The Green Transition Should Not Be About Sacrifice
I was in the audience at the Energy Tech Summit1, where I heard the boss of Octopus2 challenging the dominant narrative that the path to decarbonisation must be one of “sacrifice.”
Instead, he argued, the transition should make life better for people.
Initially, I thought it was just rhetoric, because in my mind, reform requires sacrifice. But then I realised this might actually be a valid idea.
For example, Octopus has an initiative called “Zero Bills”3 – guaranteeing no energy bills for homes equipped with solar and batteries. Sure, if you pay for solar panels, a battery and a heat pump4 anyway, you could get a better deal if you manage everything yourself, by timing your electricity use and selling the excess back to the grid.
But that takes knowledge and effort. In exchange for giving up some control and opportunity, you get peace of mind, which is, indeed, invaluable.
Octopus is also experimenting with using electric cars as “batteries on wheels”, based on the new Vehicle to Grid (aka V2G)5 set of technologies. Because it helps increase the grid’s flexibility, Octopus offers a cheap-ish leasing option for a V2G-capable vehicle. Thumbs up for that, too – despite some worrying but understandable geostrategic options.
It’s great to send the message that Net Zero means abundance, not austerity – and that sustainability and quality of life aren’t mutually exclusive. That message is becoming less and less wishful thinking – and it can genuinely become a reality.