Getting solar and battery, when to get smart meter
We're pretty sure we'll sign off getting solar panels and a battery ordered within the next couple of weeks. At the moment we have SVT with EDF on an Economy 7 meter - we input two reads, they bill at single rate. They keep sending emails and texts about installing a smart meter, don't know what their waiting time for this is.
I'm quite liking the look of Octopus's Flux tarriff, but I think I'm correct that I can't move to Octopus without already having a smart meter? Or can I switch to them on a standard tariff, get a smart meter installed and pick a tarriff when the solar is installed?
Make £2023 in 2023
Water sewerage refund: £170.62,Topcashback: £39.41, Prolific: to 28/2/23 £183.26,Haggling: £45, Wombling(Roadkill): £1.77, Interest: Jan&Feb £2.90,Chase CB £2.10, WeBuyBooks:£8.37,Ebay sales: £99,Facebook marketplace sales: £105, Delay repay £16
Total: £673.43/£2023 33.28%
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Finally - don't forget if heading to Octopus to use a referral code from an existing customer of theirs - you probably have a family member or friend with them already I'd guess? All Octopus customers have our own code - and when it's used it earns both the code-owner and the new customer a £50 bill credit, so worth having!
(The Octopus tariff you are looking at is called Flux I think - not Flex!)
Whether Flux will work for you depends very much on your array size; battery size and home consumption. Agile incoming and outgoing variable is something to consider.
We haven't got a battery - the savings would be greater but the pay back time is just too long for us to bother. If/when we get an EV the numbers will change and we'll look again.
Before Octopus will move you to a tariff that pays for exported electricity, it has to apply for an export MPAN for your smart meter. To do this, Octopus will need sight of the MCS certificate for your installation and DNO sign off on the completed installation (this took my DNO nearly 3 months). Octopus will then apply to the DNO for a MPAN. Once the MPAN is listed on the database, Octopus will start paying SEG. It will not back date for any solar exported.
Solar PV 5.25kWp SW facing (14 x 375 Longi) Lux 3.6kw hybrid inverter and 4.8kw Pylontech battery storage installed March 22
Octopus Flux electric and Tracker gas