Octopus Energy and National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED) have announced a collaboration aimed at expediting the deployment of clean energy technologies.
This partnership introduces a streamlined approach to the installation process, focusing on heat pumps and electric vehicle (EV) chargers.
Typically, installing such devices requires an assessment of the local grid capacity and often a subsequent upgrade of the incoming electricity supply fuse by the local distribution network operator.
Under the new agreement, engineers from Octopus Energy can now upgrade the fuse simultaneously during the installation of heat pumps, EV chargers and solar panels in customers’ homes.
This integration aims to significantly reduce wait times for customers, potentially shaving off up to ten weeks from the installation process.
Additionally, NGED has assessed heat pumps installed by Octopus Energy and pre-approved them for connection across their network.
This measure could potentially save up to five weeks by eliminating the need for additional checks to ensure the local electricity grid’s compatibility with the increased power demand of the heat pump.
Cordi O’Hara, President, National Grid Electricity Distribution, said: “Over the last five years we’ve seen the number of EV chargers installed on our network increase by eight times and the number of heat pumps triple.
“These new changes to the fuse upgrade process are part of our commitment to make it even easier for customers to connect low carbon technologies.”
Alex Schoch, Head of Flexibility, said: “By upgrading fuses alongside clean tech installations, we are not only saving NGED resources, but also giving our customers back valuable time. It’s a win-win that highlights how critical collaboration is on our path to net zero.”
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