Price Protect Powers Net-Zero Goals for Icknield Gas

[Kevin Ball from Wattstor and Guy Hildred, Icknield land owner outside the Icknield Biogas facility]

Price Protect Powers Net-Zero Goals for Icknield Biogas

A South Oxfordshire biogas plant has combined solar PV, battery storage and our innovative electricity tariff, Price Protect to:

• stabilise long-term energy costs
• overcome grid constraints
• support net zero goals

View the full case study here:

The challenge

Icknield Biogas in South Oxfordshire has been producing biomethane for more than a decade — enough to power around 6,000 homes.

As output expanded, the site’s electricity demand grew to 150–200 kWh per hour, exposing it to rising energy costs. To improve energy resilience and sustainablility, the team explored the idea of installing solar and storage on the land next door.

However, a major barrier emerged: the local grid operator imposed a cap of less than one megawatt on new connections. Without an alternative approach, the expansion could not proceed.

The solution

To unlock the project, we designed a DC-coupled renewable energy system, allowing solar and battery energy storage assets to operate behind the meter without exceeding export limits.

The system combines a 1.2 MW solar array and 2.4 MWh battery to function together efficiently, irrespective of any grid constraint.

The DC-coupled design allows both solar array and BESS to work together in a way that avoids breaching grid limits. It is a proven, replicable model that has been installed on multiple commercial and industrial sites by the Wattstor team.

In addition to the technical solution, Icknield Gas were looking for a simple way to lower the cost of their electricity across the board. We introduced them to the Price Protect tariff — a 25-year capped electricity contract that adjusts downwards if wholesale prices fall. The agreement covers all electricity used on site, whether sourced from the grid or renewables, providing rare long-term price certainty.

The impact

The combination of technical and commercial innovation allows Icknield Biogas to dramatically lower its operating costs while getting close to 100% renewable energy generation, consumption and production. David Bermingham made the folllowing observation:

“We needed cover for all our electricity, not just what we generated onsite. Price Protect gives us stability and supports our goal of running fully on renewables.”

David Bermingham, Icknield Gas CEO

The project shows how renewable expansion is possible even for grid-constrained businesses, blending innovation in design with innovative pricing models.

Lessons learned

1. Price Protect guarantees long term protection from market volatility, accelerating investment in clean energy by removing financial uncertainty.
2. Technical flexibility can unlock renewable deployment where grid capacity is limited.

If you are struggling with a grid constrained site or simply want to talk about lowering the cost of your business electricity, get in touch with the team today.