My GivEnergy solar and battery system is failing intermittently, GivEnergy is in administration and so is my installer, so it was a relief to get Ron’s expert advice.
Steve Trossell · Jun 2026 Google
Account guide · GivLink & GivBack VPP
GivLink & GivBack — earn money from your GivEnergy battery by supporting the grid
GivBack is GivEnergy's virtual power plant (VPP) programme. It automatically exports your battery's stored energy during national grid peaks — and pays you monthly for doing it. Here's everything you need to know before joining.
- Fully automated — no action needed during events
- Monthly cash payments to your bank
- Schedule reverts automatically after each event
GivBack at a glance
How to sign up I sent a message on their website regarding a problem I have on my Givenergy system. Although not supplied by Ronald, I thought it was worth an email. Within the hour on a Saturday, he phoned and we discussed the problem. He logged in remotely and gave excellent advice. I'm too far away for his on-site help but he did diagnose the problem and was happy also to chat through my thoughts about an upcoming solar/battery install I'm planning. Great bloke.... if only he was nearer!
Philip · Apr 2026
Brilliant support to get my solar battery working again. I didn’t expect help on a Saturday but Ron answered the phone, listened and sent me the information I needed to get it going, answered questions etc. A brilliant service I’d happily recommend.
Alison F. Cockerill · Jun 2026 Google
Ron want out of is way to help, nothing was to much. He was very thorough in what he did Very knowledgeable I would highly recommend Ron and his company He did a fantastic job for me. if you have any problems, he'll do his best to help you out and resolve your problem. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them
Dennis Brown · May 2026
Ron was really helpful. He remotely adjusted my battery settings on the same day I contacted him, and at a reasonable price. Great service.
Jackie Palman · Jun 2026 Google
I reached on behalf of a friend, who had lost control of their battery following a storm. A couple giv energy “dealers” had attempted and said different fixes. None worked. Solar tech support solved it remotely on the first attempt almost instantly. Genuinely a 10/10 service.
Will Jay · Jun 2026 Google
Overview
What is GivLink / GivBack?
GivBack — accessed through the GivLink programme — is GivEnergy's virtual power plant (VPP) scheme. It connects thousands of home GivEnergy batteries into a coordinated network that can supply stored energy to the National Grid on demand.
The scheme is funded and operated in partnership with the National Energy System Operator (NESO). When the grid is under strain — typically during evening peaks or unexpected supply shortfalls — NESO issues a dispatch signal. GivBack receives this signal and automatically triggers participating batteries to export energy, stabilising grid frequency and reducing the need for fossil-fuel peaker plants to fire up.
For homeowners, it is entirely hands-off. Your battery exports automatically, your schedule resets afterwards, and you receive a monthly payment for your contribution.
For your battery
Your battery discharges during grid events. Your normal schedule is automatically restored immediately afterwards. Solar and household demand are prioritised first — only spare capacity is used for grid services.
For the grid
Home batteries provide distributed, fast-response grid balancing. The aggregated capacity of thousands of GivEnergy batteries helps NESO maintain grid stability without spinning up costly gas peaker plants.
For your pocket
You earn monthly payments for every grid event your battery participates in. Payments begin three months after your first event and are deposited directly into your bank account.
For the planet
Distributed battery networks reduce the need for fossil-fuel generation during peak demand. Every event your battery participates in contributes to lower grid carbon intensity.
If you have solar
Your battery still charges from solar generation as normal. During a grid event, GivBack only uses spare battery capacity beyond what your household solar requires. Solar self-consumption is always preserved.
Existing payments preserved
GivBack does not affect Feed-in Tariff (FiT) or Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) payments. All existing payments continue unchanged. GivBack earnings are paid in addition to them.
Step 1
Eligibility — who can join?
Before downloading the GivBack app, confirm you meet all three requirements below. The sign-up process will fail at the address or meter verification stage if any are not met.
✓
GivEnergy battery installed
You need a GivEnergy battery at your home address — not a commercial or third-party managed site. The battery must be visible in your GivEnergy app and reporting data.
✓
Working smart meter
A functioning smart meter is required by NESO to verify your grid contribution. If you don't have one, contact your energy supplier to request an upgrade before signing up.
✓
England, Wales or Scotland
Eligibility is limited to mainland UK. Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, and other Crown dependencies are excluded. International addresses are not eligible at this time.
!
You are not eligible if…
Your battery is currently managed by another automated service — for example, Intelligent Octopus Flux
You are already participating in a different flexibility programme that conflicts with GivBack's control signals
Your battery is installed at a commercial address or is not registered to your personal GivEnergy account
If you are on Octopus Go or Agile but manage your own schedule, you are eligible — Octopus runs a separate Grid Services scheme for Intelligent Octopus users. See our tariff optimisation guide for how to choose the right combination.
Step 2
How to sign up for GivBack
Sign-up is done entirely through the GivBack app. The process takes around 10 minutes if your address and meter are recognised automatically.
1
Download the GivBack app
Search for "GivBack" on the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android). This is a separate app from the main GivEnergy app.
2
Sign in with your GivEnergy account
Use the same email address and password as your main GivEnergy portal account at givenergy.cloud. If you don't have a portal account, set one up first — see our portal guide.
3
Enter your address
Type your address exactly as it appears on your energy bill — including punctuation, spacing, and any flat or building number formatting. The app uses a third-party energy database to match your meter.
If your address isn't found
Try registering anyway — if it fails, GivEnergy will contact you by email once matching has improved. Alternatively, email givback@givenergy.co.uk with your full address, MPAN (from your electricity bill), and a screenshot of the error.
4
Authorise battery control and smart meter connection
You will be asked to grant GivBack OAuth access to your inverter, and to connect your smart meter account. Both are required: inverter access so GivBack can dispatch your battery during events, and smart meter access so NESO can verify your grid contribution. All access is secure and limited to authorised events.
5
Declare your tariff type
You will be asked whether you have a time-of-use tariff with a cheap overnight period. This allows GivBack's algorithm to charge your battery during cheap hours even on non-event days. See our tariff optimisation guide to confirm which category your tariff falls into.
Understanding events
Grid service events explained
Grid service events are the mechanism through which your battery earns money. Here's exactly what happens and what to expect.
What triggers an event?
Events are triggered by NESO when national electricity supply and demand need balancing — during peaks, unexpected generation shortfalls, or planned maintenance windows. Frequency varies by season and grid conditions.
When do events happen?
Events can technically happen at any time of day, but they are most likely between 4pm and 8pm — the period of highest national electricity demand. You'll receive a notification via the GivBack app or portal (if enabled) when your battery is dispatched.
Is anything required from me?
Nothing. Participation is fully automated. If your battery can discharge during an event, it will be scheduled to do so without any input from you. You are either opted in fully or opted out — you cannot skip individual events.
After each event
After each grid event you will receive a summary of your participation and estimated earnings via the app. Your battery's normal charge schedule resumes immediately. No post-event action is needed.
What if my battery is low?
If your battery does not have sufficient charge to participate in a given event, it will simply not be dispatched for that event. Your system will not be drained below a safe threshold. Consistent participation depends on keeping your battery charged — another reason to set up a good charge schedule.
Solar is always prioritised
If you have solar panels, your battery will still charge from solar generation to power your home. GivBack only uses spare battery capacity beyond what your household solar requires. Grid events do not override solar self-consumption.
Other flexibility programmes
By participating in GivBack, you agree not to participate in other flexibility programmes offered by different providers at the same time. This prevents conflicting control signals between systems. Octopus runs its own separate Grid Services scheme — if you are on Intelligent Octopus, use Octopus's programme rather than GivBack.
In future GivBack releases, Octopus customers will be able to sign up for carbon-credit rewards alongside their existing Octopus arrangement — check the GivEnergy portal for updates.
Your setup
What GivBack does to your charge schedule
One of the most common concerns before joining GivBack is "will it mess up my charge schedule?" Here's exactly how it interacts with your existing configuration.
On event days
→ GivBack temporarily adjusts your battery's charging and discharging pattern for that day
→ If you have a cheap overnight rate, GivBack still aims to charge during those hours so you keep your tariff savings
→ Your normal schedule resumes immediately after the event ends
On non-event days
→ Your battery follows its completely normal charge and discharge schedule
→ GivBack is dormant — no control signals are issued
→ If you are on a TOU tariff, GivBack optimises overnight charging to maximise savings
!
Smart tariffs that auto-control your battery
GivEnergy does not recommend running GivBack alongside intelligent or smart tariffs that automatically control your battery (such as Intelligent Octopus Flux). Both systems issue automated control signals — running them together may cause conflicts or scheduling errors that result in unexpected battery behaviour.
Standard TOU tariffs like Octopus Go, Agile, and Economy 7 are fine — you manage your own schedule on these, and GivBack works alongside them. If you're seeing your settings changing unexpectedly, check whether a third-party service still has API control of your inverter.
Can I still manually change my schedule?
Yes. You can always update your charge schedule directly in the GivEnergy app between events. GivBack only takes temporary control on event days. Your manual changes will be preserved and restored after each event. See our charge schedule guide and energy management setup guide for how to configure your schedule correctly.
Earnings
How GivBack payments work
Payments are straightforward — monthly bank transfers, no invoicing needed, no changes to your energy tariff required.
When payments start
Payments begin three months after your first grid event. GivEnergy will notify you when it's time to provide your bank details via the app.
How you're paid
Monthly payments are deposited directly into your bank account. You'll receive a summary of each grid event you participated in, including an estimate of your earnings for that event.
Existing export payments
GivBack earnings are in addition to your existing Smart Export Guarantee and Feed-in Tariff payments. These are not affected. You also do not need to change your energy supplier or tariff.
Is GivBack a permanent programme?
Yes — GivBack is described as a permanent scheme. You can join at any time once you meet the eligibility requirements, and there is no minimum participation period. You can opt out at any time if your circumstances change.
Leaving the programme
How to opt out of GivBack
You can opt out of GivBack at any time. Once opted out, your battery will no longer be controlled for grid events. Your normal schedule returns to full manual control.
01 By email
Send an email to the GivBack support address with the subject line "Opt Out". Include your name and full address.
givback@givenergy.co.uk
Subject: Opt Out
Subject: Opt Out
02 Via the portal
Log in to the GivEnergy portal at givenergy.cloud and revoke the GivBack OAuth token under your account settings.
See our portal guide if you need help navigating account settings.
If your settings have been changing unexpectedly and you believe GivBack is still controlling your inverter after opting out, check your GivEnergy portal account settings to confirm the OAuth token has been fully revoked. If the issue persists, contact GivEnergy support directly.
GivLink & GivBack — common questions
GivLink (also called GivBack) is GivEnergy's virtual power plant (VPP) programme. It connects GivEnergy home batteries into a coordinated network that exports stored energy to the National Grid during peak demand periods. The scheme is funded by NESO. When a grid event is triggered, GivBack automatically dispatches participating batteries to export energy. In return, owners receive monthly cash payments. Participation is fully automated — you never need to do anything manually during an event.
No. GivBack does not affect your electricity tariff, Smart Export Guarantee payments, or Feed-in Tariff payments. All existing payments continue at the same rates. GivBack earnings are paid in addition. The only restriction is that you should not run GivBack alongside another automated battery-control service like Intelligent Octopus Flux, as conflicting control signals can cause scheduling errors.
On event days, GivBack automatically adjusts your battery's charging and discharging pattern for that day only. If you have a cheap overnight tariff rate, GivBack will still aim to charge during those hours so you keep your tariff savings. Immediately after the event, your normal schedule is restored automatically. You can still make manual changes to your schedule between events via the GivEnergy app.
You can opt out in two ways. By email: send a message to givback@givenergy.co.uk with the subject line "Opt Out", including your name and address. Via the portal: log in to givenergy.cloud and revoke the GivBack OAuth token under account settings. Once opted out, your system will no longer be controlled or included in future grid events.
Yes — Octopus Go and Agile are standard TOU tariffs where you control your own schedule. GivBack is compatible with these, and can optimise your overnight charging around cheap rate windows. However, Intelligent Octopus Flux automatically controls your battery and conflicts with GivBack's control signals — these two should not be combined. See our tariff optimisation guide for full details on which tariffs work best with GivBack.
GivBack itself is free to join and pays you — it costs you nothing to be part of it. If you want our help with it — checking your tariff combination is right, sorting a clash with a service like Intelligent Octopus, troubleshooting why earnings or dispatch look off, or opting out cleanly — the remote diagnostic is free, and if there's a settings fix we can apply remotely that's a flat £75, with nothing to pay if we can't resolve it remotely. It's all account and portal work, so it never needs a site visit. Full pricing →
Anything on our side is usually same-day — reviewing your portal connections, untangling a tariff clash, or opting you out cleanly all happen in a single remote session. What we can't speed up is GivEnergy's own scheme: enrolment approval, the wait for your first dispatch event, and the rule that payments start three months after that first event are all down to GivBack, not us — but we'll make sure nothing on your end is holding it up.
Book
GivBack questions or battery behaving unexpectedly?
Whether you're trying to maximise GivBack earnings, set up the right tariff combination, or troubleshoot unexpected battery behaviour, a remote diagnostic identifies the exact issue and the fix. The diagnostic is free — you only pay the flat £75 if we fix it remotely.
- Independent — not affiliated with GivEnergy Ltd
- GivBack, tariff and schedule review
- Remote diagnosis, usually same day
GivEnergy support — STS
GivEnergy problems? No fix, no fee.
I’ve worked on hundreds of GivEnergy systems and know the kit inside out. If yours is playing up, my promise is simple — no fix, no fee: just £75 if we fix it, free if we don’t.
Ronald Director, Solar Tech Support
Remote first — most GivEnergy faults are solved without a site visit
Every GivEnergy unit — Hybrid, AC, AIO and three-phase inverters & batteries
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