E.ON joins Amber Electric’s latest funding round, helping UK households to save money on energy bills

E.ON is backing Australian energy technology company Amber Electric’s latest funding round, increasing its investment in a partnership that is already bringing the lower bills benefits of flexible energy solutions to customers and helping UK homes to save on their electricity bills.

E.ON Next is already using Amber’s technology to help British households with solar panels and a home battery to save money through Next Optimise.

Next Optimise combines half-hourly electricity prices with intelligent automation, charging a customer’s battery when energy is cheaper and using or exporting that stored power when prices rise. Customers can choose automatic or manual control and see their prices, usage and export payments in one place, giving them greater control without them needing to become energy market experts.

“Our customers tell us the same thing: they want their energy to be sustainable, but they need it to be affordable, and technologies like our Next Optimise system with Amber Electric are already helping customers to save money on electricity bills,” said Chris Norbury, Chief Executive of E.ON UK.

"This investment in Amber reflects our confidence in helping customers to get more value from the technology in their homes and on their driveways, making new energy work for everyone while building a more resilient energy system.”

By using electricity when lower-cost renewable power is more abundant, services such as Next Optimise can help customers pay less. Shifting demand away from peak times also eases pressure on the grid at peak times. That means smarter use of existing energy infrastructure, greater energy security and a system that works better for customers and communities.

Developed in Australia, one of the world’s leading markets for home battery uptake, Amber’s platform orchestrates more than 50% of automated home batteries there. The new capital will support further development of its technology, including vehicle-to-grid capability, and expansion across European markets.

For E.ON, the partnership supports its ambition to help customers save money by getting more value from the solar panels, batteries and electric vehicles in their homes and on their driveways, while also supporting a cleaner and more resilient energy system.