Octopus Energy’s blackout swerving scheme gets Britons saving £1m in energy crisis

They saved on average over £4 across the first four sessions, with the top 5 percent of savers achieving nearly £20. The National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) has previously said its flexibility scheme would allow a typical household to save £100 this winter, using their energy-intensive appliances like washing machines at non-peak hours. 

Alex Schoch, head of flexibility at Octopus Energy Group, said: “This is a massive milestone – across just four hours, we’ve been able to pay out £1 million to our customers. Normally, this money would have gone to businesses or dirty gas power plants to balance energy demand, instead it’s helping people lower their energy bills this winter.

“We are proud to have pioneered this trailblazing scheme, which is paving the way towards a smarter, greener and cheaper grid for all. And we’re glad that other energy suppliers are now getting involved, allowing even more people to grab a bargain and lower bills for everyone.”

Peak hours refer to times of the day when electricity use is at its highest. This is around 4pm to 7pm when people come home from work and school. During these hours, National Grid needs to secure sufficient amounts of power, much of which comes from natural gas to generate electricity or, electricity import directly from overseas.

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Article source: https://www.express.co.uk/news/science/1708811/octopus-energy-saving-sessions-national-grid-eso-blackouts