Metis by SMS has shown how to make the energy transition accessible, affordable, and fair for everyone – Jason Howlett

Summary

Jason Howlett, Founder and Interim CEO of the Energy Storage Association and an advisor to Metis by SMS, believes the UK’s energy transition will only succeed if everyone can take part. Drawing on Metis by SMS’s partnership with Oxfordshire County Council, he explains how education and collaboration helped deliver real progress and developed a retrofit model that works. Now, he says, it is time to put it into action across the country.

A fair energy transition depends on accessibility

Accessibility has to be at the heart of the energy transition. It is not enough to say the technology exists or that investment is available. It has to reach the people who need it most.

Right now, that is not the case. We have seen a clear divide. Households that can afford solar panels or batteries are already seeing the benefits, while a much larger group would like to act but cannot afford the upfront cost.

I first became involved with Metis by SMS when I was Global CEO of GivEnergy. I was asked how their storage product could integrate with Metis’ software and optimisation platform. When I left Giv in March I stayed in touch with Tom Woolley as I loved the concept and the team’s potential, eventually agreeing to become an “official” advisor in August due to my passion in tackling energy poverty and ensuring a just energy transition

Overcoming the challenges of education and accessibility were at the forefront of our minds. Working with Oxfordshire County Council, we showed that when clean energy is made simple, affordable and supported locally, people are ready to take part.

Education helps people act with confidence

Many people still find clean energy confusing. I have met residents who worry that installing a smart meter means they are being monitored, or that new equipment in their home will be intrusive or unreliable.

That is why education must come first. As part of the trial, the award-winning Energy Saver App gave residents a clear view of their own energy use. They could see how much they used, when they used it and what they could save. Once people understood that, adding solar or battery storage felt like an opportunity, not a risk. Around two-thirds of residents who used the Energy Saver App and were offered a solar and battery subscription went ahead with installation, far higher than typical uptake rates.

Education changes the tone of the conversation. It helps people feel they are in control of the process, not having something pushed on them. When it comes to the UK’s energy transition, that makes all the difference.

Local partnerships are key to building trust

Even with the best technology, people will not take part in a retrofit scheme if they do not trust what is being offered. That is why working with local authorities and charities is so important. When a council stands behind a programme, it instantly feels credible to residents. That kind of local endorsement builds confidence.

Charities play a vital role too. Energy poverty charities have challenged us on the details to make sure nobody is left worse off. That scrutiny makes the offer stronger. In Oxfordshire, these partnerships have been key. Residents could ask questions face to face through people they already knew, and that trust helped turn interest into action.

Metis proved that the model works

The Oxfordshire trial showed that this approach delivers. Residents engaged with the Energy Saver App, learned about their energy use and made informed choices. The model worked technically, financially and socially, and it built trust along the way.
This is proof that education and collaboration can drive real change. We have moved past theory and into delivery. It shows that retrofit can be done in a way that people welcome and that works for everyone involved.

It’s time to scale the model for a fairer future

If only those who can afford to pay upfront can take part, then we will not have a fair energy transition. Metis by SMS has shown there is another way. By combining education, private investment and local trust, we can make clean energy accessible to everyone.
If we scale this model, we can help to cut carbon, reduce bills and ease fuel poverty. That is what a fair transition really looks like. We don’t need another trial to prove it. We already have the evidence. Now we need to deliver it everywhere.

Find out more about Metis by SMS.