Best export only tariff?

Spies

I emailed my current energy provider Utility Point and they laughably only offer 0.0001p/kwh

I have seen OVO offer 4p/kwh, this isn't as high as bulb or Octopus but you don't need to import from them to get that rate. 

Is this the best option as my fixed rate is 13.5p on utility point until Feb next year! 

QrizB

I don't know of a better standalone SEG than OVO's 4p/kWh.

It's a trade-off between cheap import and lucrative export, unfortunately.

Assuming you don't qualify for Octopus's Tesla tariff (own a Tesla car and a Powerwall) the best SEG tariff currently is Octopus Outgoing Agile which is currently paying between 6p and 20p per kWh, depending on the time of day that you export it. However you have to be with Octopus and can't be on Go or Go Faster.

Reed_Richards

Better change that spreadsheet, then: 5p per kWh down to 4p per kWh.

Spies

QrizB said:

I don't know of a better standalone SEG than OVO's 4p/kWh.

It's a trade-off between cheap import and lucrative export, unfortunately.

Assuming you don't qualify for Octopus's Tesla tariff (own a Tesla car and a Powerwall) the best SEG tariff currently is Octopus Outgoing Agile which is currently paying between 6p and 20p per kWh, depending on the time of day that you export it. However you have to be with Octopus and can't be on Go or Go Faster.

My worry with agile is how high it can be at the moment, all it takes is for a few cloudy days and you'll be spitting feathers. Does Octopus allow you to bounce around the tariffs as you wish?

Reed_Richards said:

Better change that spreadsheet, then: 5p per kWh down to 4p per kWh.

Already have done, adjusted usage to 100% of generation between October and March and increased my unit price to 18p/kwh as that seems the norm once this contract is over and I'm down to a 14 year payback, I'm making a decision next week so exciting times!

QrizB

Spies said:

QrizB said:

I don't know of a better standalone SEG than OVO's 4p/kWh.

It's a trade-off between cheap import and lucrative export, unfortunately.

Assuming you don't qualify for Octopus's Tesla tariff (own a Tesla car and a Powerwall) the best SEG tariff currently is Octopus Outgoing Agile which is currently paying between 6p and 20p per kWh, depending on the time of day that you export it. However you have to be with Octopus and can't be on Go or Go Faster.

My worry with agile is how high it can be at the moment, all it takes is for a few cloudy days and you'll be spitting feathers. Does Octopus allow you to bounce around the tariffs as you wish?

Agile and Agile Outgoing are two separate tariffs. I think you can be on any of Octopus's supply tariffs *except* Go or Go Faster, and still have Agile Outgoing as your export tariff.

So you could for example have one of their "normal" supply tariffs, or Agile, or Tracker (and there could be others I haven't heard of).

It really comes down to the balance of import vs export. I've got a thread on it here if you're interested. My case is slightly different to yours as I'm on an early FIT so I get 3.95p/kWh export (currently deemed not metered) from my FIT supplier.

You'll see from my numbers in that thread that Go + Outgoing (not OOA) look slightly better to me than Fixed + OOA, based on 12 months.

I have read on this forum that Octopus let you switch tariffs every month if you want to. It might be possible to get the best of both worlds by taking Go + Outgoing from October to March then switch to (something else) + OOA for the summer months, but I haven't looked at it in any detail.

Edit to add the following illustration:

During the last FIT quarter (so, late March to late-June 2021) I generated 963kWh. I probably used 180 of those and exported the remaining 773. Over the same period I imported 377kWh.

• Import on Go (377 x 15.59 + 90 x 25) less export on Outgoing (773 x 5.5) total cost £38.76
• Import on Fixed (377 x 18.62 + 90 x 24.11) less export on Outgoing Agile (773 x 7) total cost £37.78

Is it worth all the trouble for 98p? Probably not! But your numbers will be different.

Spies

Octopus go + outgoing fixed sounds like the best option when the time comes.

I'll look more into outgoing agile to see which if any of their standard plans allow it. 

QrizB

Today is a good example of when OOA could be worth it. In my region, Octopus are paying almost 17p/kWh from 1800-1830 and almost 18p/kWh from 1830-1900. My fairly small array is still generating a kilowatt and almost all of that is being exported.

@Spies your bigger array is facing further west than mine (and won't be much smaller) so you should see good generation in the early evening when OOA is paying a premium.

But as it's so easy to switch you can start on Outgoing and see how it goes!

Spies

My other slight fly in the oitment is getting a smart meter quickly.

Utility Point have a list, but thats all, they can't tell me when I would get a meter to start SEG payments.

QrizB

I think in your situation I'd stick with Utility Point for supply and sign up to the OVO SEG. See if you can get Utility Point to fit a smart meter before your tariff ends.

Then, in the spring, see whether you can get a better all-in deal with another supplier, or whether to stick with OVO.

Spies

QrizB said:

I think in your situation I'd stick with Utility Point for supply and sign up to the OVO SEG. See if you can get Utility Point to fit a smart meter before your tariff ends.

Then, in the spring, see whether you can get a better all-in deal with another supplier, or whether to stick with OVO.

Looks like OVO don't require a smart meter, just an export meter which I think gets fitted as par for the course anyway? 

QrizB

Best check with your installer on that one. You'll almost certainly get a generation meter but I don't know about metering export.