Shell Energy, the energy supply arm of Royal Dutch Shell, has launched what it calls a “first of its kind” tariff to help homeowners maximise the benefits of solar panels combined with battery storage. Under the scheme, customers are able to use their excess solar power in summer to earn up to £150 in credit to offset their winter bills.
A home equipped with solar panels typically only uses about a third of its generated power. Shell believes that complementing this with a battery solution can lead to homes meeting about three-quarters of their energy needs over a year from self-generated power. Shell Energy’s new tariff can add further to these savings.
The CEO of Shell Energy Retail, Colin Crooks, said smarter tariffs and home battery systems could be instrumental in helping the nation’s homes achieve net-zero carbon emissions by making them more self-sufficient and compensating for seasonal changes in solar power. He added:
“The benefit of a solar panel on your home’s roof increases when you add a home battery, and again when you add a smart tariff like this. It ensures no electricity is wasted and the owner of the solar panel gets the maximum benefit.”
Both Shell Energy and sonnen, which supplies the battery system for the scheme, are part of Shell’s New Energies business. While Shell will maintain its involvement in oil and gas production, as well as continue to make high-quality lubricants like gear oil, New Energies reflects Shell’s shift to becoming a low-carbon business.
