News, analysis and guides for the whole energy economy
What is changing across UK home energy, what it means for your bills, and the background to act on it. Three kinds of writing: News on what just happened, Analysis on what it means, and Guides on what to do.
News and analysis
0% VAT on electricity from October 2026: what it means for your bill
The government is scrapping the 5% VAT on domestic electricity from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027, worth about £45 a year to a typical household. What changes, who benefits, and the catches.
Read the story →a year, Oct 2026 to Mar 2027
The energy price cap rises 13% from 1 July 2026
A typical dual-fuel direct-debit household pays £1,862 a year. The new unit rates and what to do about them.
AnalysisOfgem price cap: what the rest of 2026 could bring
The cap rose 13% in July; forecasts point to a small October rise, complicated by Ofgem's new typical-use figures.
AnalysisHeat pump leasing and loans: is Fornax-style finance worth it?
Get a heat pump for a monthly fee instead of upfront. We model the lifetime cost against buying with the grant.
NewsCostco enters the UK solar business
Fully installed home solar for members through partner installers, bundled with a battery. How to weigh it up.
NewsHeat pump grants for oil homes rise to £9,000
From 21 July 2026 the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant rises £1,500 for off-gas oil and LPG homes. Who qualifies.
GuideMoving home? Your energy checklist, stay or switch
Meter readings, final bills, deemed contracts, and how to switch from day one with no exit fee.
GuideHave a complaint with your energy provider? What to do
Complain to your supplier, the 8-week rule, then the free Energy Ombudsman, which can award up to £10,000.
GuideFixed vs tracker vs variable: which tariff suits you
The three main tariff shapes, the trade-offs, and who each one suits, from the capped SVT to a wholesale tracker.
AnalysisThe UK powered by solar: how far the grid has come
Solar passed 16 GW for the first time in 2026 and carried a big share of demand during the June heatwave.
NewsUK passes £100bn of clean-energy investment since 2024
More than £100 billion of private investment in grids, offshore wind, nuclear and storage. What it does, and does not, do to bills.
NewsWhat Octopus announced at its 2026 Energy Tech Summit
A truck battery-swapping venture with CATL, a plug-in home battery, and Kraken past 70 million accounts.
NewsOctopus launches a plug-in home battery for renters
Nook is a 2 kWh battery that plugs into a wall socket, aimed at renters who cannot fit a wall-mounted unit.
NewsSwaptopus: Octopus and CATL back truck battery-swapping
Swap a drained lorry battery for a charged one in minutes. The plan targets 300,000+ electric trucks.
AnalysisOVO's 20p export rate: is it the best on the market?
The headline number is real, but it is tied to buying your system through OVO and importing from OVO. The catch, explained.
AnalysisKraken vs Kaluza: the software running your supplier
Two UK-born platforms now run tens of millions of accounts. Why the one behind your supplier affects your service.
AnalysisHow green is your green tariff? REGOs vs matched supply
A 100% renewable label can rest on certificates costing about 34p each. Unbundled REGOs versus matched generation.
ExplainerWhat are REGOs? The certificates behind every green tariff
The in-depth guide: how the scheme works, bundled vs unbundled, and why a "100% renewable" label can mean very little.
NewsOVO settles Ofgem prepayment-meter case for over £10m
Ofgem found gaps in OVO's monitoring of vulnerable prepayment customers. The £10m+ settlement, broken down.
NewsE.ON agrees to buy OVO: what it means for customers
A deal worth up to £600m that, if cleared, would make E.ON Next the UK's largest supplier. Nothing changes yet.
What to do about it
The best smart tariffs right now
Time-of-use rates that reward off-peak use, and who they suit.
GrantsThe Boiler Upgrade Scheme, explained
£7,500 or £9,000 toward a heat pump, depending on your fuel: who qualifies and how to claim.
Policy0% VAT on solar and batteries
The relief that runs to March 2027, and what it covers.
EVEV charging at home
Chargers, off-peak tariffs and the real cost per mile.
ExportThe Smart Export Guarantee, explained
How to get paid for the solar power you send back.
CostSolar panel costs in the UK
What to expect to pay by system size in 2026.
On the way
Articles we are writing next, across smart meters, EVs, batteries and the suppliers shaping the market. Titles and angles may change before they publish.
What is a smart meter, and should you have one?
What a smart meter actually does, the pros and cons, and whether it is worth having one fitted.
Traditional vs SMET1 vs SMET2 meters
The three meter generations explained, and why SMET2 keeps working in smart mode when you switch.
Variable-rate meters: Economy 7 and Economy 10
How multi-rate meters split the day into cheap and peak hours, and which households they suit.
Are you ready for an EV?
The home, charging and cost questions to answer before you switch to an electric car.
EV vs PHEV
Battery-electric or plug-in hybrid: the running costs, use cases and trade-offs, side by side.
Citroen Ami: the rise of the EV quadricycle
The tiny Citroen Ami and the case for electric quadricycles on short urban trips.
Ferrari Luce
What we know so far about Ferrari's electric direction, and where the Luce fits.
BYD megawatt flash charging
BYD's megawatt flash charging promises serious range in minutes. How it works, and the catch.
Sodium-ion EV batteries: coming soon?
Cheaper, cobalt-free sodium-ion cells are nearing production. What they could mean for EV prices.
What is V2G?
Vehicle-to-grid lets your car power your home and sell energy back. The basics, and who it suits.
OVO Charge Anytime subscriptions
How OVO's Charge Anytime bolt-on delivers cheap overnight EV charging, and what it costs.
Octopus and BYD: the partnership and offers
What the Octopus and BYD tie-up gives drivers, from bundled cars to charging.
EDF and Duracell Energy home-battery trial
EDF and Duracell Energy launch a home-battery flexibility trial. What taking part involves.
EDF and Holtec's plan to expand UK nuclear
How EDF and Holtec plan to grow UK nuclear generation, and what it could mean for future bills.
Fuse Energy: the next UK energy disruptor?
Why Fuse is being called the next UK energy disruptor, and whether the case holds up.
Octopus says it has hit its capital buffer target
Octopus tells the regulator it has reached its capital buffer target. What that means for customers.
One email when something changes
Price-cap moves, new grants, tariffs worth switching to. We send it only when it affects your bills.