British Gas have announced that they will become the latest firm to pay customers to reduce their electricity consumption during peak hours - in an effort to help take pressure off the grid.
The firm - which is the largest energy supplier across the UK - said it has hopes of 100,000 customers signing up to the brand-new scheme, as it rolls out the Demand Flexibility Service for the first time.
The announcement reveals that BG have became the latest and largest supplier to sign up to the scheme - which is run and operated by the National Grid.
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The PA News Agency reports that it's ambitions for participation are however lower than those of rivalling Octopus Energy - who have signed up more than 400,000 customers to their very own version of the plan. Customers who have smart meters will receive automatic emails, asking if they wish to participate - British Gas said.
Chief Executive of the firm, Chris O'Shea, added: "The electricity grid is facing increased pressure and smart technology plays a key role in managing peak demand – reducing consumption has the added benefit of helping consumers save on their energy bills. We are exploring how to make this scheme work best for our customers so that it fits in with their habits around the home.
“This approach to help manage residential electricity demand is likely to become a major feature of the market in years to come. We’ll be taking learnings from this stage with the aim of using our scale to roll out to our wider customer base.”
Under the new idea, households will be paid in the region of £4 for each unit of electricity they reduce their consumption by over peak hours. Households will be sent a text by 6pm the day prior, to let them know when to turn off TVs and ovens - instead opting to go for an hour-long walk.
They can then return and use their home again as per, although there is no mandate to take part and is down to homeowners' discretion.
It means moving the time you turn on certain appliances, simply as an alternative to not switching them on at all. By switching your oven on an hour later than usual for example, you could make £4.
It's also brilliant news for the energy grid, who can in-turn tap into these households on certain days where there will be enough electricity for everyone to do what they need to, but potentially not at the same time.
If the grid is successful in their aims, they will not need to pay through their teeth to source electricity from other countries - such as France, where GB often import fuel from.
British Gas’s decision comes just days after the scheme was almost run live for the first time since launching earlier this month. There have been three tests of the system to date, with households helping to take the stress off the grid during those hours.
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