Grid-event rewards
A provider such as Axle dispatches the battery during qualifying events while you keep your normal schedule outside them.
Explore Axle and VPPs
HOME BATTERY INTELLIGENCE
Make more of the battery you already own.
Compare grid-event earnings, automatic optimisation and advanced home-energy control — with the compatibility and control conflicts explained.
How Battery Boost verifies dataVPP + optimisation
LIVE DATAPLAIN ENGLISHVERIFIED SOURCES
ALREADY OWN A BATTERY?Check what tariffs, VPPs and smart controls work with it.CHECK MY BATTERY 01 02 03 
Home Assistant
PredBat
AVAILABLEACTIVE / RESTRICTED 
BETA
AVAILABLEManaged optimisationIndependent optimisationSelf-hosted or managed cloudHome energy automationSupplier-managed add-onDynamic supplier tariffManaged import and export tariffBattery tariff option Sources checked 14/10/2026 BATTERY TARIFFS · CHECKED 01 NOV 2026 BATTERY TARIFFS · CHECKED 01 NOV 2026 HOME BATTERIES · 27 OCT 2026 OPTIMISATION · 30 OCT 2026 EV · CHECKED 01 NOV 2026 EV · CHECKED 01 NOV 2026 OPTIMISATION · 14 OCT 2026 OPTIMISATION · 23 OCT 2026 V2G · 23 OCT 2026 BATTERY TARIFFS · CHECKED 01 NOV 2026 BATTERY TARIFFS · CHECKED 01 NOV 2026 BATTERY TARIFFS · CHECKED 01 NOV 2026 BATTERY TARIFFS · CHECKED 01 NOV 2026 BATTERY TRADING · 07 OCT 2026 BATTERY TRADING · 01 OCT 2026 BATTERY TARIFFS · CHECKED 01 NOV 2026 COMMERCIAL · 17 SEP 2026 BATTERY TARIFFS · 28 OCT 2026 BATTERY TARIFFS · 16 SEP 2026 EV · CHECKED 01 NOV 2026 EV · CHECKED 01 NOV 2026 EV · CHECKED 01 NOV 2026 BATTERY TRADING · CHECKED 01 NOV 2026 BATTERY TARIFFS · CHECKED 01 NOV 2026 V2G · CHECKED 01 NOV 2026 OPTIMISATION · CHECKED 01 NOV 2026 OPTIMISATION · CHECKED 01 NOV 2026 OPTIMISATION · CHECKED 01 NOV 2026 OPTIMISATION · 07 OCT 2026 BATTERY TARIFFS · CHECKED 01 NOV 2026 Open all news & signals
FEATURED HOME TRADING OPPORTUNITY
£145+ in your first 12 full qualifying months
£25sign-up bonus+£10+per month × 12=£145+
Axle also pays £1/kWh exported during eligible grid events. You keep your normal battery schedule outside those short events.
Payments, qualifying periods and event earnings are subject to Axle's current terms. Checked 15/09/2026.AXLE EVENT INFORMATION
Short bursts of support when the grid needs help.
3–6/monthtypical events~1 hourtypical durationDay beforestandard notice~2 hoursoptional short notice£1/kWheligible export
View my Axle events HOW HOME BATTERIES CREATE VALUE
Save every day. Earn when flexibility is valuable.
Home battery trading is a useful umbrella term, but it covers several different activities. Some reduce your bill by moving imports to cheaper periods. Some increase the value of exported energy. Others reward a battery for responding during short grid events.
Solar self-useStore surplus generation for laterTariff shiftingMove imports away from costly periodsExport valueSell stored energy when it makes senseGrid servicesJoin eligible flexibility events
A HOME BATTERY DAY00:30Charge in a lower-cost window08:00Use stored energy at breakfast13:00Store surplus solar17:30Avoid peak imports19:00Optional grid event or exportIllustrative only — your tariff, solar and household use determine the real schedule.
CHOOSE YOUR LEVEL OF CONTROL
Three routes to a smarter battery.
The key question is not simply which service pays most. It is who controls the battery, when they control it and whether that works with your tariff and other software.
Automatic optimisation
A supplier or independent platform builds and applies the day-to-day charging plan for a supported system.
Compare managed routesAdvanced self-control
Home Assistant and PredBat offer detailed forecasting, dashboards and rules for confident, hands-on users.
Understand the setupWORKS WITH AXLE
Eligibility follows the connected inverter/system and smart meter.
HOME BATTERY KNOWLEDGE
Understand the options before handing over control.
Detailed, plain-English guides designed around the questions UK homeowners actually search for — from VPP basics and Axle eligibility to automation and inverter compatibility.
START HERE
How home battery trading works
Understand grid events, tariff optimisation, export payments and the difference between earning and saving.
Open guide PROVIDER GUIDEAxle Energy explained
A plain-English guide to Axle grid events, eligibility, control, payments and the questions to check before joining.
Open guide GRID SERVICESWhat is a home battery VPP?
How thousands of connected batteries can act together — and what participation means for the homeowner.
Open guide EVERYDAY VALUEBattery optimisation explained
Compare automatic, supplier-managed and self-managed ways to charge, use and export stored energy.
Open guide ADVANCED CONTROLHome Assistant and PredBat
What the software does, what it needs and why it suits confident users who want detailed control.
Open guide COMPATIBILITYBattery brands and integrations
Why the inverter often determines compatibility, which connection methods matter and what to verify first.
Open guideHome AssistantYour battery, tariff and solar in one dashboard.
Home Assistant can bring battery state of charge, inverter output, household demand, solar generation and electricity prices into one place. With a suitable integration it can build energy dashboards and automate charging or discharging around tariffs, PredBat plans or Axle Self-Dispatch events.
- Monitor battery, inverter, demand and solar
- Build energy dashboards
- React to tariff prices
- Run user-defined automations
PredBatTurn forecasts and prices into a battery plan.
PredBat is advanced software commonly run with Home Assistant. It uses electricity prices, solar and load forecasts, battery size, power limits, export value and efficiency to plan when to charge, use or export energy.
- Fixed and dynamic tariffs
- Solar and load forecasting
- Battery constraints
- Export optimisation
Managed optimisation with professional system monitoring.
Sentinel combines tariff-led battery charging and export planning with solar and usage forecasts. Its published offering includes human monitoring, fault detection, remote support and managed firmware updates.
- Supported manufacturers: Fox ESS and Solis
- Coming soon: SolaX, Sigenergy and Growatt
- Residential pricing: £19.99/month or £199/year
- Confirm your exact model, tariff and control permissions
Manufacturer-level support, not confirmation of every model. Coming-soon integrations are not available yet. Check before combining battery schedulers; savings are not guaranteed. Source: Sentinel · Checked 25/09/2026.
Automatic optimisation through a supported battery cloud.
Capture AI forecasts solar generation and household use, then shifts charging and export toward better-value periods. Capture says supported systems connect through manufacturer APIs without extra hardware and without requiring a supplier switch; exact model support must still be checked.
- Automatic forecasts
- Charge when electricity is cheaper
- Export when electricity is more valuable
- Relevant grid rewards
SUPPLIER OPTIONS
Compare supplier control and battery tariffs.
Managed products can remove day-to-day effort. Tariff-only options still need a charging schedule. Check which route each product provides.
AVAILABLECharge Pack
Available. At least £12/month; Octopus controls a supported battery and it cannot be combined with Axle.
Read full guideACTIVE / RESTRICTEDIntelligent Octopus Flux
Active but restricted. Octopus conflicts over whether the solar and battery must have been bought from it, so confirm access directly.
Read full guideBETANext Optimise
A dynamic battery-optimisation route through E.ON Next Home; eligibility and supported equipment matter.
Read full guideAVAILABLEEmpower
Battery tariff propositions with route-specific hardware, smart-meter and purchase conditions.
Read full guideEXPLORE EACH OPTION
Home battery optimisation services.
Compare managed services, home automation and supplier tariff options. Each guide explains the control approach and what to check before joining.
Managed optimisationSentinel EMS
Sentinel EMS for UK home batteries: optimisation, monitoring, pricing, Fox ESS and Solis compatibility, and manufacturers coming soon.
Read service guideIndependent optimisationCapture Energy
Explore Capture Energy home battery optimisation: what to check about battery connections, tariff support, costs and automated charging.
Read service guideSelf-hosted or managed cloudPredBat
PredBat battery optimisation explained: self-hosted Home Assistant setup, PredBat Cloud, inverter compatibility, forecasts and control.
Read service guideHome energy automationHome Assistant
Home Assistant for home batteries: energy dashboards, inverter integrations, automation, PredBat and practical setup considerations.
Read service guideSupplier-managed add-onOctopus Charge Pack
Octopus Charge Pack guide: battery optimisation, monthly rewards, compatible tariffs and batteries, and restrictions on other controllers.
Read service guideDynamic supplier tariffE.ON Next Optimise
E.ON Next Optimise explained: dynamic import and export prices, SmartShift battery control, compatible equipment and beta availability.
Read service guideManaged import and export tariffIntelligent Octopus Flux
Intelligent Octopus Flux for solar and batteries: automated control, eligibility, current availability and differences from standard Flux.
Read service guideBattery tariff optionEDF Empower
EDF Empower battery tariffs explained: Fixed versus Exclusive, smart-meter requirements and how tariff savings differ from automatic optimisation.
Read service guideBEFORE YOU JOIN
Six checks that prevent expensive surprises.
- 01Confirm the exact inverter model and firmware
- 02Check smart-meter communication
- 03Compare the whole import and export tariff
- 04Identify every service that can change battery settings
- 05Protect any backup reserve your household needs
- 06Read current payment, exit and data-access terms
HOME TRADING FAQ
Questions worth answering before you connect.
What is home battery trading?
It describes using a connected battery to respond to electricity prices or grid needs. Value may come from lower import costs, higher-value export or payments from a flexibility provider.
How much can a home battery earn?
There is no reliable universal figure. Capacity, power, tariff spread, solar, export limits, event participation, efficiency and programme terms all affect the outcome. Treat provider minimums separately from variable event earnings.
Do I need a smart meter?
Most supplier-managed tariffs and VPP services need a communicating smart meter, often with half-hourly data, so eligibility and performance can be measured.
Can Axle work with my electricity supplier?
Axle says it works with most UK suppliers and tariffs. Its current help guidance identifies Intelligent Octopus Go and Intelligent Octopus Flux as exceptions, and other managed products can impose their own restrictions.
Will an optimiser damage my battery?
Normal optimisation should remain inside manufacturer limits, but additional cycling contributes to wear. Check warranty terms, charge limits, temperature management and how the service values battery degradation.
Can I use Axle and PredBat together?
Axle says third-party scheduling can work with Events Only mode. Understand which system takes control during an event, how settings are restored and whether your exact integration is supported.
Is battery trading the same as a battery tariff?
No. A tariff sets import and export prices and may include managed control. A separate VPP can pay for flexibility events. Some combinations work together and others are explicitly excluded.
What happens if the internet goes down?
Cloud-controlled services may be unable to read or dispatch the battery. The inverter should retain safe manufacturer controls and a sensible fallback schedule; confirm the behaviour for your system.
UNDERSTAND THE DETAILS
What to know before choosing.
How can a home battery earn money?
Grid events pay eligible batteries to respond at useful moments. Tariff optimisation saves money by charging at cheaper times and using or exporting energy later. Time-of-use arbitrage is the price difference, after efficiency losses and battery limits.
Trading vs optimisation
Trading responds to market or grid opportunities. Optimisation builds a day-to-day plan around prices, solar and household demand. Some services combine both; two permanent controllers can conflict.
Which route suits me?
Choose supplier-managed control for simplicity, Home Assistant and PredBat for hands-on automation, or Axle if grid-event earnings and keeping control outside events are priorities.
Can I combine services?
Sometimes. A tariff can coexist with a separate event service, but Charge Pack explicitly cannot be combined with third-party battery optimisation such as Axle. Always identify which system is allowed to issue commands.
LATEST SIGNALS
Recent changes from trusted sources.
E.ON publishes four current SEG tiers
E.ON lists 17.5p/kWh Next Export Premium v3 for qualifying E.ON-installed solar or battery systems, 13p/kWh Next Export Exclusive v3 for qualifying E.ON import customers, 6p/kWh variable Next Flex Export v1, and 8.5p/kWh Next Export Business v1 for qualifying SME or commercial generators. Installation date, import-tariff, system-size, metering and fixed-term conditions differ by tier; the headline rates are not generally available to every home.
Read source: E.ON NextScottishPower publishes three SmartGen export tiers
ScottishPower lists 6p/kWh SmartGen, 12p/kWh SmartGen Premium for qualifying import customers and 15p/kWh SmartGen Premium Plus for qualifying customers whose solar panels and/or battery were installed by ScottishPower. All three rates are variable; generation, certification, half-hour metering and DNO evidence requirements still apply.
Read source: ScottishPowerGovernment launches UK-wide lower-cost battery loans
The Warm Homes Loan Scheme supports no- and low-interest finance for household clean-energy upgrades across the UK, including electrical storage battery loans of up to £15,000. Ten lenders are participating initially and installations must use MCS-certified installers. This is repayable finance, not a battery grant: rates, installer restrictions, term, fees and the total amount repayable still need comparing.
Read source: Department for Energy Security and Net ZeroGovernment sets tariff-data interoperability rules for smart devices
The government has modified the Retail Energy Code to set how electricity suppliers must share tariff pricing data in a standardised format. The change takes effect on 6 November 2026, with Phase 1a planned to go live on 18 February 2027 so energy-smart appliances can respond more consistently to price signals. This is an interoperability framework, not a new retail tariff, a live battery-control service or a compatibility approval.
Read source: Department for Energy Security and Net ZeroSo Energy resolves So EV at 7.5p/kWh
So Energy's tariff index, dedicated So EV page and FAQ now agree on 7.5p/kWh from 00:00–05:00, resolving the previous 7.5p/6.5p supplier-page conflict. The overnight rate applies to the whole home; So Energy supply, a compatible half-hourly smart meter and the account-specific daytime price still matter.
Read source: So EnergyE.ON keeps £75 Next Drive Smart connection credit live
E.ON's current page identifies Next Drive Smart V7.9 at 6.5p/kWh, while its terms keep the limited £75 account credit for eligible existing customers who had not previously connected equipment and do so in the E.ON Next Home app from 14 October to 30 November 2026. They must remain connected for the eligibility check; E.ON says the credit should be applied by 14 December.
Read source: E.ON NextGovernment consults on consumer-authorised energy data sharing
The government proposes a legislative framework requiring specified energy datasets to be made securely available to authorised services when consumers choose to share them. The consultation covers datasets, accreditation, consumer protection, governance and funding; it does not yet create a live data-access route or authorise third-party battery control.
Read source: Department for Energy Security and Net ZeroOfgem closes low-carbon information consultation
Ofgem's consultation on objective, non-promotional information about battery storage, solar panels, EV chargers and heat pumps during smart-meter visits closed on 23 October and is awaiting a decision. Marketing without prior consent would remain prohibited under the proposal; this is not yet a final licence change.
Read source: OfgemGovernment considers V2G and V2H credits in ZEV mandate review
The Department for Transport's closed ZEV-mandate review asks whether manufacturers should receive a credit for cars and vans with meaningful UK V2G or V2H capability. Proposed criteria include UK-enabled bidirectional operation, G99 or ENA evidence, warranty support, a compatible UK charger, ISO 15118-20 and a live vehicle-charger-tariff proposition. This remains a policy proposal awaiting an outcome, not a new customer incentive or compatibility approval.
Read source: Department for TransportBritish Gas publishes four current SEG tiers
British Gas lists 12p/kWh Premium for electricity customers with systems up to 15kW, 8p Extra above 15kW, 6p VoidCare for qualifying social landlords up to 15kW and 3p Export SEG for non-supply customers, developers and larger VoidCare systems. It says eligible battery-storage export can qualify, but renewable-generation, certification, DNO and half-hourly metering rules still apply.
Read source: British GasE.ON Store & Save uses a single overnight window
E.ON Next's current terms set Store & Save's lower-priced period at 02:00–05:00. The 12-month fixed tariff requires a solar battery, half-hourly smart metering, Direct Debit and online account management, carries no exit fee and publishes no general unit rates, so the personalised quote remains decisive.
Read source: E.ON NextIntelligent Octopus Flux is again marked temporarily unavailable
Octopus's live page again says Intelligent Octopus Flux is temporarily unavailable. It also remains internally inconsistent over eligibility: one section says compatible equipment need not have been installed by Octopus, while another says the tariff is currently exclusive to Octopus solar-and-battery customers. Battery Boost therefore marks it paused and restricted pending a consistent reopening route.
Read source: Octopus EnergyE.ON opens Solar Storage Steady beta with fixed windows
E.ON Next's quote-only beta combines fixed import and export windows with automatic battery steering. It requires E.ON supply and SEG, a half-hourly smart meter and one of nine listed inverter ecosystems. E.ON does not publish general unit rates, so the personalised quote, exact model and export limits remain decisive.
Read source: E.ON NextNESO brings constraint actions into the Demand Flexibility Service
From 7 October, NESO says DFS can procure both margin and system-tagged constraint actions and the Local Constraint Market no longer procures constraint actions. Households still participate through registered providers; the change does not create a direct retail payment guarantee for an individual home battery.
Read source: NESOOfgem finds modest response to standing-charge flexibility rebates
Ofgem's two trials covered more than 43,000 British Gas and ScottishPower customers. A standing-charge rebate reduced 16:00–19:00 use modestly in only one trial, and doubling the maximum reward produced only a small extra reduction. The findings support cautious tariff design rather than a guaranteed saving or response for every household.
Read source: OfgemOctopus terms confirm landlord-linked Tenant Power
Octopus's smart-tariff terms describe a restricted proposition for homes with approved solar, a battery, import and export smart meters and a MID-approved whole-home submeter. The electricity discount is agreed with the landlord and moves with the price cap; no public unit rate or open sign-up route is stated, and Octopus controls the battery.
Read source: Octopus EnergyOfgem proposes a commitment fee for queued battery projects
Ofgem says around 90 GW of battery capacity is operational or in the reformed connections queue versus a projected 29 GW requirement by 2035. The consultation concerns larger grid-connected projects, not domestic battery registrations.
Read source: OfgemBudget extends domestic electricity VAT cut to July 2027
Budget 2026 extends the temporary 0% VAT rate on qualifying domestic electricity supplies for three more months, to 1 July 2027. The government expects the extension to reduce the April 2027 Ofgem price cap by around £50 a year. It changes the VAT component, not a supplier's underlying unit rate, standing charge or the economics of every battery tariff.
Read source: HM TreasuryOctopus publishes Charge Pack control and eligibility terms
The terms require a supported battery, compatible import and export tariff, working smart meter and battery control access. Sessions are at Octopus's discretion, and the terms restrict joining another demand-response scheme with the same asset.
Read source: Octopus EnergyOVO Charge Anytime PAYG remains at 13.33p/kWh
OVO's primary page dates its pay-as-you-go smart-charging rate at 13.33p/kWh from 1 October 2026. The figure is not the price of its separate fixed-monthly plans, and boost charging still uses the customer's standard home tariff.
Read source: OVO EnergyIntelligent Octopus Go moves to 6.5p/kWh
Octopus now advertises smart charging from 6.5p/kWh, including the six-hour 23:30–05:30 whole-home window and up to six hours of eligible managed charging. Day rates, standing charges and contract terms remain account-specific, and the live vehicle or charger compatibility check remains decisive.
Read source: Octopus EnergyBritish Gas confirms current EV Power and Hive Power+ figures
British Gas's current EV page shows EV Power at 9.5p/kWh from 00:00–05:00 and a 25% Hive Power+ discount, equivalent to 7.125p/kWh when combined. Its general energy page no longer displays the older 6.75p illustration, resolving the previous public-page inconsistency.
Read source: British GasAxle lists seven supported inverter ecosystems
Axle's beta proposition lists AlphaESS, Sigenergy, Fox ESS, GivEnergy, SolaX, Solis and SolarEdge. It advertises £1/kWh during qualifying grid-stress events and a £10 monthly minimum; actual operation still depends on a compatible battery and smart-meter connection.
Read source: Axle EnergyCharge Pack lists nine battery brands as eligible now
Octopus lists AlphaESS, EcoFlow, Enphase, FoxESS, GivEnergy, HanchuESS, Huawei, Sigenergy and SolarEdge as eligible, with Tesla, SolaX, LuxPower, Solis, GoodWe, Duracell and Hinen marked coming soon.
Read source: Octopus EnergyPower Pack still has one verified UK compatibility chain
Octopus currently names one live combination: a V2G-enabled BYD Dolphin with a V2G-enabled Zaptec Pro. Other vehicle and charger claims remain separate as trials, announcements or overseas products.
Read source: Octopus EnergyE.ON Next Optimise adds Sunsynk support
E.ON Next now lists six automatically compatible battery ecosystems, adding Sunsynk ECCO, Accure, Elite and 8–50kW three-phase inverters while excluding Lifelynk. Unsupported batteries may still join in self-optimise mode, where the customer manages scheduling; exact model and beta eligibility remain decisive.
Read source: E.ON NextNESO keeps generation and carbon datasets openly available
The system operator's data portal supports transparent tracking of how Great Britain's electricity is generated and how carbon intensity changes over time.
Read source: NESOElexon publishes near-real-time generation by fuel type
Operational metering data gives a current view of transmission-connected generation. Battery Boost labels embedded-solar estimates separately because they are not measured in the same feed.
Read source: ElexonHome Assistant adds Axle grid-event schedules and local inverter integrations
Home Assistant 2026.10 adds an Axle Energy integration that exposes upcoming import or export grid events, plus local Modbus integrations for SolarEdge and KACO inverters. This improves visibility and automation inputs; it does not by itself authorise battery control, prove service compatibility or replace provider rules.
Read source: Home AssistantOfgem's SEG guidance remains the comparison baseline
Ofgem's scheme guidance explains the regulated export framework. Individual supplier rates, stored-energy rules and import-tariff conditions still need checking at the provider source.
Read source: Ofgem