How to transform your property into a modern eco home?

An eco home is pretty much what it says on the tin – a home which is better for the environment because it minimises your carbon footprint. These homes are growing in popularity too, thanks to people’s increased awareness of climate change and desire to take more control of their energy bills. A recent survey found that over half (57%) of UK consumers were willing to pay more for a house with renewable or low-carbon technology.1 

Let’s take a look at how investing in renewable energy technology like solar panels and heat pumps can help you create a more eco-friendly house. 

Please bear in mind that all savings are correct at time of writing (August 2025).

Replace your old boiler with an air source heat pump.

With around 22% of carbon emissions coming from home energy in the UK2, renewable technology is an important step towards creating a more sustainable home. Heat pumps are one of the recent innovations to help to reduce your carbon footprint. They’re becoming more popular too – nearly 100,000 heat pumps were sold last year alone.3 

Air source heat pumps work by absorbing the warmth from the outside air and using it to heat your home. If you’re wondering if the UK is warm enough for your heat pump to work, remember that there’s more heat pumps in colder countries like Norway and Finland than anywhere else in Europe, so the relatively mild UK climate is just fine. They can heat your water up to 45-55°C, more than enough for your radiators and hot water. And importantly, heat pumps are three to four times more efficient than gas boilers – for every kWh of electricity used to power the heat pump, 3 to 4 kWh of heat are transferred to your home. 

Not only does this mean that fewer greenhouse gases are generated when you switch to an air source heat pump, but you could also save money too. The Energy Saving Trust calculates that you could save up to £650 a year by switching from an old boiler to a heat pump.4 

As heat pumps are powered by electricity, you can take advantage of tariffs that use renewable energy sources, like Next Pumped, to cut your carbon emissions even further. Next Pumped is our new heat pump tariff with 100% renewable electricity and lower energy prices overnight, which could save you £264 per year.5 Alternatively, if you have solar panels installed (more on that later), then air source heat pumps can heat your home or hot water using the solar power you generate yourself.

Heat pumps are also more affordable than you might think. Thanks to the government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme, you could get a £7,500 grant towards your heat pump6. The government has also introduced planning regulation changes to make installing one easier. All of this makes it easier for you to create a more eco friendly future for your home.

Cut your energy costs and carbon emissions with a solar package.

Solar energy is the fastest growing renewable energy solution, with 1.5 million homes in the UK going solar.7When the sun shines on a solar panel, solar energy is absorbed by individual photovoltaic cells in the panel and converted into electricity. The cells don’t need direct sunlight to work and can even work on cloudy days. However, the stronger the sunshine, the more electricity generated.

As a renewable energy source, solar energy helps you to lower your home’s carbon footprint. In addition, solar panels also help you become more energy independent, as you can generate more of your own electricity. By taking control of your own energy supply, you’re less exposed to sudden price changes in the external energy market, caused by global events. In fact, by taking control of your bills with a solar package, you could save up to £1,248 a year.

You can boost your energy independence further with a solar battery. You can charge up these batteries during the day using your excess solar power. And because they’re connected up to your home, you can use the stored electricity when your solar panels aren’t making enough, including after dark. And thanks to the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), you can even make some extra money by selling any excess power that you don’t need back to the grid. 

Our solar panel systems start from just £4,995, including a special SEG tariff rate. Remember, E.ON Next customers can get a further £200 off new solar panels and batteries.

Take charge of your EV costs with your own home charger.

If you’re keen to cut your carbon emissions when out and about, as well as at home, you may have switched to an electric vehicle (EV). EVs come in different types, including battery electric vehicles, which are powered entirely by electricity and charged by plugging into a charging station. If you have an EV, you could consider getting your own home EV charger. It’s usually much cheaper to charge your EV at home compared to paying at a public charging station8, which helps you recover the cost of installing your own charger over time.

At E.ON Next, we have different EV chargers available, which work with most EV models in the UK. They provide 7.4kW power (over 3 times faster charging than a standard wall socket)9 and can be controlled remotely with our free app.

Every EV charger we install comes with:

• 3-year product and 1-year workmanship warranty

• Online charging guides at your fingertips

• Fully trained EV support team

When charging at home, you could save even more with tariffs that offer cheaper off-peak electricity, like Next Drive. You can fully charge your EV from £3.10

In summary, renewable technology is a key part of building a more eco-friendly home. It’s more affordable than you might think, and can help to cut your energy bills in the long run. Take a look at the heat pumps, solar packages, and EV chargers we offer and see how they can be both better for the planet and your wallet.

• 1. Green Home Statistics (Ben Gallizzi, uswitch.com, 2024)
• 2. Net zero, carbon emissions and homes: what's the connection? (Energy Saving Trust, 2021)
• 3. What is a heat pump and what grants are available? (BBC, 2026)
• 4. £650 saving based on installing standard air source heat pump in three-bedroom semi-detached home over 1 year in comparison to Old LPG boiler - energy rating G (<60%). Information sourced from Energy Savings Trust.
• 5. Next Pumped tariff saving calculations assume an electric consumption of 5,766.67 kWh, charging 21% of electric consumption during Next Pumped Fixed 12m V9 super off-peak hours (10pm-6am), 60% of consumption during off-peak (7pm to 10pm and 6am to 4pm) and 19% of consumption during peak hours (4pm to 7pm); compared to charging at 27.693p/kWh (national average rate and will vary by region) standard variable rate from 1 January 2026, which is equivalent to £223.35 saved compared to our standard tariff. Actual savings may vary depending on individual usage patterns. T&Cs apply. Pricing may vary by region. Please check your quote.
• 6. The £7,500 grant is available with the Government's Boiler Upgrade Scheme. Visit the Government website for eligibility criteria and exclusions.
• 7. Solar panels – are they worth it? (Clare Casalis, Money Saving Expert, 2026)
• 8. Electric car charging – how it works and how much it costs (RAC, 2024)
• 9. A 2.4 kW 3-pin plug will charge an EV in 18.3 hours compared to the EON 7.4kW wall mounted home charger that can deliver a charge time in 6 hours. Both figures are based on charging a Tesla model 3 with a battery capacity of up to 50kWh. Charging from 20% battery to 100%.
• 10. £3 calculated as charging an electric vehicle battery of 40kWh at 7.5p/kWh. Off-peak rate available between 12am - 6am on the Next Drive tariff. Rate accurate as of 16 April 2025. Direct Debit only. Smart meter with half hourly consent required. Actual costs may vary depending on vehicle battery size and charging efficiency.