Octopus Tariffs

The place to discuss everything else..
Post Reply
HeidiFlowerpt Driver
Posts: 251
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2020 2:30 pm

Post by HeidiFlowerpt Driver »

Hi,

I note that Octopus Energy get mentioned a lot in these forums.

I have solar panels, a Tesla Powerwall storage battery, and a home chargepoint. I switched to Octopus early last year, before I had either. Then I switched tariff to Octopus Go, since both my washing machine and my dishwasher have timers and I could set them to run at 00:30 during the Go off-peak rate.

When I got my solar panels installed and wanted to setup an export tariff to get Octopus to pay me for my solar export, I discovered you can't have Octopus Go and an Export tariff. So I switched to Octopus Agile, and discovered that sometimes that tariff goes negative - they pay you to use electricity. Whoopee!

However through the winter months these 'price plunge' events seem to have stopped, and the average tariff excluding the peak hours 16:30-19:30 (when the price skyrockets under Agile) has been quite high.

There is also an Octopus collaboration with Tesla, for users of Tesla Powerwalls, which gives you a fixed import rate of 11p/kWh, a fixed export rate also 11p/kWh, and no standing charge. If you have a Tesla car too, these rates are 8p and 8p instead.

I'm in quite a quandary, it's very difficult to know which tariff I should be on. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Naturally I'd like to be charging my car for the lowest price, which would seem to be Octopus Go, but I'd be paying more during the day. I find in the dark days of winter my solar panels seldom generate much, but in summer I have lots of spare solar generation. The Tesla collaboration is certainly clear and simple - no standing charge, the same price all day and the same price for export as import. But I'd be charging my car at 11p, more than twice as much as on Octopus Go. Decisions, decisions....
ID.3 1st Edition Manganese Grey - called Heidi Flowerpot

Sindidziwa
Posts: 84
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2020 4:06 pm

Post by Sindidziwa »

It all depends how much electricity you are using for the house and how much for the car! Our id3 has been sitting around a lot of the time so we haven't used much to charge it. We have PV (though this winter has been rubbish for solar radiation) and also air source heating, which is our major use (ca 10MWh). I'm on agile and was going to do some modelling to see if it was worth it but i haven't been able to download half hour usage for three months! For the data I do have Agile seemed to be slightly more expensive than GO but that will change in summer I'm sure. I looked at installing a battery... but payback is 10 years at present.

I was very excited with the price plunge but I'd topped up the car the day before and so missed out... ;-(

As you say - decisions, decisions - but it gives me something to obsess about in lockdown.
HeidiFlowerpt Driver
Posts: 251
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2020 2:30 pm

Post by HeidiFlowerpt Driver »

Sindidziwa wrote: Wed Mar 24, 2021 2:58 pm ... it gives me something to obsess about in lockdown.
Indeed. :D :D
ID.3 1st Edition Manganese Grey - called Heidi Flowerpot
Salmonfisher
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2021 5:25 pm

Post by Salmonfisher »

Interesting as I have just changed to Octopus in readiness for solar panels and an EV. The advice I have been given by regulars is that Agile is usually best over a year and even more so if you get a storage battery but much better in summer than winter. You can switch between Agile in summer and Go in Winter if you can be bothered which may be the ideal.
Deleted User 192

Post by Deleted User 192 »

Salmonfisher wrote: Wed Mar 24, 2021 3:50 pm Interesting as I have just changed to Octopus in readiness for solar panels and an EV. The advice I have been given by regulars is that Agile is usually best over a year and even more so if you get a storage battery but much better in summer than winter. You can switch between Agile in summer and Go in Winter if you can be bothered which may be the ideal.

You can switch every 30 days if you really want to.

I tried Agile but our 4pm-7pm usage was just too much and there were many days through winter where that period was their maximum 35p rate :o

Switched to Go Faster, but may look again at Agile soon - it may be cheaper from April-October...
G43FAN

Post by G43FAN »

HeidiFlowerpot wrote: Wed Mar 24, 2021 12:55 pm
There is also an Octopus collaboration with Tesla, for users of Tesla Powerwalls, which gives you a fixed import rate of 11p/kWh, a fixed export rate also 11p/kWh, and no standing charge. If you have a Tesla car too, these rates are 8p and 8p instead.
I'll have to check for myself, but does that tariff have any requirements for minimum amount exported. I am currently about to have a 5kW array installed and have been quoted for a Tesla Powerwall to go with it.. I don't actually expect to have a lot of excess power however as my day time usage will probably consume any generated power. (32 amp Hot tub doesn't help). But if I could sit on an 11p/kWh tariff I would save £600 a year (at current rates) without taking into account any solar. (I will have to check my maths)
HeidiFlowerpt Driver
Posts: 251
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2020 2:30 pm

Post by HeidiFlowerpt Driver »

G43FAN wrote: Wed Mar 24, 2021 6:18 pm
HeidiFlowerpot wrote: Wed Mar 24, 2021 12:55 pm
There is also an Octopus collaboration with Tesla, for users of Tesla Powerwalls, which gives you a fixed import rate of 11p/kWh, a fixed export rate also 11p/kWh, and no standing charge. If you have a Tesla car too, these rates are 8p and 8p instead.
I'll have to check for myself, but does that tariff have any requirements for minimum amount exported. I am currently about to have a 5kW array installed and have been quoted for a Tesla Powerwall to go with it.. I don't actually expect to have a lot of excess power however as my day time usage will probably consume any generated power. (32 amp Hot tub doesn't help). But if I could sit on an 11p/kWh tariff I would save £600 a year (at current rates) without taking into account any solar. (I will have to check my maths)
No minimum requirements as far as I can see, but you relinquish control of your Tesla Powerwall to them, and they use it to balance the grid. All very confusing. Here's the link:

https://octopus.energy/tesla-energy-plan-faq/
ID.3 1st Edition Manganese Grey - called Heidi Flowerpot
User avatar
DarrylBadger
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2021 1:19 pm

Post by DarrylBadger »

Didn't even think about the dishwasher and washing machine savings on Octopus Go!
Off to see if they have a timer now!
2021 ID.3 Pro Performance Family - Scale Silver

Sign up with Octopus Energy for 4.5p per kWh overnight charging using this link: https://octopusenergycode.co.uk and get a £50 reward
Deleted User 192

Post by Deleted User 192 »

DarrylBadger wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 11:20 am Didn't even think about the dishwasher and washing machine savings on Octopus Go!
Off to see if they have a timer now!

This is partly why I requested Go Faster from Octopus - my cheap rate kicks in at 20:30 so I don't have to faff about with timers on the dishwasher, tumble dryer, or the car - they can all just go on at 20:30 :-)
G43FAN

Post by G43FAN »

Shame the best estimate they can give me for a Smart meter install is 'around 12 months.. '
Sindidziwa
Posts: 84
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2020 4:06 pm

Post by Sindidziwa »

G43FAN wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 4:31 pm Shame the best estimate they can give me for a Smart meter install is 'around 12 months.. '
I changed from Bulb to Octopus as they got me a smart meter more quickly but I haven't been able to download any half hour readings since December 28th! Octopus haven't managed to read it either and after a "switch off and on again" didn't work they are now going to replace the meter (28 April) - i think that means that all my work to charge at very low rates will go down the drain as they will only be able to take a reading of total usage (10MWh since November)...
Shippersa1
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Jul 28, 2021 8:29 pm

Post by Shippersa1 »

I'm looking at switching to Octopus Go from British Gas for our electricity but what do you do with your gas tariff as Octopus Go is electricity only and Octopus don't have any gas only tariffs?
Deleted User 192

Post by Deleted User 192 »

Shippersa1 wrote: Wed Jul 28, 2021 9:38 pm I'm looking at switching to Octopus Go from British Gas for our electricity but what do you do with your gas tariff as Octopus Go is electricity only and Octopus don't have any gas only tariffs?

Octopus do have gas tariffs, you’ll be put on one plus a standard electricity tariff when you first switch to Octopus. Once they can read your smart meter readings they can switch your electricity to Go, leaving your gas on the same tariff as you started.

https://octopus.energy/tariffs/
Post Reply