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The Future of Energy Must Be Fair and Green Homes Like Mine Should Be Part of It

I grew up in a mining community in South Wales. Back then, the dream was to be on gas. It meant warmth, pride and progress. Now, that dream needs to shift. The future has to be about homes that are green, smart and secure. And we need to make sure that the dream is open to everyone.

This is about more than electricity bills. It is about legacy and energy security. It is about building something for the long term, not just patching a broken system.

But Ofgem’s new consultation on how we pay for energy system costs has raised concerns for me. It suggests that households like mine, which have invested in solar panels, a battery and smart tariffs, may not be paying our fair share. The way this review is framed risks sending the wrong message to those trying to do the right thing.

I may be wrong, as I have no background in the energy market. I am just a consumer who has tried to take control of my home’s energy demands and security. I want to have the added security of being able to generate my power from sunshine.

Adding green tech to your home should be valued.

Over the last few years, I have spent thousands of pounds upgrading my home. Ironically, the house is only 7 years old, and it didn’t even have adequate insulation in parts. The windows were so unusable for the location that the home builder had to replace almost every single window under the house’s new home builders’ warranty!

I made the builder recify the windows and insulation in my home and have retrofitted solar panels, battery storage, and a smart EV charger. I use electricity when the grid is greener, and I export clean energy back during the day. Most of my usage is overnight, when demand is low and wind power is flowing.

I did not do this to game the system. I did it because I believe in energy security. I want control over how my home uses and stores power. By doing this, I can reduce my impact on the planet and avoid the worst of future energy price shocks.

But now I read this in Ofgem’s review:

“These new technologies can also potentially lead to circumstances where those that have them could avoid paying for some energy system costs, which would then need to be paid for by other consumers.”
– Ofgem, Section 1.7

This is not just disheartening. It completely misses the point. I am not avoiding anything. I am supporting the system.

Households like mine help and can add flexibility to the grid.

When I use my stored solar energy at 6:00 p.m., I am not contributing to peak demand. Similarly, by charging my car at 1 am, I may be using surplus wind. When I export power, someone else benefits.

@sarah_go_green This is how I am powering my home at 7p per kWh today on @Octopus Energy intelligent go traiff. #moneysavingtips #savemoneytips ♬ original sound – sarah_go_green

Yet the review is framing green homes as if they are exploiting a loophole. That is not only unfair, but also short-sighted.

I may be being a tad sensitive, but we don’t seem to be on the same page.

The system still pays wind farms to switch off while fossil plants profit.

Here is where the real cost is. The grid pays wind farms to shut down when there is too much clean energy. It pays fossil fuel generators to fire up at short notice. Some of those plants charge extortionate rates. Some even game the system to drive up prices.

“Generators were paid as much as £6,000 per megawatt hour during recent energy price spikes.”
– The Guardian, 2023

We all pay for that through our bills. Yet homes like mine, that reduce demand and add flexibility, are seen as part of the problem. That makes no sense.

Octopus Energy has a display on its home page highlighting how much we are paying for wind turbines to be turned off. We are just over half way through the year, and so far we have paid £711,577,615!!!

Cutting the export rate sent the wrong message.

After successful trials of the Demand Flexibility Service, where households showed we could shift our usage to help the grid, this year we were told the options were to cancel it or slash the rate.

They chose to slash the rate.

This told green tech households like mine that our flexibility was not valued. It ignored the huge impact we had already made and discouraged future involvement.

I understand why they did it, but my feeling was they were handing us a double-edged sword. It felt to me like they wanted it to fail.

We should take pride in our green homes.

In the South Wales Valleys, we were proud to keep the lights on for the UK. Now we can do it again, but cleaner and smarter. There is pride in having solar panels. In using energy that does not rely on burning gas or coal. In knowing that you are part of the solution.

But this was not an easy journey.

“I didn’t know what a kWh was seven years ago. But since switching to Octopus, I’ve learned how to track my usage, shift it, and even share what I’ve learned with others. I’m not a tech expert. I’m just someone who wanted to do better.”

And that is what we need to encourage. Not just more green tech, but more understanding. It is quite scary investing in something you do not fully understand. You wonder if it will work, if it will save you money, and if it is worth it.

That is where Octopus Energy makes such a difference. They help customers engage with their usage, explaining things clearly and giving them the tools to see what is possible, and they build your confidence. Without that support, I do not think I would have felt able to take the first step – never mind get as far as I have.

Wales already requires all new social housing to include solar and heat pumps. That is the kind of forward thinking we need across the country. Every new home should come with green tech as standard.

“Energy is an essential service central to our lives and crucial to our economy.”
– Ofgem, Section 1.6

Energy should never be a luxury. It should be reliable, fair and available to all.

We cannot forget low-income and low-usage households.

Let us also remember the people who use very little energy, or who are on the lowest incomes. The current flat rate standing charge system hits them the hardest.

“62 percent of participants said they thought standing charges were unfair.”
– Ofgem Consumer Insights

This includes:

Pensioners living alone
Prepayment meter customers
Tenants in small or poorly insulated homes
Households already trying to use less to save money

We need a system that protects these groups. Not one that punishes them for doing the right thing or for having fewer options.

Speak up now. The consultation is open

Ofgem’s consultation is long and hard to understand. It is full of jargon and written more for the energy industry than for everyday people. But it is about our future. So we must speak up.

The deadline is Friday, 13 September 2025

👉 Respond here

Even one paragraph helps.

What to say if you have green tech

I use energy at times that help the grid
I export clean power to others
I invested thousands of pounds in helping my home reduce its impact
I should not be penalised for doing the right thing

Final thought

I did not spend thousands of pounds on my green home to avoid paying my way. I did it because I believe in energy security. Believing in using less, sharing more and building a system that is fit for the future has to be encouraged!

We all need to be part of this conversation. Whether you have green tech, live on a tight budget, or simply care about fairness, now is the time to speak up.

Let us shape a system that supports the people building the future, not one that holds them back.

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