Octopus Agile

Telegraph_Sam

So we have to wait until Feb 26 for 12 months' data excluding the distortions?

QrizB

Telegraph_Sam said:

So we have to wait until Feb 26 for 12 months' data excluding the distortions?

The "distortions" are all part and parcel of Agile. There's little to gain from fixating on past performance; the next 12 months might be completely unlike the last. We might get another winter-of-22 when prices rocket, or another summer-of-20 when they collapse. Or both. Or neither.

If you can predict the next 12 months of energy prices with any accuracy, you won't need Agile; you'll be sat on your superyacht admiring your villa on your private island, while attractive people mix you cocktails and offer other personal services.

Telegraph_Sam

The argument is always the same:  What is the least worse alternative? Ignore past history completely? Or take this as a kind of context against which to judge the latest data?

QrizB

Telegraph_Sam said:

The argument is always the same:  What is the least worse alternative? Ignore past history completely? Or take this as a kind of context against which to judge the latest data?

Think of it like this:

Agile is a tariff for people who don't really care if they're on the cheapest tariff or not. People who like watching the numbers, who like the chance to move their energy use around, who like the possibility that there will be plunge pricing and they'll get paid for running a fan heater on their patio. People who will either put up with expensive days/weeks/months or switch away.

Is someone wants some sort of confidence in the prices they're going to pay, Agile isn't the tariff for them.

Telegraph_Sam

Accuse me of semantics if you will but from the way you have phrased it I'd guess that your first sentence contradicts what follows. That Agile is the tarrif for numbers nerds on the look-out for smart ways of saving a penny or two. That had been my conclusion - up until now ..

Pat38493

QrizB said:

Telegraph_Sam said:

The argument is always the same:  What is the least worse alternative? Ignore past history completely? Or take this as a kind of context against which to judge the latest data?

Think of it like this:

Agile is a tariff for people who don't really care if they're on the cheapest tariff or not. People who like watching the numbers, who like the chance to move their energy use around, who like the possibility that there will be plunge pricing and they'll get paid for running a fan heater on their patio. People who will either put up with expensive days/weeks/months or switch away.

Is someone wants some sort of confidence in the prices they're going to pay, Agile isn't the tariff for them.

Not sure I agree with this part.  I am on Agile right now and I have used it on and off for the last 2 years - my objective is to try to minimise my long term average annual cost.  I guess if you mean I don't care if one particular day is expensive then perhaps... however I am looking at the average over weeks/months.  For sure just like investing, you can always find you could have got it even cheaper with the benefit of hindsight so I just try to optimise it as best as possible.

Telegraph_Sam

Strong case of swings vs roundabouts. Long term averages are as good an indicator (no more) as we are going to get from history / hindsight.

Bendo

My usage for annual electric was typically around 2800 kWh and gas about 12000 kWh.

With agile electric(and a bit of SVR where appropriate) and tracker gas my gas is down to under 7500 with a corresponding increase in electricity. Last year that cost me near enough £1200 so a saving of about £400 or so against a market leading fix.

My motivation to replace my failed boilermate thermal store with another thermal store was purely because I felt I could make it pay for itself with some clever Home Assistant contols, so far it's paying off nicely. 

Telegraph_Sam

So what are your conclusions from what you write?  With / without hindsight?

debitcardmayhem

Sam your problem is you have tried to compare your usage with agile, to get the most from agile you need to be prepared to tailor your usage(future) to the daily agile rates. Unless of course I am wrong 😎,
I cannot avoid using power when needed often in peak times so it’s not for me , some would say using my battery, but it can only deliver 2.6kWh and that is not always enough, so I use IOF, and probably something different between late Oct and early March