In a landmark move for household energy costs, Octopus Energy has announced the expansion of its revolutionary Zero Bills initiative to France. Selected households will now pay absolutely nothing for their home energy for a guaranteed period of at least five years.
A Global Shift in Home Energy
The energy giant, which serves numerous customers in Birmingham and across the UK, has confirmed that the first two retrofitted homes in France are now part of the scheme. These properties, located in the Val-d’Oise and Hauts-de-France regions, mark a significant step in the company's international rollout. France becomes the fourth country to join the Zero Bills movement, following successful launches in the UK, Germany, and New Zealand.
Launched initially in 2022, the Zero Bills tariff allows residents to move into homes equipped with state-of-the-art green technology. This setup is designed to generate and manage energy so efficiently that residents are shielded from energy bills for a minimum of five to ten years. The company estimates that participating homes could save around €1,851 per year on energy costs.
How the Zero Bills Vision Becomes Reality
This initiative is more than just a promise of free energy. The homes are fitted with advanced technology like solar panels, smart batteries, and air source heat pumps. These systems work in harmony to maximise energy generation and storage, often exporting surplus power back to the grid.
Nigel Banks, Zero Bills Director at Octopus Energy, stated: "Not paying for home energy bills isn’t a futuristic vision – it’s something our customers around the world are living today. Our launch in France shows that Zero Bills isn’t just a UK success story – it’s a global shift towards homes that are cleaner, greener, and can eliminate home energy bills entirely."
The Future of Energy-Independent Homes
Octopus Energy has an ambitious goal to deliver 100,000 Zero Bills homes globally by 2030. So far, eligibility for the scheme has been approved for over 5,000 homes. The expansion into France underscores the scalability of this model.
Lancelot d'Hauthuille, Managing Director of Octopus Energy France, highlighted the broader benefits: "Of course, not paying energy bills is a dream come true. But these homes do much more than that. They help balance the electricity grid, reduce carbon emissions, and promote energy independence for households. Through Zero Bills homes, we want to demonstrate the full potential of clean technologies in our homes, in order to change housing standards in France and around the world."
This development signals a tangible move towards a future where high energy bills and carbon-intensive homes could become a thing of the past, starting with a select few and aiming for a global standard.
