The case for Octopus Agile (with solar panels)

frozen_wastes

At the beginning of the month I decided to switch to Octopus Agile.

Previously I was reckoning that it was only worthwhile with a battery so you could take advantage of cheap times for import and expensive times for export.

However 2021 is a very different summer to 2020.

All the times are expensive for import.  The daily mean price is around 28p/kWh.  About 20p in the small hours of the night, and 32-33p during mid morning, and 35p capped in the early evening.

So far, not so good!  My Octopus flexible tariff was 18.53p/kWh for comparison.

But what about exports?  If anything my solar panel investments have told me, is that a large solar array blows away small import quantities with a complete flood of exported electricity.

Previously on the flexible tariff I was paid 5.5p/kWh.  It was competitive, but the agile export tarriff the last month has never dipped below 10p/kWh.  It's astonishing.  Sometimes mid morning I can see 15p/kWh being paid.  This is just the sort of thing that makes solar investments worthwhile!

So.  Summertime at least, wind power is slack, so the wholesale electricity prices are high because gas prices are high (much higher than last summer).  What of the autumn and winter times when my solar doesn't cover the evening time consumption anymore, and exports dwindle?  We shall see.  I'm hoping the wind power kicks in at this stage and keeps gas dependency in check.

My only regret with the switch is not doing it earlier in the springtime.   However I'm wandering how soon it will be when those high agile import prices makes it through to regular electricity bill prices.  I'm reckoning October will be crunchtime on that front.

Exiled_Tyke

I thought that currently it is not possible to be on both Agile export and Agile import? Have a got that wrong? 

Agile import prices have been very poor for a while now and I can't see them improving. With a battery I'm using Octopus Go and recharge each nighttime which works out far better value for money. Also if there isn't much sun I programme the dishwasher etc. to run I the night. 

I think the issue with Agile is that so much electricity is now bought on fixed contracts that it's making the spot price much higher.  Personally I'd get off Agile import and find something better which meets your needs.

arty688

I don't think there are many people left on Agile. To make it work you would need a lot of excess energy. Most people have jumped ship to Go or Go faster although you only get an export rate of 3p

QrizB

When I was looking into this, my reading of Octopus's website (which is a bit fragmented) was that you can be on Outgoing Agile with any incoming tariff except Go or Go Faster. They might have changed it though!

My thoughts from earlier in the year are here:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6269406/export-tariffs-fit-seg-octopus-outgoing-agile

arty688

I think that's the wrong way round you couldn't be on an export tariff at all if you were on Go , they changed that to 3P 6 months or so ago. Agile was always Import and Export the rest of the tariffs are 5.5p I think

frozen_wastes

My original plan was to be on the go tariff.  But I couldn’t be on the outgoing fixed rate tariff at the same time. 

So, that means the agile tariff is the only option available for good export rates and flexible night time pricing (though that’s not the same as “cheap” right now)

Thing is:  I export predominantly from March to September.  So I’m wandering if I can switch from Go in the winter time  to Agile in the summer and back again.   Or is there anything in the Terms and Conditions that prevents you being Agile in this way (excuse the pun)

QrizB

frozen_wastes said:

Thing is:  I export predominantly from March to September.  So I’m wandering if I can switch from Go in the winter time  to Agile in the summer and back again.   Or is there anything in the Terms and Conditions that prevents you being Agile in this way (excuse the pun)

I wondered about seasonal switching, too. Octopus let you switch tariff every month (or so I've heard) so it *should* be possible.

Once I've got a year of smart meter export data I'm intending to review whether I'm better off sticking with deemed export on FIT or switching to metered, and that's when I'll look at OOA again.

Screwdriva

Can I ask what type of SMART meter you own? I have a SMETS 1 meter and I believe you need a SMETS 2?

QrizB

Screwdriva said:

Can I ask what type of SMART meter you own? I have a SMETS 1 meter and I believe you need a SMETS 2?

SMETS2 or Secure(TM) SMETS1, according to the current Octopus website.

From https://octopus.energy/outgoing/ :

Good to know:

• You'll need a SMETS2 (or SecureTM SMETS1) smart meter that we can receive half-hourly export data from
• Currently, you can't be on both outgoingOctopus and OctopusGo, our EV tariff, at the same time.
• If you have started receiving FiTs in the last 12 months, the FiT rules mean you won't be able to switch to outgoingOctopus just yet

frozen_wastes

Screwdriva said:

Can I ask what type of SMART meter you own? I have a SMETS 1 meter and I believe you need a SMETS 2?

I've got a "secure" SMETS 1 smart meter.  It works.  It was originally installed by First Utility (now shell) in 2017, and it was a dumb meter when I changed to Bulb, until just a few months before I got solar installed.  It's been smart ever since.

Screwdriva

Many thanks! This is the only thing holding me back as I have a SMETS1 dumb meter that Bulb does not appear to be able to read from directly.