Octopus has said it manages more than 100MW of electric vehicle (EV) charging power via its smart tariff, more than the largest battery on the grid.

The ‘Intelligent Octopus’ tariff provides electricity for 10p per kilowatt hour (kWh) at off-peak times.

This allows an average driver to charge their EV for less than a third of what it would cost to charge up on a standard variable tariff, reducing fuel costs to about 3p per mile.

The combined capacity of the car batteries on Intelligent Octopus holds more power than the Minety Battery Storage Facility in Wiltshire, with 100MW currently the largest battery on the grid.

The cars on the tariff hold enough energy to power a city the size of Leicester for an hour, Octopus has said.

Alex Schoch, Head of Flexibility at Octopus Energy, commented: “We urgently need to build flexible grid technology to turbocharge the green energy system. The tariff acts as a virtual power plant, shifting demand out of peak times and therefore cutting bills for everyone.

“As more EVs take the road and steal market share from old-school gas-guzzlers, we need even more solutions like Intelligent Octopus to handle the extra devices, increase the grid’s resilience and promote a green energy future.”

Article source: https://www.energylivenews.com/2023/02/10/uks-largest-virtual-power-plant-is-growing/