Octopus Zero Bills

Octopus Energy installs solar panels, a battery, and a heat pump in your home at no upfront cost. In return, you pay zero energy bills for up to 10 years. After that, you own the system outright.

It's not a lease and it's not a subsidy. Octopus recoups its investment by selling your surplus solar generation back to the grid. You get certainty on running costs; they get a revenue stream from clean electricity. Both sides benefit.

How Octopus Zero Bills Works

Octopus fits your home with a full renewable energy system - solar PV panels, a home battery, and an air source heat pump. Smart technology managed through the Octopus Energy app and the Kraken platform monitors your generation, storage, and consumption in real time.

Your home generates roughly double the energy it consumes. Surplus electricity exports to the grid, and Octopus takes that revenue. You pay nothing for energy bills for the fixed period - typically up to 10 years for new builds and up to 5 years for retrofitted homes.

The system includes:

• Solar PV panels generating clean electricity during daylight hours
• A home battery storing excess solar energy for evening use
• An air source heat pump handling heating and hot water
• Smart monitoring managing energy usage automatically

EV charging is billed separately from the Zero Bills tariff, at a discounted rate. A fair use allowance of around 10MWh per year applies.

Zero Bills for New Builds and Existing Homes

Octopus originally launched Zero Bills for new build developments. The initiative is expanding to include retrofitted homes built since 2013, bringing zero bills to existing homes across the UK.

Octopus aims to reach 100,000 Zero Bills homes by 2030. The Zero Bills Standard requires solar panels, battery storage, and low-carbon heating as a baseline.

Why Zero Bills Homes Make Financial Sense

Energy price volatility is the core problem Zero Bills solves. A Zero Bills home removes that uncertainty - your running costs are fixed at zero for the agreement period, regardless of what happens to the price cap.

Beyond the agreement itself, Zero Bills homes command stronger resale values. Homeowners who own their system outright after the agreement period continue saving without worrying about future energy price rises.

Eligibility Requirements

• Octopus Energy customer - existing or new customers both eligible
• Suitable roof space for a solar PV system
• EPC rating meeting Octopus's minimum criteria
• Site survey approval - Octopus conducts a full assessment before confirming eligibility

FAQ

Is there any upfront cost? No. Octopus installs and maintains the full system at no cost to you.

Does a Zero Bills home include heating? Yes. The air source heat pump handles space heating and hot water.

Is EV charging included in zero bills? No - EV charging is billed separately, at a discounted rate.

What happens after the agreement ends? You own the system outright. The solar panels, battery, and heat pump are yours, continuing to reduce your electricity costs.

Does the Zero Bills initiative cover retrofitted homes? Yes, for homes built since 2013.

How does smart technology manage energy in a Zero Bills home? The Kraken platform tracks generation, battery state, and consumption in real time. The system prioritises using your own solar electricity and draws from the grid only when battery reserves run low.