Octopus Energy, the largest electricity supplier in the UK, has launched a campaign among its millions of users to reward those who cut their electricity consumption during the solar eclipse on Wednesday, the most intense that the country will experience since 1999.
"Since the Moon will block up to 95% of the Sun in some areas of Great Britain, Octopus Energy asks households to reduce their electricity consumption between 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM (British time), when the eclipse is at its darkest point and solar power generation is affected," the company has stated.
The company has emphasized that the phenomenon, which will temporarily interrupt a significant portion of solar production in Great Britain, will occur right during the time when millions of citizens return home and electricity usage spikes.
The supplier reminds that solar energy has an increasing weight in the energy matrix of the UK and that in July it reached a record by contributing 14.4% of the national electricity, so "a couple of hours without sun can leave a gap that needs to be filled."
"If enough households delay the use of electricity for a short period, it can reduce the need to activate additional gas power plants," it has suggested, estimating that domestic consumers could provide up to 13 GW of flexible capacity to support the grid.
"Many of us will look to the sky on Wednesday night to witness this once-in-a-generation event. But as the sun disappears, so will part of Great Britain's solar generation, just when demand peaks," has stated Rebecca Dibb-Simkin, Customer Service Director of Octopus Energy, for whom by postponing everyday tasks like using the washing machine or dishwasher, households can help reduce the need for gas power plants and earn rewards for their contribution.
According to the company, customers who sign up for the initiative, meet the conditions, and manage to cut their consumption compared to usual during those two hours will receive free electricity the following weekend.
Additionally, users will be able to join a photo contest of the eclipse with the chance to win a solar panel system with installation included, or a cash prize of £12,000 (a little over €14,000).
On the other hand, the National Energy System Operator (Neso), responsible for the operation of the electricity grid in the United Kingdom, has issued an electricity margin notice to encourage market responses that reinforce the system's slack, as it calculates a margin deficit of 1,200 MW for the eclipse period and requested this morning that any additional available capacity be communicated to it.
"This means that we are asking market participants to make any additional generation capacity they have available," Neso explained, adding that the notice is issued "as a precautionary measure for the market due to the solar eclipse" and does not represent any risk to the electricity supply for consumers.