Ovo strikes first international partnership

Ovo has signed a deal to allow its Kaluza platform to be adopted by the energy retail arm of Italian oil giant Eni, starting in France.

Eni gas e luce currently supplies 10 million customers across Italy, France, Greece and Slovenia. The deal announced this morning (23 July) marks Ovo’s first international partnership.

The Kaluza platform currently powers Ovo Energy’s retail systems in the UK and integrates smart home devices which it can intelligently manage at scale.

Last year, Ovo unveiled its Plan Zero initiative in which it aims to halve its customers’ carbon footprints by 2030. Ovo says today’s deal aims to allow both companies to build a more flexible, digitally connected, clean energy system.

Stephen Fitzpatrick, chief executive and founder of Ovo, said: “Transitioning towards a clean energy system is the greatest challenge we face in the 21st Century. €500bn of investment is planned in Europe over the next decade to tackle climate change alone. To succeed, we will need to develop new technology and to redesign the energy system around the customer.

“Kaluza has been powering Ovo Energy’s operations in the UK. Its proprietary technology platform will bring energy intelligence and zero carbon technology to millions of customers in Europe. Eni shares our mission to bring clean affordable energy to more customers. We’re delighted to be working with them.”

Alberto Chiarini, chief executive of Eni gas e luce, said: “This partnership represents an important step for Eni gas e luce’s strategy to expand its international presence and achieve our long-term goal of building a portfolio of 20 million customers globally by 2050.

“We want to help our customers to use clean energy products as well as enjoy the best customer experience. We are truly pleased to be working with Ovo and Kaluza whose unique real-time platforms enable a more engaging and digitally connected customer experience, and we are confident that the partnership will bring a whole new energy to our international growth strategy.”

After acquiring SSE Energy’s customers in a £500 million deal earlier this year, Ovo Energy became one of the UK’s largest energy suppliers, serving almost 5 million customers.

In 2019, the retailer began trading in France, Spain and Australia.

Other newer market entrants are also expanding overseas. Last year, Octopus Energy chief executive Greg Jackson told Utility Week his company was in its “global expansion phase” with the acquisition of German green energy supplier 4hundred.