More than 100 homes set to save £200 a year as Octopus Energy partners with Grampian Housing Association.
An innovative scheme to ensure more people invest in, and benefit from, solar energy has been launched in Scotland. The UK’s largest energy supplier, Octopus Energy, has partnered with Grampian Housing Association, which provides affordable homes for social rent in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray.
Photo by Markus Spiske / Unsplash
In the past, there’s been little incentive for landlords to invest in solar panels or batteries because it’s their tenants who pay for energy and so get the benefits of lower bills. But the Octopus Energy ‘Tenant Power’ scheme is the first energy tariff in the UK where both social housing landlords and tenants share the financial rewards.
Octopus Energy says it’s a win-win model that removes one of he major barriers to green investment in social housing.
The idea is simple. As with any solar PV installation, buildings fitted with solar panels and a compatible battery system can generate their own renewable energy. Any excess energy is stored in the battery and, at times of peak demand, is automatically sold back to the grid.
Under the terms of Tenant Power, the proceeds of those sales goes to the landlord, making installation a viable long-term investment.
At the same time, tenants benefit from lower energy bills – compared to a standard variable tariff, they can see bills fall by 30%, or some £200 per year. Further savings can be made by adding a heat pump to the property.
Grampian is the first housing association in Scotland to roll out the new tariff, with a first phase of installations at 114 homes beginning this month, and a further 200 homes later this year. The aim is to have 1,000 customers signed up to the scheme by the end of 2026, with a further 10,000 homes committed to participate beyond that
Of course, the scheme is timely given volatility in the energy market because of the conflict in Iran. Octopus Energy says sales of heat pumps have risen 103% and solar panels by 78%, while enquiries about EV charger technology are up 42%, based on the company’s internal data comparing February and March 2026.
Nigel Banks, Zero Bills Director at Octopus Energy, says: ‘Solar panels and batteries should be a no‑brainer for social housing – but until now the economics haven’t worked well enough. Tenant Power solves this by cutting tenants’ bills while giving social housing landlords a return for investing in green tech.By partnering with Grampian Housing Association, we’re delivering more affordable, greener living to social homes in Scotland, making a real impact on communities and people’s pockets.’
Zander Carle, Director of Asset Management at Grampian Housing Association, adds: ‘At Grampian, we are always looking for practical ways to improve our homes and help tenants manage the cost of living. Tenant Power allows us to invest in low carbon technologies like solar panels and batteries in a way that directly benefits our tenants through lower energy bills, while also making long-term financial sense for the organisation.
‘Being the first housing association in Scotland to roll out this tariff is an exciting step, and we see this as a positive move towards more affordable, sustainable homes for the future.’
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