Read about how the tepeo ZEB heat battery boiler helped Kevin complete his move away from gas.
The Home: A detached, four-bedroom property in Berkshire.
The Homeowner: Kevin Baughan, a long-time Berkshire resident and committed low-carbon technology adopter with solar panels, EV charging, air-to-air heat pumps and smart energy monitoring.
The Solution: The tepeo ZEB heat battery boiler, installed by Henley Plumbing and Heating, working alongside Kevin’s existing hot-water cylinder, solar panels, EV charging and air-to-air heat pumps. Kevin discovered tepeo and the ZEB through an article in Eco Matters, a community-led fortnightly column in the Maidenhead Advertiser run by local volunteers from ECO Action WAM, focusing on the environment, biodiversity, and practical climate tips.
A home already moving away from gas
Kevin had already made significant progress in reducing his reliance on gas before discovering tepeo.
His home uses multiple air-conditioning units connected to two outdoor air-to-air heat pumps, which he primarily uses for cooling but can also use for heating. He had even written in a local newspaper about the role air conditioning could play in reducing the UK’s dependence on natural gas, after seeing strong results in his own home.
In the first year after installing the air-conditioning system, Kevin’s total energy bill reduced by 10%, despite rising prices, while total energy consumption fell by 34% and natural gas consumption fell by 65%.
Since then, Kevin has continued building a smarter home energy setup. He has solar panels, EV charging, an Octopus tariff and smart monitoring through apps such as MiEnergy, which lets him see what is charging, when, and how much energy he is using or exporting.
His west-facing solar panels start generating from around 10am during the summer months, with surplus solar exported back to the grid. But there was still one major step left: getting completely off gas.
Finding the right final piece
Kevin wanted a heating system that would work with the way he already manages energy at home. He had air-to-air heat pumps for much of the house, a hot-water cylinder he was happy with, solar generation, EV charging and a smart tariff. However, the air-to-air heat pumps did not sufficiently heat the whole house on their own, so Kevin wanted an additional low-carbon heating system that could work alongside them, and help him to completely get off gas.
That is where the ZEB came in.
Kevin first found tepeo in March 2026. Just four months later, his ZEB had been installed.
For Kevin, the ZEB was the missing piece: a heat battery boiler that could replace the central-heating role of his old gas boiler, fit into the same cupboard, and work alongside the other electric technologies already in the home.
The tepeo boiler charges using electricity, stores that energy as heat, and releases it through the home’s wet central-heating system when warmth is needed.
In Kevin’s words, “the combination of the ZEB and heat pumps feels like the perfect setup for the size and usage of his home”. Two low-carbon technologies working beautifully together.
Most importantly, it allowed him to disconnect from gas altogether. During our visit, Kevin proudly showed us where the gas pipe had been cut off at the mains.
The solution: the tepeo ZEB with £2,500 off early grant match
Kevin took advantage of tepeo’s £2,500 Early Grant Match, available only until December 2026, which helped reduce the upfront cost of the ZEB. Kevin was particularly pleased that he did not have to manage complex paperwork himself.
“It’s great. So fantastic that I didn’t have to deal with all the grant paperwork. That was all taken care of by the tepeo team.”
The ZEB now works alongside Kevin’s existing hot-water cylinder. One of the early results was striking: heating his hot water overnight cost around 12p, based on 3kWh at his 4p off-peak rate.
Kevin also calculated that a full 40kWh ZEB charge would cost a maximum of £1.60 on his current overnight tariff. For comparison, he noted that charging his EV overnight can also cost around £1.60.
These figures are specific to Kevin’s setup and tariff, but they show why smart charging and off-peak electricity are such an important part of how the ZEB works.
A like-for-like boiler replacement
One of the reasons the ZEB nicely suited Kevin’s home was that it could go into the same cupboard as the previous gas boiler.
The installation did require some practical adjustments. The team needed to remove a radiator to get the ZEB into position (and of course put the radiator back on before they left!); they also added extra support underneath the ZEB due to the spongey flooring; and they brought the cupboard door out slightly to accommodate the unit neatly in the kitchen.
Even with those adjustments, Kevin was struck by how straightforward the process felt.
Like many tepeo customers, he enjoyed watching the ZEB being moved into place using the Domino robot, a specialist handling device designed to carry heavy weight and make positioning the unit look remarkably easy.
Kevin said Greg, tepeo’s delivery specialist, was “a really lovely guy” and did a fantastic job getting the ZEB into place.
For Kevin, the installation felt convenient because the ZEB was effectively replacing the role of the old gas boiler in the same location, while allowing the home to move away from gas entirely.
Smart charging meets a smart home
Kevin is an enthusiastic user of home energy technology.
He uses apps to track how his home is performing, including MiEnergy and the tepeo App and can see when the ZEB has charged, how much energy it has used, and how it fits into the wider home energy picture. Kevin admits he loves checking (and sharing!) the graphs every day.
The ZEB’s ability to work with smart tariffs was a major part of the appeal. Kevin spoke very highly of Octopus as his provider and likes how his home can make use of cheaper overnight electricity.
For him, the technology feels joined up: the car charges cheaply overnight, the ZEB charges when electricity is cheaper, the solar panels generate during the day, and the house uses a combination of systems to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
His home has a daily limit of 24kW, but Kevin says the most they typically draw is around 15kW, so the system remains well within the household’s usual capacity.
Support from installation to aftercare
Kevin also spoke highly of the tepeo team’s support during and after the installation.
After installation, Kevin required support with a flashing light. Luke from tepeo visited within a few days, plugged in his laptop and quickly identified the issue. For Kevin, the response was reassuring and he enjoyed seeing how Luke could troubleshoot through the laptop so efficiently!
“Everyone at tepeo is awesome!”
The result: completely off gas and ready for winter
Kevin is now looking forward to seeing how the system performs over winter.
He already knows how much his previous low-carbon upgrades have helped reduce energy use, and he plans to share more detailed savings once the ZEB has been through a full heating season. So far, he says the experience has been brilliant.
For Kevin, the ZEB is not a standalone gadget: it is part of a carefully considered home energy system.
A smart electric boiler alternative, working alongside smart tariffs, solar generation, EV charging and air-to-air heat pumps.
Or, as Kevin sees it: the final piece in getting his home off gas.
Ready to see if your home is suitable for a heat battery boiler?
Complete our quick, 60 second property check to see if the tepeo heat battery boiler could work efficiently in your property.
Simply enter your address and our system will pull up your estimated annual energy usage and other property details that will help us determine whether a heat battery boiler could work for you.
Loading calculator...