, ▁Su ff olk . ▁The ▁company ▁was ▁launched ▁as ▁a ▁small ▁independent ▁domestic ▁energy ▁supply ▁company ▁in ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁supp lying ▁gas ▁and ▁electric ity ▁to ▁homes ▁throughout ▁the ▁UK . ▁Flow ▁Energy ▁was ▁acquired ▁by ▁Co - op ▁Energy ▁in ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁and ▁the ▁Flow ▁brand ▁continued ▁to ▁be ▁used ▁until ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁when ▁the ▁customers ▁were ▁acquired ▁by ▁Oct opus ▁Energy . ▁ ▁The ▁company ▁also ▁developed ▁a ▁household ▁electric ity - gener ating ▁gas ▁bo iler , ▁the ▁Flow ▁bo iler , ▁which ▁provided ▁he ating ▁and ▁hot ▁water ▁and ▁also ▁generated ▁electric ity , ▁using ▁pat ented ▁technology . ▁ ▁History ▁Until ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁Flow ▁Energy ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁Flow group ▁pl c , ▁an ▁energy ▁innov ation ▁and ▁services ▁company ▁listed ▁on ▁the ▁A IM ▁exchange ▁of ▁the ▁London ▁Stock ▁Market ▁and ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁ ▁In ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁Flow ▁Energy ▁launched ▁its ▁domestic ▁energy ▁supply ▁service . ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁Flow ▁Energy ▁exceed ed ▁ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁home ▁energy ▁customer ▁accounts . ▁▁ ▁In ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁the ▁company ▁announced ▁a ▁deal ▁with ▁Sh ell ▁Energy ▁Europe ▁to ▁provide ▁access ▁to ▁wh oles ale ▁energy ▁– ▁gas ▁and ▁electric ity ▁– ▁without ▁the ▁need ▁for ▁significant ▁levels ▁of ▁coll ater al ▁to ▁be ▁depos