Tesla to start selling energy to British households

Ofgem has licensed Tesla Energy Ventures to supply electricity to UK homes and businesses after a seven-month review; Tesla must meet licence conditions and will be monitored by Ofgem.

Ofgem has granted a licence to Tesla Energy Ventures allowing it to supply electricity to households and businesses across Britain. The licence took effect on Wednesday after a seven-month assessment by the energy regulator. The approval prepares the way for Tesla Energy, a retail service likely to link with Tesla's electric cars and Powerwall home batteries. Tesla previously received an electricity generation licence in 2020 and runs a retail electricity provider in Texas. Key facts: - Ofgem granted a supply licence to Tesla Energy Ventures following a seven-month assessment. - The licence permits electricity supply to households and businesses across the UK. - Tesla has not applied for a gas supply licence, meaning most households would use a different gas provider. - Tesla holds an electricity generation licence from 2020 and operates an electricity service in Texas that can enable vehicle charging and export of excess energy. - The Energy Secretary Ed Miliband publicly criticised Elon Musk last year; the article reports those remarks. - Ofgem said it concluded Tesla meets statutory requirements and will monitor compliance and can enforce licence conditions or impose penalties. Summary: The licence opens the UK retail electricity market to Tesla and could allow closer integration with its vehicles and home batteries. Tesla must now comply with Ofgem's licence conditions and will be subject to continuous monitoring, with potential enforcement action if obligations are not met.