Octopus Agile

Spoonie_Turtle

Just in case you weren't aware, Telegraph_Sam, when the Agile rates are released the whole day's rates are released at once so you can plan for the next day.  You don't have to keep checking.

teaselMay

I think the big decider Telegraph Sam for me would be do you use a lot of power, or a significant proportion of your daily consumption, between 4 and 7 in the afternoon? If you do agile is probably not for you, if you don't it may well work out cheaper than tracker even if you do nothing in terms of load shifting

Newbie_John

In theory Tracker requires you to shift usage to different days depending on costs - but because differences are negligible nobody really does that.

Agile process can vary, negative at 2:30, +40p at 5pm.. it does require adapting lifestyle to it, but if someone uses most electricity 7-8am and 16-19 that's not tarrif for them.
To get most of it you need to be Agile, if you want guaranteed rates - then it's not for you.

Telegraph_Sam

That's probably right. The savings in practice from Agile subject to what you say don't warrant faffing around with one's lifestyle - unless Octopus makes the new Tracker terms a no-no and one has little option other than suck-it-and-see on Agile.

EssexHebridean

Well at the risk of upsetting the purists again (🤭), we’ll be heading via electric overnight tonight - and the first of the Christmas cooking is on the cards too with a ham going in the slow cooker overnight, then in the oven to bake tomorrow morning. Might also get a batch of mince pies in at the same time, and have a think about what else I can get done…bread sauce, probably at least. 

Telegraph_Sam

Is there something out of the box that converts Agile readings into Tracker daily equivalents?  Or is that just what Compare is in business to do? But slips up when there's negative pricing?

debitcardmayhem

@Telegraph_Sam  this https://agileprices.co.uk/?region=A shows average per day assuming your usage is spread equally over the 48 half hour periods. Of course it won’t be will it . Comparing Apples vs Grapes 10 of each don’t weigh the same.
You have to work at it, or stick with tracker or SVT.

Netexporter

Telegraph_Sam said:

Is there something out of the box that converts Agile readings into Tracker daily equivalents?  Or is that just what Compare is in business to do? But slips up when there's negative pricing?

The Agile graph shows the constant rate average price. If you reduce your consumption during the morning and evening peak then your daily average will be lower than that.

Telegraph_Sam

I was hoping for a way of comparing my consumption as is between the two rather than me having to change my lifestyle beyond a certain point. Commonly known as the tail (not) wagging the dog. My main consumption is mainly after 7 pm without an early morning EV-charging peak. Sounds like the Agile graph will be off target.

Spoonie_Turtle

If you're talking about a daily average kWh rate, you'll probably have to do the maths based on Octopus Compare's results (unless that's a feature that comes with the subscription version). 
Total cost for the day if you were on Agile, ÷ the number of kWh you used that day.