Battery Boost Trial Terms and Conditions

1. About these Terms

These Battery Boost Trial terms and conditions (the Terms) form the agreement between you and us:

(a) “you” are the person who has signed up to the Battery Boost Trial (the Trial);

(b) “OVO”, “we”, “us” or “our” is OVO Energy Limited. Our address is 1 Rivergate, Temple Quay, Bristol, United Kingdom, BS1 6ED and we are registered under company number 06890795 with VAT number 100119879;

These Terms are specific to the Trial. They are separate to the OVO Core Terms and Conditions which govern the supply of energy to you, our Solar Purchase and Installation Terms and any terms which apply to your Battery.

Who is Kaluza?

“Kaluza” is a member of the OVO group of companies. It is registered in England and Wales with company number 12218299, whose registered office is at 140–142 Kensington Church Street, London, W8 4BN and whose VAT number is 100119879. Kaluza owns and operates the Kaluza Flex platform which, under certain circumstances, controls the electricity imported/exported from/to the grid. More about Kaluza

2. What is the Trial and how does it work?

2.1 The Trial gives participating OVO customers with solar panels and a GivEnergy battery installed by OVO a lower unit rate for electricity used to charge their battery from the grid. Home energy rates stay the same. The Trial will begin on 1st August 2024.

2.2 The Trial is limited to the first 50 customers to sign up. This cap will be reviewed regularly and we hope to be able to roll the product out more widely very soon.

2.3 Kaluza, via their Kaluza Flex platform will charge and discharge participant’s batteries aiming to optimise these activities to times when the cost and carbon intensity of electricity on the grid are most beneficial.

2.3 Electricity used to charge your battery (“Battery”) from the grid will have an effective rate of 10p/kWh when it has been added to the Battery by us. You will be charged at your normal OVO rate for electricity used in your home from the grid. If you override the controls and charge the Battery from the grid, you'll be charged your standard electricity unit rate.

2.4 Exported electricity will receive your current smart export guarantee (SEG) rate.

2.5 As this is a trial we may update the product during the Trial’s duration. We may also seek Trial participant feedback to help broaden our understanding of the product’s performance and ways it could be improved.

How long will the Trial last?

2.6 The Trial will continue long enough for us to fully test the proposition and carry out any improvements required. We’ll let you know if we decide to end the Trial or make any changes that affect your participation.

What does ‘optimising’ my Battery mean?

2.7 Optimisation means controlling when the Battery is charged and discharged, optimising to when the grid has an abundance of low carbon electricity for charging; and discharging when there are lower levels of low carbon electricity available. This optimisation supports balancing demand for electricity on the local energy grid. This is done by Kaluza using the Kaluza Flex platform which connects to your Battery via the internet.

2.8 You must not manually override the optimisation programme that we implement. This could result in unintended charging or discharging of your Battery and the optimisation not working correctly.

2.9 Electricity tends to be cheaper when there is more renewable electricity available so this saving is passed back to you by means of your Battery Boost Credit for all of the electricity that is imported to the Battery.

How will optimisation affect the life of my Battery?

2.10 Optimisation means your Battery may be charged and discharged more often than a Battery only matching solar production. Increased charging and discharging could have an impact on the life of your Battery. OVO are not liable for any damage due to increased charging and discharging.

3. Battery Boost Credits

3.1 During the Trial, all electricity supplied to you by OVO will initially be charged at the unit rate you pay on your OVO tariff. This rate will be reflected in your account, live balance and on your bill along with your standing charges. In the first 7 working days of each month, you will receive a credit based on the number of units (kWhs) of electricity that we imported to your Battery during the previous month (as calculated by the OVO team). These will be your Battery Boost credits (“Battery Boost Credits”).

3.2 When you sign up to the Trial your welcome communication will confirm the rate you’ll pay for electricity that is used to charge up your Battery from the grid.

3.3 Any credits will be added to your account within 7 working days of the end of each calendar month.

3.4 Participating in the trial will not affect the frequency of your Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) payments.

3.4 Your Direct Debit will not be updated as a result of participating in the Trial. You can review and update your Direct Debit via your account.

3.6 Battery Boost Credits are inclusive of applicable VAT.

Battery Boost credit example

In this example you should assume that:

• This represents the calculation of a monthly bill for your Battery Boost Credit only.
• Electricity imported to use directly in the home is charged at the p/kWh rate of the customer’s tariff.
• Electricity imported to the Battery by OVO is charged at an effective rate of 10p/kWh including VAT at 5%.
• Electricity used from the Battery has no further charge as the electricity was paid for when it passed through the electricity meter.
• Electricity exported to the grid will receive a SEG rate unchanged from before participation in the pilot.

4. Eligibility

In order to be eligible for the Trial:

• You must have solar panels and a GivEnergy Battery that were installed by OVO. 
• You must not have additional solar panels or batteries in your property which were not installed by OVO.
• Your Battery must be connected to the grid.
• You must be on supply with OVO for your electricity.
• You must have a smart meter that can communicate half hourly data to OVO and agree to provide this data to OVO. If you aren’t currently opted in to sharing half-hourly data you agree that we can automatically update your preferences.
• You must receive your Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) from OVO.
• You must ensure your Battery is connected to the internet at all times. We communicate with your Battery via the internet. If we’re unable to communicate with your Battery, we will be unable to optimise it for you.
• You can’t be a Charge Anytime or Heat Pump Plus customer.
• You mustn’t be in receipt of credits from a flexibility service (such as GivEnergy’s GivBack programme) provided by a third party whilst you’re on the Trial.
• You must comply and continue to comply with these Terms, our Core Terms and the terms of any other products or services you hold with us.

5. Data sharing

5.1 In order to provide you with this Trial, OVO and our group company Kaluza will need to access and share the data from your Battery which will include your solar generation data, electricity used from the grid and real-time Battery data. We will review your consumption data in order to be able to credit your account with your Battery Boost Credits and we will also receive performance data from your Battery which will allow for further development of propositions in the future. 

5.2 By signing up for the Trial you agree to allow Kaluza to access and process data for the purpose of optimising your Battery relating to:

(a) your Battery and inverter make and model, real-time battery state information (such as battery state of charge, charging/discharging status, power and energy flows as measured by all available meters provided by your Battery and inverter), as well as consumption data; and

(b) your GivEnergy username and OVO account number; and

(c) your solar generation, energy usage and energy exported to the grid; and

(d) your solar installation details including longitude, latitude, installation Capacity/Device capacity: kW, tilt angle, azimuth angle and installation date; and

(d) your half-hourly electricity data from your smart meter.

5.3 We take the protection of your data very seriously. Any data processed will be used in accordance with OVO’s privacy policy. We will also use the consumption data to help us improve our current products and to develop new ones.

6. Data Accuracy and exclusions 

6.1 Battery Boost Credits will be added to your account based on the data that we receive from your Battery, the accuracy of which may vary. OVO takes no responsibility for the accuracy of the data received from your Battery and therefore the accuracy of the Battery Boost Credits paid using that data. However, if we deem that your device is sending inaccurate data and is therefore not eligible for the Trial, OVO reserves the right to remove you from the Trial. Please consult with your Battery manufacturer if you are concerned about the accuracy of data recorded by your Battery. 

6.2 You are responsible for making all arrangements necessary to ensure your Battery  is connected to the internet and also to your OVO account. If your Battery is offline at any point for any reason or disconnected from the internet for any reason, we will not record your energy consumption during this time. We won't be able to credit you for this time. 

7. Changes to the Trial

7.1 We reserve the right to reduce, withdraw or amend the Trial at any time with reasonable notice to you. This includes changing the Trial rate. We will explain what will happen when we tell you about the change or its removal. If we make a change and you do not wish to continue participating in the Trial following this notice, you can withdraw from the trial by following the process outlined in clause 8. 

7.2 If we decide to withdraw the Trial, your Battery Boost Credits will stop and your Battery consumption will be billed at the standard electricity rate depending on the tariff you are on.

8. Withdrawing from the Trial 

8.1 You’re free to withdraw from the Trial at any time. Please contact [email protected] or call 0330 102 7416 to do this.

8.2 If you withdraw from the Trial, we will stop providing you with Battery Boost credits from the date you request to be removed. Any credits due up to this date will be credited to your account on the next available billing cycle.

8.3 We will stop optimising your Battery within 24 hours from the day you request to be removed from the Trial. Your Battery will be set to a load matching state. You can now set your Battery to operate in your preferred way from this point onwards with no impact on your involvement in the Trial.

9. Liability

9.1 If we fail to comply with these Terms, we are responsible for loss or damage you suffer that is a foreseeable result of our breaching these Terms and Conditions or our failing to use reasonable care and skill. We are not responsible for any loss or damage that is not foreseeable. Loss or damage is foreseeable if either it is obvious that it will happen or if, at the time you accepted these Terms and Conditions, both we and you knew it might happen. 

9.2 We will not be liable to you for any failure to credit your account for reasons outside our reasonable control, including if we aren’t able to gather adequate information from your Battery, you do not leave your Battery connected to the internet or you otherwise fail to comply with these Terms and Conditions.

9.3 Nothing in these Terms and Conditions will limit or exclude our liability to you for death or personal injury as a result of our negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other matter in respect of which it would be unlawful for us to exclude or limit liability. 

9.4 Save as set out in clause 9.3, our maximum liability to you under these Terms and Conditions if you suffer any loss or damage as a direct result of something we’ve done, will be no more than £10,000 per event or series of events if they’re connected.

10. Suspension and Termination

10.1 You agree to comply at all times in accordance with these Terms and Conditions. If we determine (acting reasonably) that you are in breach of these Terms or that you are acting in a fraudulent manner, for example by setting up your Battery in a way which means that the Trial rate applies to energy consumption which isn’t related to the usage of the Battery, we may immediately do any of the following:

• provide you with a warning;
• suspend or remove you from the Trial;
• issue legal proceedings against you for reimbursement of all costs resulting from your breach and/or fraudulent use (including, but not limited to, reasonable legal and administrative costs);
• take further legal action against you; and/or
• disclose such information to law enforcement authorities as we feel is reasonably necessary.

11. Contact Us

If you need support, you can call our support team on 0330 102 7416 (Mon-Fri (9am-5pm) or email [email protected]. You can also find out more about the Trial by visiting www.ovoenergy.com/battery-boost.

12. General 

12.1 We reserve the right to change these Terms. Unless the reason for the change is due to a change in law or for security reasons – in which case we may need to change these Terms  on shorter notice – we will provide you with at least ten (10) days’ advance notice of any changes. If you do not wish to continue with the Trial as a result of changes to these Terms, you can withdraw from the Trial.

12.2 You must not transfer your rights or obligations under these Terms to anyone without our permission. We can transfer any of our rights or obligations under these Terms without your permission. If we transfer our rights pursuant to this clause 12.2 and your rights are materially affected, we will notify you and you may withdraw from the Trial by following the process outlined in clause 8.

12.3 Each of the clauses of these Terms operates separately. If any court or relevant authority decides that any of them are unlawful, the remaining clauses will remain in full force and effect.

12.4 Even if we delay in enforcing these Terms against you, we can still enforce them later. If we do not immediately insist that you do anything you are required to do under these Terms, or if we delay in taking steps against you for breaching them, that will not mean that you do not have to do those things and will not prevent us taking steps against you at a later date.

12.5 These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales if your property is in England or Wales, and the laws of Scotland if your property is in Scotland. If there is any dispute between us, it will be dealt with by the courts of England and Wales if your property is in England or Wales, and by the courts of Scotland if your property is in Scotland.

Last Updated: 30th July 2024.