Octopus Energy creates solar street in East London

Octopus Energy has completed work on its first community solar energy installation in Walthamstow, east London.

The energy and technology group installed solar panels on 13 houses in one street in just one week, which will reduce residents’ bills by a third.

Project ‘POWER STATION, started by Walthamstow-based artists Hilary Powell and Daniel Edelstyn, aims to install solar panels on as many houses as possible in one street to create their own local green power station.

The initiative lets residents generate clean electricity that benefits them and their local community, save money on their energy bills and lower their carbon footprint.

Powell and Edelstyn crowdfunded £113,000 by sleeping on their rooftop and have used this to offer Lynmouth Road residents in Walthamstow subsidised solar installations via Octopus Energy. 

The partnership started in June and in just one week Octopus has completed the installation of solar panels on all 13 houses on Lynmouth Road that have joined the project so far with the potential to expand to 30 homes in total.

Rebecca Dibb-Simkin, chief product officer at Octopus Energy Group, said: "This project fills me with so much joy and pride – it’s a powerful example of the tremendous impact people can have in accelerating the green energy revolution. 

“Hilary and Dan didn’t come from the energy industry, and yet they found a way to help their community move to green power and massively reduce their energy bills. We are delighted to have joined forces.”

The houses who join the ‘POWER STATION’ will see an average carbon reduction of 70% and help reduce costs for all bill payers by decreasing demand on the grid.

Octopus is committed to working with communities to help them use and benefit from renewable energy. The company pioneered this with its Fan Club tariff in 2021, where customers living near a wind turbine are offered cheaper energy when the wind blows.