that households could save 30% – 34% off their bills over ten years if they move most of their electricity use to off-peak hours and buy a larger battery, or multiple smaller ones.
Windfall Energy, one of the firms selling the gadgets, says renters and flat dwellers could save up to £250 a year by using the battery.
Though how much you actually end up saving depends on your electricity tariff, the battery’s capacity and how much energy you can move to cheaper hours.
The proposal to offer households free batteries is understood to have emerged from a Whitehall “sprint” over the summer. It is part of a joint initiative between DESNZ and the innovation charity Nesta, aimed at identifying quick wins for the Warm Homes Plan.
A Government source told The i Paper the batteries were appealing because “they’re so easy to deploy,” though bosses have decided who would qualify for the scheme.
Previous Warm Homes Plan grants are typically offered to households earning £35,000 or less, so a similar income threshold could apply.
It is important to note that current UK wiring rules do not allow devices to feed power back into the home, so before officially launching the scheme, ministers will need to carry out a safety review and change the law.
A DESNZ spokesperson said: “We’ve cut VAT on electricity to give families breathing space.
“The Energy Secretary’s focus is working to bring bills down for good.
“And we are rolling out plug-in solar, which will be quickest to reach the market – helping to bring bills down for good.”