Block owners can commission Emergent to install solar panels and other equipment, which generate energy that residents buy before it enters the grid. Building owners, not tenants, bear the cost of setting up the microgrid – and recoup their money through the revenues it creates. This business model is unique in the UK, and Emergent has had to collaborate with utility companies and secure regulation change to make it a reality – clearing a path for more innovation across the energy sector.  

Partnership with councils cuts bills for tenants

By working with council partners, Emergent can use trusted intermediaries to secure customers for the scheme. The company is currently undertaking a major installation with Hackney Council that will cover 28 blocks and benefit 800 residents, lowering their bills by an expected 10-15%.  

There are 2 million flats in the UK, suggesting huge potential for Emergent’s solution. The opportunity to create returns for private investors could be an important factor driving its growth. And there is also potential to add more technologies – such as heat pumps and energy storage – to the company’s microgrids. 

“Solar is one of the most transformative technologies we have. But people who live in flats have been excluded from its benefits, because of how our energy regulations worked.”— Reg Platt, Founder and CEO

Check out the rest of our fantastic winners from the 2025 Ashden Awards here.

Sponsoring the 2025 Ashden Award for Breaking Barriers (UK):