Octopus Energy, the UK’s largest energy supplier, has announced the Scottish launch of its world-first ‘Zero Bills’ initiative.
The initiative, originally launched in 2022, equips homes with renewable technology solutions—including heat pumps, solar panels, and batteries—offering a 10-year guarantee of no energy bills. By expanding to Scotland, Octopus is aligning with the country’s renewable energy ambitions. Scotland currently generates over 110% of its electricity consumption from renewable sources, making it a natural fit for the scheme.
This move follows the New Build Heat Standard legislation, introduced in April 2024, which mandates low-carbon heating in all new homes. Octopus is going a step further with ‘Zero Bills,’ fully eliminating energy costs.
Driving change through partnerships
To establish its presence in Scotland, Octopus has partnered with MAST Architects to develop ‘Zero Bills’ home designs and with Homes for Scotland to help members integrate the initiative into new developments. Octopus aims to deliver 100,000 ‘Zero Bills’ homes by 2030, building on the success of earlier rollouts in England, Germany, and New Zealand.
Jim Bennett, Zero Bills Scotland Director at Octopus Energy, commented: “With the New Build Heat Standard legislation in place, now is the perfect time to bring ‘Zero Bills’ to Scotland. This initiative not only eliminates energy bills but also offers homes equipped with cutting-edge green technology, ensuring sustainable, future-proof living for residents.”
Jane Wood, CEO of Homes for Scotland, added: “New homes in Scotland are already built to the highest technical standards, which makes the ‘Zero Bills’ initiative even more exciting. We are delighted that Octopus is aligning itself with a sector central to the Scottish Government’s net-zero agenda.”
Michael Jarvis, Director of MAST Architects, said: “Addressing fuel poverty and improving people’s livelihoods through energy-efficient homes is at the heart of our work. Collaborating with Octopus on Scotland’s first ‘Zero Bills’ homes will help eradicate energy costs and fuel poverty.”
The path forward
Octopus Energy has already accredited well over 1,000 ‘Zero Bills’ homes in partnership with leading developers, spanning affordable, private rent, and shared ownership models. With Scotland now on board, green, affordable, energy bill-free housing is another step closer.