Octopus Agile

laidbackgjr

NedS said:

NedS said:

wrf12345 said:

anyone know what the new s/c is for south west england, it was 66p, but maybe change today for new sign-ups?

I was wondering this too. I wonder if you can just sign up for Agile again, and move onto the new SC if there is one (I'm assuming it will be lower). I may try that later

@wrf12345 the latest version of Agile is still showing as "Agile Octopus October 2024 v1", with a SC of 62.06p/day for my region, so there were no changes to Agile for April 2025. Shame, as they were quick to put the SC up as it was rising.

So benefits those like me in North Wales and Merseyside where the sc increased on other tariffs but not on Agile. It's getting so complicated keeping on top with different changes in different regions!

wrf12345

Yeah, I moved on to the 12 month fix at 52.9 against 66, someone else said Agile s/c would change in a few days (Tracker is still on the old s/c, too) as I found I was very close to 24p unit rate on Agile overall, so as an ultra low user it is a good saving. At the moment there seem to be three different s/c applied across various tariffs where previously there was just one for all contracts. Great thing about those crazy prices back in winter, it did make me hone down my usage even more. I think BG trying to lure people in with lowered s/c and unit rate might have forced Octopus's hand a little on the 12/14 month fix. See how I get on for a month and where Agile ends up.

MikeyPGT

wrf12345 said:

Yeah, I moved on to the 12 month fix at 52.9 against 66, someone else said Agile s/c would change in a few days (Tracker is still on the old s/c, too) as I found I was very close to 24p unit rate on Agile overall, so as an ultra low user it is a good saving. At the moment there seem to be three different s/c applied across various tariffs where previously there was just one for all contracts. Great thing about those crazy prices back in winter, it did make me hone down my usage even more. I think BG trying to lure people in with lowered s/c and unit rate might have forced Octopus's hand a little on the 12/14 month fix. See how I get on for a month and where Agile ends up.

I'm sticking with Agile while the sun is shining but - like you - am a very low user so the slightest hint of unit rates rising and I'm off!

KevinG

Crazy negative tomorrow from 1130-1600, shame we'll all be out! 

Bendo

Enjoyed this last week for far. Gas usage next to nothing just hob. Boiler not been firing as its been covered by cheaper electric immersions.

JKenH

greenbee said:

I'm thinking of changing from Agile to Flux as there has been so much sun recently (and there is so much forecast) that I may benefit from the higher export rate at peak times. 

I’ve just done the reverse and moved from Flux to Agile import and fixed Outgoing at 15p. Although about a quarter of my summer generation is from 4-7pm, which would in theory offset the lower daytime Flux export rate (now under 10p for me), we do cook our tea (using electric) in the peak slot so do consume some of it. It’s slightly less stressful cooking tea if I am only forgoing 15p/kWh export than around 27p. Agile 4-7pm import rates seem (so far to me) to be similar to Flux peak import rates. Only time will tell if it’s the right decision for me.

We do have 350litres of hot water tank capacity and 6kW of immersion heaters so I am hoping to be able to make good use of any plunge pricing like today or cheap slots like yesterday afternoon. I am still trying to get my head round the fact that I have to use up my 3kW/15p per kWh export from my solar panels before I benefit from the cheap or negative rates. I can’t, therefore in summer, take advantage of the cheap slots for light loads - it needs a planned approach to concentrate the maximum load into the shortest time. This afternoon therefore it will be both immersion heaters plus the tumble dryer, which plus baseload will be about 8.5kW. At say -2p/kWh headline price the real cost to me will be 4p/kWh (3kW@15p/kWh less 5.5kW@ -2p/kWh). 

greenbee

@JKenH - the inability to really take advantage of plunge pricing was my reasoning for thinking about switching back to Flux. At the moment my battery is still around 60% full in the morning and I'm exporting by 10/11ish until 6/7, and exporting 20+kWh. Admittedly I'm still using the oil heating a bit, and a bit of oil for hot water (I should probably turn the latter off at least, and maybe think about switching the heating off and seeing whether I can manage on electric heating and the woodburner. 

However, I'm generating so much at the moment that I think I'd struggle to make the most of plunge pricing unless I was organised enough to empty the battery in advance. And as I'm about to double my solar capacity, it's just going to get more complicated!

NedS

JKenH said:

I am still trying to get my head round the fact that I have to use up my 3kW/15p per kWh export from my solar panels before I benefit from the cheap or negative rates. I can’t, therefore in summer, take advantage of the cheap slots for light loads - it needs a planned approach to concentrate the maximum load into the shortest time. This afternoon therefore it will be both immersion heaters plus the tumble dryer, which plus baseload will be about 8.5kW. At say -2p/kWh headline price the real cost to me will be 4p/kWh (3kW@15p/kWh less 5.5kW@ -2p/kWh). 

Same here @JKenH. We try to concentrate all major activity onto a 30min slot, so the ASHP will go on for 30mins for the DHW, electric oven will go on for lunch, washing machine will go on together with any other high usage items, and we will try to max out that 30min slot, especially when it's negative.

As you say, the rest of the time the best strategy is simply to use the least amount of electricity as possible in order to maximise export at 15p. It's not worth giving up 15p/kWh of export to leverage negatively priced electricity at a few pence per kWh. Those with solar basically have a 15p/kWh floor during solar generation periods so I largely ignore any daytime plunge pricing on Agile

MarzipanCrumble

Just read the last 2 pages and low usage has been mentioned.  I am a low user (single - about 1600 kwh pa).  Home most of the day, no EV, thinking of Heat Pump, no solar.  SMETS2 now connecting with Octopus.

Is agile a suitable tarrif for a low user??  

Bendo

If you are already on Octopus,  have a look at the Octopus compare app and see how it would look for your current usage pattern.