Octopus Energy announced on Thursday, November 12, 2026, a new program that will pay large British companies to reduce their electricity consumption during periods of peak demand. The Octopus Peak Performance Programme is designed to allow commercial and industrial firms to earn revenue by shifting their power usage to times when renewable energy is more available.
The initiative follows the model of the company's "Saving Sessions" for residential customers, which rewards households for lowering electricity use during high-demand windows, typically between 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. in the winter months. The program is being launched in partnership with Voltus, a U.S.-based firm specializing in energy flexibility that is entering the British market for the first time.
Under the terms of the program, businesses that spend more than £20,000 per month on electricity are eligible to register their interest. Octopus stated that participating firms do not need to be existing customers of the utility to take part. The company will conduct case-by-case assessments of registered firms to determine if they can reduce peak-time usage without disrupting their daily operations.
Participating companies will notice a change in how they manage high-energy tasks, potentially rescheduling operations to align with periods of high solar or wind output. This shift is intended to help firms manage high industrial electricity prices, which have been influenced by rising gas prices following supply disruptions linked to the Iran war. By reducing demand during peaks, the program aims to lower the need for gas-fired power plants, which often set the price for the entire grid when they are brought online to meet high demand.
The program also addresses broader infrastructure challenges, as the UK's electricity grid operator has faced difficulties balancing supply and demand due to transmission bottlenecks and the intermittent nature of renewable energy. Following the opening of registration on November 12, 2026, Octopus Energy will begin evaluating interested firms to determine individual savings potential. The specific date for when payments will begin was not reported.