Powering the Transition: How Ready Are UK Energy Customers for Low Carbon Technology?

As the UK works towards its ambitious net-zero goals, low carbon technologies (LCTs) are becoming an essential part of the conversation. Our LCT study tracks the adoption of these technologies across the UK and has enabled us to produce readiness scores for LCT among the top 6 energy suppliers.

Introduction to the Readiness Scores

To calculate these scores, we asked respondents, “Thinking about the following (Heat pumps, Hydrogen boilers, Solar panels, Electric vehicles), which statement best describes you?” Responses were scored from 100 (“I already have this”) to 0 (“I have absolutely no interest in getting this”), with incremental scores assigned to other responses. This approach enabled us to calculate the average LCT readiness for each technology and compare the readiness of customers across different energy suppliers.

For a detailed breakdown of the scores, please see the tables below. All scores are out of 100.

Overall LCT Readiness Scores

1^st	Solar Panels: 44
2^nd	Electric Vehicles: 36
3^rd	Heat Pumps: 33
4^th	Hydrogen Boilers: 28

Solar panels emerged as the most popular low carbon technology, with the highest readiness score, which reflects their relative familiarity and established presence in the UK market. In contrast, heat pumps and electric vehicles (EVs) are still gaining traction, with lower readiness levels suggesting that further public education, incentives and infrastructure support are needed to drive wider adoption. Meanwhile, hydrogen boilers received the lowest readiness scores, which is unsurprising given that they are still in the development stages and not yet widely available to consumers.

LCT Readiness Scores by Energy Supplier

	Solar Panels	Electric Vehicles	Heat Pumps	Hydrogen Boilers
1^st	Scottish Power 50	British Gas 42	British Gas 37	Scottish Power 36
2^nd	British Gas 47	Octopus Energy 37	Scottish Power 36	British Gas 33
3^rd	Octopus Energy 46	EDF Energy 33	Octopus Energy 33	E.ON 27
4^th	E.ON 42	Scottish Power 32	E.ON 33	Octopus Energy 26
5^th	EDF Energy 42	E.ON 32	EDF Energy 32	EDF Energy 25
6^th	Ovo Energy 38	Ovo Energy 31	Ovo Energy 27	Ovo Energy 22

Please note the rankings are based on precise figures, so although some suppliers look to have the same score, the precise ranking is due to decimal places.

Solar Panels Readiness

Scottish Power customers scored highest for solar panel readiness with a score of 49.6. This may be due to targeted efforts such as the ‘Greener Homes’ campaign with Channel 4 and George Clarke, as well as practical offerings like solar installation services,energy storage bundles, and a £1,000 incentive in partnership with Santander.

British Gas and Octopus Energy also performed well, indicating a solid level of engagement with solar technologies. However, OVO Energy and EDF Energy ranked at the bottom, suggesting that their customers may require more targeted communication, stronger incentives or easier access to installation services to increase readiness.

Electric Vehicles Readiness

When it comes to electric vehicles (EVs), British Gas had the highest readiness score of 41.9. This likely reflects a combination of factors, including the company’s EV-focused offerings such as home charger installations and dedicated tariffs. However, other suppliers, including Octopus Energy (ranked second), also provide competitive EV support, suggesting that brand perception and communication strategies may also play a role in shaping readiness.

The remaining four energy suppliers all received similar but lower scores, highlighting a shared opportunity to strengthen engagement whilst also making the transition to EVs easier and more appealing for their customers.

Heat Pumps Readiness

British Gas and Scottish Power achieved the highest readiness scores for heat pumps, suggesting these suppliers are well-placed to lead the transition. With a customer base more open to the technology, they have an opportunity to strengthen engagement and accelerate uptake. Octopus Energy, E.ON and EDF Energy follow with very similar scores, while OVO Energy scored the lowest. For OVO Energy customers, cost is the biggest barrier to heat pump adoption, both upfront and ongoing. This presents a clear opportunity for OVO to offer financial incentives and better communicate long-term savings, helping to turn interest into action.

On a broader level, heat pump adoption remains a significant national hurdle, despite government backing and growing policy support; cost related reasons remain the most cited barriers for consumers. Addressing affordability and simplifying the installation journey will be key to unlocking wider uptake.

Hydrogen Boilers Readiness

Hydrogen boilers received the lowest readiness scores across all technologies and suppliers, reflecting the fact that they are not yet commercially available at scale in the UK. With limited consumer exposure, technical uncertainty, and ongoing debates about their long-term role in domestic heating, low awareness and adoption hesitation are to be expected at this stage.

Despite this, Scottish Power customers stood out with the highest readiness score for hydrogen boilers, suggesting a greater openness to emerging energy solutions. This may point to early adoption potential within their customer base. At the other end of the scale, OVO Energy customers recorded the lowest hydrogen boiler readiness, pointing to a need for more engagement and education as the technology becomes more accessible.

Future Adoption

Looking ahead, as hydrogen infrastructure evolves and government policy around home heating develops, energy suppliers will play a pivotal role in shaping public perception, managing expectations and preparing customers for next-generation heating solutions. Current patterns already point to differences in customer readiness, with OVO customers appearing less ready to adopt LCT, highlighting a need for stronger education and tailored incentives. In contrast, Scottish Power and British Gas customers are further along the adoption curve, which may be a reflection of targeted marketing and services these suppliers provide.

To find out more about our LCT tracker and the results from the latest wave, please contact Chris Ralph, Head of Utilities at chris.ralph@impactmr.com.