Energy news in general

MeteredOut

BellaBlondykeTheThird said:

MeteredOut said:

BellaBlondykeTheThird said:

bristolleedsfan said:

https://fleetworld.co.uk/british-gas-slashes-ev-charging-costs-with-new-4-95p-kwh-offer/

British Gas is offering EV drivers the chance to slash charging costs to just 4.95p/kWh overnight under its Hive SmartCharge service.

New customers of the Hive chargers are also able to receive a full year of charging for free with FreeCharge. The promotion offers 12 months of free home charging to new customers who buy one of its Hive EV chargers. With the FreeCharge offer, customers will benefit from up to 8,000 miles of free EV charging. The offer is available to new and existing British Gas electricity customers who have a smart meter and purchase one of Hive’s EV Chargers.

This appears to be the return of real competition to the energy market.

I suspect BG have lost more than a few customers to Octopus and the others and their move from the old to new billing system probably means they will lose more.

This seems an amazing rate can customers use household load during the same time for under 5p kWh?

Check the T&Cs - limited number of users (5000), capped usage policy (2000kWh) and time restricted (1 year) for free charging, have to buy their charger, have to be plugged in/charging (not clear which) for 6 hours, otherwise the 4p discount is halved to 2p. 

The requirement to purchase a Hive charger (£939 or £1200 + £500 or £460 if you want BG to install it) would put me off immediately; Hive have discontinued services in the past and I'd not be surprised that you end up with a dumb (or, even disabled) charger a few years down the line. You're paying a premium for a charger to get "free" electricity. In reality, you're just paying for that "free" electricity up front.

As you say, its great there are other companies starting to think about more innovative tariffs, and any competition to Octopus in this space can only be a good thing, but I don't see this as something that will sway people back from Octopus.

Oh no the minions can checkout the T&C's and report back lol....oh they have

There's a bot for that. I asked it to summarise the T&Cs, with specific emphasis on the eligibility requirements:

The terms and conditions delineate guidelines for utilizing the FreeCharge function within the British Gas and Hive framework for charging electric vehicles (EVs) at home.

1. Privacy Concerns: The document emphasizes privacy protection and directs users to the respective privacy notices for British Gas and Hive.

2. About FreeCharge: FreeCharge enables EV owners to charge their vehicles at home for free for 12 months from activation, contingent upon fair usage conditions.

3. Eligibility Requirements: To qualify for FreeCharge, users must:

   • Purchase and activate a Hive-enabled Alfen Eve Single S-Line or EO Mini Pro 3 charge point from the Hive website or an authorized retail partner, with activation occurring on or after Thursday, 19th October 2023.

   • The offer is limited to the first 5,000 eligible charge points and requires activation within six months of purchase.

   • Installation of the charge point must be at the user's primary residence, and while British Gas installation is preferred, it's not mandatory.

   • Adequate mobile network connectivity at the installation site is necessary to establish and maintain a connection between the charge point and the Hive network.

   • The home must be supplied with electricity by British Gas through a smart meter in credit mode, with the account holder consenting to half-hourly meter readings.

   • The user's British Gas electricity account details in the Hive app, including tariff type and unit rate, must be accurate and up to date.

   • A functional "always-on" broadband internet connection at the home is required for smart meter data transfer.

   • Users must have an active Hive account, be aged 18 or over, and download the Hive app.

4. Usage Conditions: Details limitations such as a fair usage cap, charging schedule adjustments, and switching between modes.

5. Data Usage: Consent is sought for sharing data among British Gas, Hive, and Centrica Energy Marketing Limited, while also outlining data sharing preferences and anonymization practices.

6. General Terms: Provisions cover software and app updates, routine maintenance, limitations of responsibility, adherence to UK laws, and the obligation to keep contact information current.

7. Complaints: A process for addressing complaints is provided, including a dedicated customer service number.

The terms aim to ensure responsible usage of the FreeCharge feature while outlining the rights and responsibilities of users within the British Gas and Hive ecosystem. Users are encouraged to review and understand these terms before activating FreeCharge.

michaels

MeteredOut said:

michaels said:

MeteredOut said:

BellaBlondykeTheThird said:

bristolleedsfan said:

https://fleetworld.co.uk/british-gas-slashes-ev-charging-costs-with-new-4-95p-kwh-offer/

British Gas is offering EV drivers the chance to slash charging costs to just 4.95p/kWh overnight under its Hive SmartCharge service.

New customers of the Hive chargers are also able to receive a full year of charging for free with FreeCharge. The promotion offers 12 months of free home charging to new customers who buy one of its Hive EV chargers. With the FreeCharge offer, customers will benefit from up to 8,000 miles of free EV charging. The offer is available to new and existing British Gas electricity customers who have a smart meter and purchase one of Hive’s EV Chargers.

This appears to be the return of real competition to the energy market.

I suspect BG have lost more than a few customers to Octopus and the others and their move from the old to new billing system probably means they will lose more.

This seems an amazing rate can customers use household load during the same time for under 5p kWh?

Check the T&Cs - limited number of users (5000), capped usage policy (2000kWh) and time restricted (1 year) for free charging, have to buy their charger, have to be plugged in/charging (not clear which) for 6 hours, otherwise the 4p discount is halved to 2p. 

The requirement to purchase a Hive charger (£939 or £1200 + £500 or £460 if you want BG to install it) would put me off immediately; Hive have discontinued services in the past and I'd not be surprised that you end up with a dumb (or, even disabled) charger a few years down the line. You're paying a premium for a charger to get "free" electricity. In reality, you're just paying for that "free" electricity up front.

As you say, its great there are other companies starting to think about more innovative tariffs, and any competition to Octopus in this space can only be a good thing, but I don't see this as something that will sway people back from Octopus.

Think you could buy a charger for 495 and get it fitted by a sparkie (not sure if you could swap out an existing charger yourself?)  However the quoted rate only applies to electricity through the charger (which is monitored and discounted by a 4p rebate), other off peak is at the BG EV tariff rate, currently 8.95p.

No, the T&Cs state indicate you have to buy (or have recently bought) one of the two Hive charges

"You install a Hive-enabled Alfen Eve Single S-Line or EO Mini Pro 3 that has been ordered from the Hive website or one of Hive’s retail partners, and activate the FreeCharge mode within the Hive app, on or after Thursday 19 th October 2023"

So, either £939 or £1200. You can get your own sparky to install it.

https://assets.ctfassets.net/mijf9lz5yt3u/2zZOHCvwDe0GiumUoUgWBq/fba25a48b0b419b8173065d5dbd31720/Hive_FreeCharge_Terms___Conditions.pdf

This suggests 439 (not 495, sorry) for the charger and 939 with install by BG

Hive Alfen EV Eve S-Line Charger | Electric Car Charger | Hive Home

But pretty sure the T&C are you go on for example the standard BG EV tariff at 8.95 for 5 hours overnight and get 4p per unit rebate for any units dispensed by the charger (assuming you plug in for at least 6 hours per day) - at least 1 of those hours will not be in the cheap rate window and BG determine when your car charges so you could have at least one hour of charging at 30p per unit with a 4p rebate.

MeteredOut

michaels said:

MeteredOut said:

michaels said:

MeteredOut said:

BellaBlondykeTheThird said:

bristolleedsfan said:

https://fleetworld.co.uk/british-gas-slashes-ev-charging-costs-with-new-4-95p-kwh-offer/

British Gas is offering EV drivers the chance to slash charging costs to just 4.95p/kWh overnight under its Hive SmartCharge service.

New customers of the Hive chargers are also able to receive a full year of charging for free with FreeCharge. The promotion offers 12 months of free home charging to new customers who buy one of its Hive EV chargers. With the FreeCharge offer, customers will benefit from up to 8,000 miles of free EV charging. The offer is available to new and existing British Gas electricity customers who have a smart meter and purchase one of Hive’s EV Chargers.

This appears to be the return of real competition to the energy market.

I suspect BG have lost more than a few customers to Octopus and the others and their move from the old to new billing system probably means they will lose more.

This seems an amazing rate can customers use household load during the same time for under 5p kWh?

Check the T&Cs - limited number of users (5000), capped usage policy (2000kWh) and time restricted (1 year) for free charging, have to buy their charger, have to be plugged in/charging (not clear which) for 6 hours, otherwise the 4p discount is halved to 2p. 

The requirement to purchase a Hive charger (£939 or £1200 + £500 or £460 if you want BG to install it) would put me off immediately; Hive have discontinued services in the past and I'd not be surprised that you end up with a dumb (or, even disabled) charger a few years down the line. You're paying a premium for a charger to get "free" electricity. In reality, you're just paying for that "free" electricity up front.

As you say, its great there are other companies starting to think about more innovative tariffs, and any competition to Octopus in this space can only be a good thing, but I don't see this as something that will sway people back from Octopus.

Think you could buy a charger for 495 and get it fitted by a sparkie (not sure if you could swap out an existing charger yourself?)  However the quoted rate only applies to electricity through the charger (which is monitored and discounted by a 4p rebate), other off peak is at the BG EV tariff rate, currently 8.95p.

No, the T&Cs state indicate you have to buy (or have recently bought) one of the two Hive charges

"You install a Hive-enabled Alfen Eve Single S-Line or EO Mini Pro 3 that has been ordered from the Hive website or one of Hive’s retail partners, and activate the FreeCharge mode within the Hive app, on or after Thursday 19 th October 2023"

So, either £939 or £1200. You can get your own sparky to install it.

https://assets.ctfassets.net/mijf9lz5yt3u/2zZOHCvwDe0GiumUoUgWBq/fba25a48b0b419b8173065d5dbd31720/Hive_FreeCharge_Terms___Conditions.pdf

This suggests 439 (not 495, sorry) for the charger and 939 with install by BG

Hive Alfen EV Eve S-Line Charger | Electric Car Charger | Hive Home

But pretty sure the T&C are you go on for example the standard BG EV tariff at 8.95 for 5 hours overnight and get 4p per unit rebate for any units dispensed by the charger (assuming you plug in for at least 6 hours per day) - at least 1 of those hours will not be in the cheap rate window and BG determine when your car charges so you could have at least one hour of charging at 30p per unit with a 4p rebate.

Ah yes, my bad. I hadn't noticed the installation was pre-selected. Knowing BG, I should have

(I'll edit my post above so as not to confuse folk)

QrizB

MeteredOut said:

Check the T&Cs - limited number of users (5000), capped usage policy (2000kWh) and time restricted (1 year) for free charging, have to buy their charger, have to be plugged in/charging (not clear which) for 6 hours, otherwise the 4p discount is halved to 2p.

So you need to spend almost £1000 on a Hive charger on order to save £80 a year on electricity?

Not quite the bargain it first appeared.to be!

Shedman

And in other news other than BG, Hive and chargers.....

Following consultation (with a whole 6 responses I believe) they have determined to make the £30 compensation payable if supplier fails to switch a customer within the now supply licence timeframe of 5 working days rather than the 15 working days previously required by the Guaranteed Standards of Performance

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/supplier-guaranteed-standard-performance-switch-speed-decision?utm_medium=email&utm_source=dotMailer&utm_campaign=Daily-Alert_06-02-2024&utm_content=Supplier+Guaranteed+Standard+of+Performance%3a+switch+speed+decision&dm_i=1QCB,8J9VY,7T9IN0,ZBDLB,1

Reed_Richards

QrizB said:

MeteredOut said:

Check the T&Cs - limited number of users (5000), capped usage policy (2000kWh) and time restricted (1 year) for free charging, have to buy their charger, have to be plugged in/charging (not clear which) for 6 hours, otherwise the 4p discount is halved to 2p.

So you need to spend almost £1000 on a Hive charger on order to save £80 a year on electricity?

Not quite the bargain it first appeared.to be!

The whole economics of rapid chargers is a bit iffy.  You can buy a "granny charger", 2.35 kW, for about £100 or you can pay up to £1000 or more to charge three times faster, 7 kW.  Charging three times faster will save you money (and time) if it stops you having to charge your car away from home, otherwise I can't see the benefit.  

MeteredOut

Reed_Richards said:

QrizB said:

MeteredOut said:

Check the T&Cs - limited number of users (5000), capped usage policy (2000kWh) and time restricted (1 year) for free charging, have to buy their charger, have to be plugged in/charging (not clear which) for 6 hours, otherwise the 4p discount is halved to 2p.

So you need to spend almost £1000 on a Hive charger on order to save £80 a year on electricity?

Not quite the bargain it first appeared.to be!

The whole economics of rapid chargers is a bit iffy.  You can buy a "granny charger", 2.35 kW, for about £100 or you can pay up to £1000 or more to charge three times faster, 7 kW.  Charging three times faster will save you money (and time) if it stops you having to charge your car away from home, otherwise I can't see the benefit.  

And, almost perversely, with Intelligent Octopus Go, a granny charger can end up giving you more smart slots outside of the overnight off-peak periods, meaning more savings on rest-of-house usage.

Spies

Reed_Richards said:

QrizB said:

MeteredOut said:

Check the T&Cs - limited number of users (5000), capped usage policy (2000kWh) and time restricted (1 year) for free charging, have to buy their charger, have to be plugged in/charging (not clear which) for 6 hours, otherwise the 4p discount is halved to 2p.

So you need to spend almost £1000 on a Hive charger on order to save £80 a year on electricity?

Not quite the bargain it first appeared.to be!

The whole economics of rapid chargers is a bit iffy.  You can buy a "granny charger", 2.35 kW, for about £100 or you can pay up to £1000 or more to charge three times faster, 7 kW.  Charging three times faster will save you money (and time) if it stops you having to charge your car away from home, otherwise I can't see the benefit.  

Way more convenient having an actual hard wired charger, especially with something like a Zappi that can work with Solar, Octopus IO and Agile.

The difference in price is typically because there are a lot more safety features in 7kw units.

michaels

Reed_Richards said:

QrizB said:

MeteredOut said:

Check the T&Cs - limited number of users (5000), capped usage policy (2000kWh) and time restricted (1 year) for free charging, have to buy their charger, have to be plugged in/charging (not clear which) for 6 hours, otherwise the 4p discount is halved to 2p.

So you need to spend almost £1000 on a Hive charger on order to save £80 a year on electricity?

Not quite the bargain it first appeared.to be!

The whole economics of rapid chargers is a bit iffy.  You can buy a "granny charger", 2.35 kW, for about £100 or you can pay up to £1000 or more to charge three times faster, 7 kW.  Charging three times faster will save you money (and time) if it stops you having to charge your car away from home, otherwise I can't see the benefit.  

Typically the 7kw chargers are more energy efficient than the granny ones - probably at least 6% less charging loss.  Hopefully someone can do the maths on how many miles for an extra 700 quid for a tethered charger install to pay for itself....

The_Green_Hornet

British Gas sees profits increase 10-fold

British Gas has announced its profits for 2023 increased 10-fold to £750m.

The supplier said the jump from £72m in 2022 was due to regulator Ofgem allowing it to recover losses of £500m it racked up in the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

While oil and gas firms made record profits when energy prices spiked, suppliers that took on the customers of bust retailers made hefty losses.

Centrica, British Gas's parent company, said its profits fell by 17% to £2.8bn.

British Gas sees profits increase 10-fold - BBC News