Octopus Sets Its Sights on Ü20 Facilities

June 19, 2026

Source: E & M powernews

For many operators, the continued operation of older photovoltaic systems is becoming an economic issue. A new marketing model focuses on storage and electricity market optimization.

Numerous systems installed in the early 2000s are losing their eligibility for subsidies under the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) after 20 years. Technically, many of these systems continue to function, but their economic returns are declining. At the same time, operators of newer PV systems are also looking for ways to use the electricity they generate as efficiently as possible. This is where Octopus Energy comes in with its new product “SolarUp,” which the company unveiled on June 17.

Octopus Energy, a Munich-based provider of digital energy services, combines an electricity rate plan, a battery storage system, a new inverter, and a marketing strategy for solar power into a comprehensive package. The focus is not solely on maximizing self-consumption. Software is also designed to manage the optimal use of self-consumption, grid feed-in, and grid power procurement.

According to the Munich-based company, optimizing self-consumption alone is often insufficient to ensure the long-term economic operation of older PV systems. The company therefore relies on a combination of battery storage, electricity market optimization, and a fixed remuneration component for electricity fed into the grid.

The technology analyzes weather data, consumption profiles, and electricity market prices. Surplus solar power is to be marketed specifically when prices are high. Conversely, during periods of low market prices, the storage system can be supplemented with grid power. According to the company, it assumes responsibility for marketing and market price risk.

Storage and the Electricity Market in Synergy

This approach is particularly interesting for energy providers because it expands the role of battery storage. Many existing offerings focus on increasing self-consumption. Octopus, on the other hand, pursues a model that uses storage as a flexibility tool for the electricity market.

According to the company, customers receive a fixed annual flat rate for electricity fed into the grid, based on the installed capacity of the PV system. At the same time, they pay a fixed rate for the remaining electricity drawn from the grid. This is intended to provide greater predictability and reduce dependence on fluctuating market prices.

Octopus targets this offer at both operators of systems that have outlived their subsidy period and new customers. According to the company, annual savings compared to a traditional electricity plan can exceed 1,000 euros, depending on the system size, storage capacity, and consumption profile. The Munich-based company cites heat pumps and electric vehicles as additional factors influencing these savings.

Author: Davina Spohn