Octopus Energy and ilke Homes have entered into a world-first strategic partnership to roll out the UK’s first homes to guarantee residents zero energy bills. The two pioneering British tech firms are launching the partnership on a site in Essex where ilke Homes is delivering the UK’s largest zero-carbon housing development.
As part of the launch, initially two factory-built homes are being installed in Stanford-le-Hope, Essex. They will come equipped with an air source heat pump, solar panels and battery storage technology. The low-carbon technologies will combine to provide free, clean energy round the clock, with Octopus Energy providing a bespoke tariff.
The homes have been launched as part of ilke ZERO, the UK’s first mainstream zero-carbon housing offering, and comes as ilke Homes grows its pipeline to 3,500 homes – in a sign that modular housing is quickly becoming a mainstream solution to housing delivery.
The two-bedroom semi-detached family homes – being delivered in partnership with Gresham House and SO Resi – form part of a wider 153-home scheme, branded Hope Green. 101 of these homes will be zero-carbon in operation – the most delivered on a single site in the UK – meaning they will generate their own source of energy, helping to drastically reduce emissions produced by utilities such as electricity and heating.
Bills rose for millions of families in April because of an increase in the energy price cap, which is the maximum price that suppliers in England, Wales and Scotland can charge households. This meant an average increase of £693 for around 18 million households on standard tariffs – and £708 for 4.5 million prepayment customers.
But the cost-of-living crisis is set to deepen even further come October after Ofgem’s chief executive, Jonathan Brearley, told MPs on the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee that he would write to the chancellor telling him he expected the energy price cap to be “in the region of £2,800” when it is reviewed later this year. In response the Chancellor has announced a package of short-term measures to support households with increased bills this winter.
The first two ZERO bills homes, which will be made available for shared ownership, have been precision-engineered along production lines at ilke Homes’ factory in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire.
By harnessing artificial intelligence, robotics, and digital design, the modular housing company is capable of creating homes that are incredibly well insulated, meaning less heat escapes and consequently reducing bills. High-performing building fabric is deemed essential for the performance of low-carbon technologies.
To reach the ZERO bills* specification, as it is branded, ilke Homes on behalf of Gresham House will install low-carbon technologies to provide cheap, clean energy. Solar panels on the roof will generate electricity for the home and its heat pump, which provides all heating and hot water.
The homes will also be equipped with battery technology to store any excess green electricity the solar panels generate. By using a battery, the home will be able to store this energy for later use.
Launched in July 2021, ilke ZERO aims to deliver thousands of operational zero-carbon homes per year for major investors, housing associations, and councils across the UK. The homes have already been trialled in London, Newcastle, Gateshead, Newark, and Sunderland, and are now ready to be rolled out en masse.
Giles Carter, CEO at ilke Homes, said: “Our strategic partnership with Octopus Energy Group is the next milestone on our ilke ZERO journey. The premise of this partnership is to both empower consumers, who are faced with one of the worst cost-of-living crises in decades, and demonstrate that net-zero and construction can work hand in hand.
“Thanks to years of intensive research and development, we have successfully created a ready-to-go, highly energy-efficient solution to housing delivery – one which will help investors future-proof investments against government policy, help meet strict ESG criteria, and allow for revenue streams to be accessed as quick as possible due to a significant reduction in construction programmes.”
Greg Jackson, founder of Octopus Energy Group, said: “This breakthrough partnership debunks a long-standing myth – that cleaner energy will mean higher bills for consumers. Instead, people living in these homes won’t be paying for energy at all. This is yet another demonstration that clean energy is cheap energy, and the best answer to the fossil fuel crisis is accelerating the transition to renewables.”
Why it matters: Modern methods of construction and modular housing will dominate the new housing landscape in the not too distant future. Creating zero energy bills for residents is very visionary. Importantly, these properties must be very well insulated. The glazing sector has a massive role to play, by providing energy efficient doors and windows. Solar control glass and windows that can act as solar panels are all part of this exciting evolution.
