Utility OVO Energy has today (July 15) launched a new offer allowing customers to bank up to five free solar panels over the course of two years.
OVO’s “Beyond” reward programme, which launched in May, provides OVO customers with savings on both energy tech and products from brands including Uber, Oddbox and Smol. Today’s new addition gives Beyond customers the ability to bank up to five solar panels over the course of two years, which can then be redeemed against an OVO solar and battery package within three years.
Beyond customers, who already number around half a million, can also redeem their rewards against EV charging miles, and OVO says that similar incentives for air source heat pumps will be launched later in the year.
Mat Moakes, chief commercial officer at OVO, said: “Households are getting excited about solar as it holds the power to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, cut bills and get more green energy into homes and on the grid. Our new type of rewards programme helps customers bank rewards for a greener future by offering free solar panels to install when they’re ready.”
Home solar: the potential and the pitfalls
Research published by Halifax earlier this year revealed that 84% of households noted a reduction in their monthly energy bills after installing solar panels, with almost as many (83%) respondents saying they would recommend solar installations to their friends and relatives. Estimates from the Energy Saving Trust suggest that transitioning to solar power could save the average household between £400-£500 per year.
However, the number of people employed in the solar sector needs to sharply increase in order to hit renewable installation targets set for the 2030s, including around 60,000 solar panel installers. Despite this glaring need for increased green training, OVO Energy-commissioned research published in May of this year reported that fewer than one in ten people receive any green skills training at work, despite one in five (21%) asking for such training on at least one occasion. In response, OVO announced that it will upskill 15,000 green roles, including advisors, surveyors, and installers.
