Sunsave began with a simple question about household energy: why are energy bills some of the highest in the world, and why do they keep rising? Since 2000, UK electricity prices have increased over 4.5-fold, far outpacing general inflation, but wholesale energy makes up less than 40% of a typical electricity bill. The rest goes on running and upgrading the grid, government policy costs and supplier costs, which means bills can keep climbing even if the cost of energy itself falls. Founded in London in 2022 by Alick Dru and Ben Graves, the company grew out of their realisation that lowering bills meant moving away as far as possible from the expensive, centralised electricity system, by generating, storing and using their own power at home.

The founders brought solar panels, batteries, financing and ongoing support together in one package, with one bill, to make the switch easier and help customers reduce energy costs. That customer-first approach remains central to the business.

The idea goes beyond installing panels. The business combines services customers might otherwise arrange separately, including system design and installation, financing, monitoring and maintenance, and the optimisation and grid trading that run multiple home energy assets together. Its model pairs solar panels and batteries with flexible financing that means nothing to pay upfront, and long-term monitoring and maintenance. Customers own their system from day one, with support designed to keep it working over the long term.

The proposition is also extending to households where rooftop solar may not be practical. The company's standalone home battery offer requires no upfront cost and little space. It connects to Sunsave Sona, the company’s smart algorithm, which charges and discharges the battery at the best times to save customers more money. Spare battery capacity also earns payments for helping to balance the grid.

Turning that proposition into a business took persistence. Sunsave spent 18 months securing FCA authorisation before launching its first no-upfront-cost offering in early 2024. It used that year to improve its products and learn how to sell them with finance, before growth accelerated in 2025. Revenue grew around 65 times between 2022 and 2025, with some customers saving more than £1,000 a year after making their payments.

Looking ahead, Sunsave sees the move to a decentralised energy system as well under way, with over 1.7 million households already generating their own solar power. Grid costs are set to keep rising, and even established suppliers now sell solar panels and batteries, a sign of where the market is heading. The company's longer-term ambition is to build different products for different segments of the market, such as landlords, so that every household in the UK can benefit from lower bills.