Massively massively recommended. We had a big battery array (49kW across three phases) put in four years ago. c £35k cost. It’s been a total nightmare for many reasons, not least 1. our installer being totally useless and unresponsive and 2. Givenergy, our battery supplier, going bust. Long story short it had never worked anywhere near properly despite countless hours on phones and emails; the best we’d achieved was one third of the batteries working. Rather than write it off, I asked a PM friend to try to source someone who could come on site and review and revive the system. He found Solar Tech Support and Ron. Ron assured us he was the man to get it going again. After so many years of pain, I was not convinced but, true to his word, five hours later it was up and running. Lovely chap, super knowledgeable with a support team to lean on who are also clearly super technical. I honestly didn’t think there was much chance of getting this array going ever again so was absolutely delighted when Ron and team pulled it off. Bravo!
GivEnergy Events Programme (GivBack) — Everything You Need to Know
- Covers eligibility, sign-up, and payments
- Explains the all-or-nothing opt-in rule
- Covers GivBack app and 3-month payment delay
If your battery behaved unexpectedly during a GivEnergy Event, or you want to confirm your system is compatible and configured correctly to participate, we can review your setup remotely.
Book your free remote diagnosticGivBack programme guideNot affiliated with GivEnergy Ltd. Independent support and advice.
My GivEnergy hybrid inverter + battery system had worked faultlessly for 3 years when it suddenly stopped charging and discharging the battery. On contacting my supplier, who had used a sub-contractor for the installation work, I was provided with an email address at GivEnergy but, as it turned out, this is only for GivEnergy Software who are not able to assist. A Google search led to the Solar Tech Support web site, which contains a wealth of helpful information. I requested a remote solar diagnostic, and after providing Ron access to my inverter, he was able to identify and fix the problem within minutes. I am very impressed by Ron’s expertise and knowledge, which included useful information on the current state of GivEnergy Ltd. I would thoroughly recommend Solar Tech Support.
Solar Tech Support is an absolute lifesaver. My solar and battery system stopped working completely, but after one quick phone call, they fixed the problem straight away. The original provider, GivEnergy, has gone into administration, leaving me entirely without support from the original installers. It was a terrible situation on GivEnergy’s part, but thankfully, Solar Tech Support came to the rescue!
I can add to the list of customers who had already 'given up' on GivEnergy due to their appalling customer service, and that was before they went into administration. So you can imagine my desperation when, having changed my ISP and my Inverter, predictably, proving to be the only device that didn't connect automatically to my new network, I found zero prospect of any customer support with GivEnergy having called in the administrators just five days earlier! The salvation came from Solar Tech Support. My IT advisor stumbled across their web site and some very helpful tips for beleaguered GivEnergy customers, as well as an offer to provide direct assistance. Nothing ventured, I decided to drop them an E-Mail, with very low expectations based on my experience of GivEnergy customer support. Within an hour Ron had responded with some pin point advice, and after a few exchanges of E-Mails he had nailed the problem, enabling the combined efforts of my IT advisor and solar installer to resolve it and reconnect my Inverter. Thank you Solar Tech Support, and Ron in particular, for coming to the aid of a deserted and despondent GivEnergy customer. Expert, razor sharp advice and first class customer service, even though I wasn't officially a customer.
Excellent service from Solar Tech Support. Extremely quick to respond, easy to deal with and clearly very talented engineers. They were persistent throughout a complex GivEnergy battery issue and resolved everything completely. Highly knowledgeable, professional and reassuring support from start to finish. Highly recommended.
STS were incredibly responsive and helpful In diagnosing an issue with my GivEnergy inverter. Although distance meant it was impractical for me to use them to fully solve the issue, I’m grateful for the help and detail they provided. Don is a real professional gent and a hero in my eyes.
What are GivEnergy Events?
GivEnergy Events are a demand response programme — also called GivBack — that pays battery owners for allowing GivEnergy to automatically manage their batteries during periods of grid stress. This is part of a wider effort to balance the UK electricity grid as more renewable energy comes online.
GivEnergy Events take place between 4 PM and 8 PM on weekdays. This is the peak grid demand period — when household electricity consumption is highest and grid operators need flexible assets to balance supply and demand. Batteries are ideal for this because they can respond immediately.
During a GivEnergy Event, your battery's charge and discharge behaviour is automatically managed by GivEnergy. Typically, this means the battery will discharge to cover household load (reducing your grid import demand) during the event window. You don't need to do anything — it happens automatically.
In exchange for making your battery available for demand response, GivEnergy pay you monthly. The payment amount depends on your battery's contribution during each event. Payments are made with a 3-month delay (January events paid in April, for example).
GivEnergy notify participants before a scheduled event via the GivBack app. You'll know an event is coming — you just don't have the option to skip individual ones if you're opted in.
Who can join the GivEnergy Events Programme?
There are three requirements to join GivBack. All three must be met — check these before signing up.
Compatible GivEnergy system
You need a compatible GivEnergy inverter and battery system. Most GivEnergy hybrid inverters and battery combinations qualify. Check the GivBack app or GivEnergy's website for a current list of compatible hardware.
Smart meter installed
A smart meter must be installed at your property. Standard analogue or digital meters are not eligible. Smart meters allow GivEnergy and the grid operator to accurately measure your demand response contribution during events.
England, Wales, or Scotland
The GivEnergy Events Programme is available to properties in England, Wales, and Scotland. It is not currently available in Northern Ireland or the Channel Islands.
Signing up for GivEnergy Events
The sign-up process is managed through the separate GivBack app — not the main GivEnergy monitoring app. This is an important distinction that trips up many users.
The GivBack programme uses a separate dedicated app called GivBack. It is not the same as the main GivEnergy monitoring app. Search for "GivBack" in the App Store or Google Play. Do not try to sign up through the main GivEnergy portal or app — it won't be there.
Create an account in the GivBack app and link it to your GivEnergy system. You'll need your GivEnergy portal login or inverter serial number to connect the accounts. Your smart meter details will also be verified at this stage.
Use the GivBack app to opt in to the Events Programme. Participation is all-or-nothing — when you opt in, you agree to participate in all qualifying events. You cannot choose to skip individual events while remaining enrolled. You can opt out of the programme entirely at any time.
What happens to your battery during a GivEnergy Event
Understanding what GivEnergy does to your battery during an event helps you plan your energy usage and avoid surprises when you check your monitoring data.
Battery discharge during the event window
During a GivEnergy Event, your battery will typically be commanded to discharge to cover household load between 4 PM and 8 PM. This reduces your grid import during the peak period, which is exactly what the demand response programme is trying to achieve.
For you as a household, this means your battery may be more depleted than usual going into the evening. If you were planning to use battery power overnight for cheap-rate avoidance, ensure your overnight charge schedule accounts for the lower starting SoC.
Automatic control overrides your settings
During an event, GivEnergy's automated system takes control of your battery's charge/discharge behaviour. Your regular portal schedule and system mode settings are temporarily overridden for the duration of the event. Your settings are restored automatically when the event ends.
Notification before events
You receive a notification via the GivBack app before a scheduled event. This gives you time to plan around the event — for example, pre-charging appliances before 4 PM or adjusting your household usage during the event window. Events are typically announced the day before or morning of the event.
GivEnergy Events payments — how and when you get paid
GivBack payments are made monthly, but with a significant delay. Understanding this avoids confusion when you don't see payment arrive the month after an event.
The 3-month payment delay
GivBack payments are made monthly but with a 3-month delay. This delay exists because GivEnergy and their grid partners need time to verify, calculate, and process the demand response data for each event before payments can be issued.
Events in February → Paid in May
Events in October → Paid in January
How payments are calculated
Payments are based on your battery's contribution during each event — how much demand it helped reduce during the 4–8 PM window, measured through your smart meter. A larger battery contributing more demand reduction will receive higher payments than a smaller system or one with low available charge at the time of the event.
Payment details and event history are visible in the GivBack app. Refer to GivEnergy's GivBack documentation for the current payment rate structure — rates can change between programme seasons.
If you no longer want to participate in the Events Programme, you can opt out entirely via the GivBack app. Once opted out, your battery will no longer be controlled during events and you will stop earning event payments. Remember: you cannot selectively skip individual events — it's all-in or all-out.
Full guide to the GivBack demand response scheme — sign-up, eligibility, and earnings.
How the four GivEnergy system modes work and which to use for your tariff.
Configure GivEnergy for Octopus Go, Agile, Intelligent, Economy 7 and more.
All GivEnergy setup, configuration, problem, and product guides in one place.
GivEnergy Events questions
Questions about Events and your system?
If your battery behaved unexpectedly during an event, you want to check your system is correctly configured for Events, or you have questions about your GivBack sign-up — get in touch and we'll help.
- Not affiliated with GivEnergy Ltd
- Free remote diagnostic — pay only if we fix it
- Independent GivEnergy support
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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.
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