E.ON Launches Trial Offering Solar, Batteries, Heat Pumps, and EV Chargers Without Upfront Payment

E.ON Next is rolling out a new pilot called Next Gen Home that aims to make cutting-edge, low-carbon home technologies accessible to more UK homeowners. The concept is simple but powerful: bundle solar panels, home batteries, heat pumps, EV chargers, and services into one all-inclusive energy package, paid for through a fixed monthly fee instead of a hefty upfront cost.

Set to launch this July, the pilot will initially be available to 20 households in the Midlands. If successful, E.ON plans to expand the offering nationwide by early 2026. Participants in the pilot will gain access to approximately £20,000 worth of equipment, including a smart home energy management app, with only a small fraction of that cost to be paid during the first year.

Rather than requiring customers to pay upfront, E.ON will offer a flexible finance plan of up to ten years. Monthly payments will be based on each customer’s current energy usage and designed to remain affordable. For those in the trial, the cost of the installed equipment will be reduced by 90 per cent during the first year, meaning they’ll only pay the equivalent of one year from the full ten-year contract.

At the heart of the initiative is digital optimisation. Next Gen Home uses smart tech to tailor energy usage to each household’s needs, cutting carbon, lowering energy bills, and making greener living more achievable for everyday families.

Ramona Vlasiu, Chief Operating Officer at E.ON Next, said: “The launch of the Next Gen Home pilot represents a significant milestone for E.ON Next and its customers, as we continue to reshape the way energy is valued and consumed in the UK, making greener energy a reality for more people.  

“We believe that greener energy choices should be available to everyone, not just the affluent. If we can remove the burden of large upfront costs, there is greater potential to help lower customers’ carbon emissions and bills, and help more people to invest in their own homes in the long term.  

“We know energy bills can be unpredictable — that’s why this plan is designed to give customers clarity and control over their energy spend, with one simple monthly cost that reflects their usage and adapts fairly over time. We’re extremely excited to be able to demonstrate how we can help reduce bills and create homes with long-term, affordable and efficient energy usage before we roll out Next Gen Home to a wider customer base.” 

This pilot is a major milestone in E.ON’s broader mission to drive the UK’s transition to clean energy. It follows a recent battery trial run in partnership with Northern Powergrid, where participating households in Crowle and Starbeck received free batteries, helping reduce electricity bills by up to 15 per cent. Earlier this month, E.ON also committed $4 million to Allume Energy to support the growth of SolShare. That technology makes it possible for residents in apartment buildings to finally benefit from shared solar energy, solving longstanding issues around ownership and installation.

Ultimately, Next Gen Home is more than just another smart energy product; it’s a vision of a future where sustainable homes aren’t a luxury, but the norm.