Protecting the future of our planet

Impact Case Study

Future-proofing our homes

Local authorities across the UK are facing a critical challenge: alleviating the fuel poverty crisis while reducing their own carbon emissions. Birmingham City Council is tackling that challenge with the help of Mixergy, an Oxford spinout whose innovative heating products interact with the grid to reduce carbon, save money and future-proof homes.

Since the project began, Mixergy’s ‘heat what you need’ solutions have been retrofitted in around 700 properties in east Birmingham, leading to significant savings for council tenants. One happy resident said: “We’ve worked out it will be hundreds of pounds of savings a year. I’m better off, I can do more, I can spend more money on my grandchildren. It’s the best thing the council has ever done.”

Across Birmingham Council’s fleet of Mixergy cylinders, Mixergy helped save an estimated 124 tonnes of CO2 in 2023/24 – equivalent to a reduction in energy bills of over £100,000 annually. Meanwhile, a recent partnership with British Gas offers a £40 rebate to customers with Mixergy cylinders in recognition of their contribution to renewable energy.

The company’s flagship project, the Mixergy X smart cylinder, has evolved from an idea conceived by founders Pete Armstrong and Ren Kang while they were completing their engineering DPhils. The device, which uses technology – including machine learning – to heat only what the home needs, not only reduces hot water energy consumption but also alleviates the load on our National Grid.