New Octopus tariff for solar and battery users - Octopus Flux

anon_ymous

ecraig said:

I'm now doing a daily forced discharge of the battery between 4-7pm, taking the battery down to 60% charge, and topping the battery upto 100% during the low rate period.
Hoping the saving alone will cover the standing charge...
Until July comes of course - then we will have to see how the tariff changes..

What's meant to happen in July RE: flux? 

94JDH

waqasahmed said:

ecraig said:

I'm now doing a daily forced discharge of the battery between 4-7pm, taking the battery down to 60% charge, and topping the battery upto 100% during the low rate period.
Hoping the saving alone will cover the standing charge...
Until July comes of course - then we will have to see how the tariff changes..

What's meant to happen in July RE: flux? 

As the price of energy is dropping, it's likely both import and export prices will drop as well.
July is when OFGEM is lowering the price cap.

pensionpawn

mickyduck55 said:

Ron-ski said:

@mickyduck55 aren't you forgetting the lack of sun in the winter months or are you factoring the cost over the whole year?

I'm hoping my ability to charge a lot off peak and then export that at peak helps through the winter months.

as @Ron-ski says we are about 50 % through the year and Im at break even.. but Eco7 will probably be better for me over winter with its longer / later period to charge the batteries 

That's another point. With the move back to GMT in late October the peak export period is mostly non-existent, even for west facing arrays. Having only launched in the final months of GMT with the prospect of 6 months of sunnier weather ahead making it very attractive, it will be very interesting to see what Octopus do if there's a mass migration from Flux for the onset of GMT again.

cm4ever

If they lower the 3hr cheap rate cost during the early 2am-5am period, I'd probably be happy to stay on flux throughout the winter.

So the July change is probably really just the warm up gig before the main event of another tariff adjustment in September/October..... whether that would be another reduction or an increase, probably an increase but hoping for a targeted variation.

...they could always extend the night rate period as well...

mickyduck55

TBH as long as off peak import and main daily export are about the same the actual "number" doesn't really matter?

Ron-ski

Well it does, because in the winter you can generate very little, if you charge your batteries, with 10 kWh off peak, but only generate 6 or 7 kWh from solar, its not going to offset the 10kWh, you may even end up using what you generate, and exporting nothing.

EcoScruples

Is that not the point of the tariff? To avoid the peak rates?
I'll be topping up on cheap rate to avoid paying the standard and peak rates each day.

I do only use around 11kw a day average so it'll work for me perfectly.

BossBob

I didn’t have a battery fitted along with PV to make money, though that is nice. My battery was just to be able to store energy I didn’t use rather than give it away to the energy companies at 4p a unit. While flux is nice, I still prefer to use my battery to avoid expensive consumption during peak periods. If there is little prospect of sun tomorrow, I’ll take advantage of the lower off peak rate to charge the battery. If there is spare power from the pv during the day I’ll sell it to octopus. I don’t have the ability (that I know of) to force discharge the battery at peak periods so not drawing from the grid then is the main thing I have control of.
As it is my electricity bill for the last 20 days cost me -£52 not including the generation that I used.

Ron-ski

Exactly why I installed a battery, but Flux has turned everything on its head, when I decided to get a battery it would have meant 'free' electric, but then Flux comes along and its not 'free' any more, any consumption has a cost again.

The last 28 days stands at -£200, that includes all imports and exports.

Jonboy1889

Ron-ski said:

Exactly why I installed a battery, but Flux has turned everything on its head, when I decided to get a battery it would have meant 'free' electric, but then Flux comes along and its not 'free' any more, any consumption has a cost again.

The last 28 days stands at -£200, that includes all imports and exports.

Yes this is how I see it too- winter is different (where you can save more by charging overnight at 20p and using in the day- tho I’m getting an EV so will probably use that time for that), but for all the lighter times of the year using a battery would save 5p per KW, doesn’t really feel “free” anymore as the opportunity cost is 25p (my current blended export) vs 30p (my blended import).

But if I had a lot of spare cash a battery would be handy!