Anyone experienced this?

Newbery141

Hi MoneySavers!

Has anyone had a similar experience to us with Solar panels and selling back their surplus energy?

We had our Solar Panels installed in 15th November 2022. We were not told by the salesman we needed Smart meter Gen 2 installed to be able to sell back our surplus energy.

We are with Octopus Energy. We are still not able to sell our surplus energy to them as of today's date 30th May 23. Its taken ages to get it all sorted.

My question is this:

Octopus won't pay for any energy until they go live with us. So we have been generating suplus power for 6 month now. Is there anyone we can contact to get paid for the energy we have sent to the grid so far?

Or is it lost in the ether?

Just wondering if others have had the same experience in getting set up and if there is a way to get paid for the leccy we have been sending to the grid so far?

Thanks for reading this far be interested in any comments.

AJ

CSI_Yorkshire

I think you don't get paid for anything before you have an export MPAN.

Has happened with many many people.

How much do you think you have lost?

[Deleted User]

Newbery141 said:

Hi MoneySavers!

Has anyone had a similar experience to us with Solar panels and selling back their surplus energy?

We had our Solar Panels installed in 15th November 2022. We were not told by the salesman we needed Smart meter Gen 2 installed to be able to sell back our surplus energy.

We are with Octopus Energy. We are still not able to sell our surplus energy to them as of today's date 30th May 23. Its taken ages to get it all sorted.

My question is this:

Octopus won't pay for any energy until they go live with us. So we have been generating suplus power for 6 month now. Is there anyone we can contact to get paid for the energy we have sent to the grid so far?

Or is it lost in the ether?

Just wondering if others have had the same experience in getting set up and if there is a way to get paid for the leccy we have been sending to the grid so far?

Thanks for reading this far be interested in any comments.

AJ

Octopus relies on your DNO to provide it with an export MPAN: some DNOs work faster than others. It is entirely up to Octopus as to when it starts your export contract: there is no ‘higher being’ that you can apply to for retrospective payments for electricity already exported to the Grid.

Mister_G

OP - I do hope that your installer has given you a MCS Certificate as you will be needing one of these to qualify for the SEG.

Newbery141

Hi Guys

Thank you for your comments, I have the DNO and Mpan numbers etc. and new smart meters installed,  so it's just a case of waiting I guess.

Seems unfair as we have been generating power back to the grid for free all this time. Also at no point in the sales process we're we advised of this aspect of selling back!

Thanks for your comments and help, very useful and clarified this for me.

AJ

[Deleted User]

If you have an export MPAN from your DNO then just give it to Octopus via email:

smart.help@octopus.energy

I assume that your smart meter is giving consistent 30 minute usage data?

DougMLancs

So did you apply for the export tariff after install in Nov, 2-4 weeks for the export mpan and then Octopus said hang on- no smart meter and it’s taken until now to get the smart meter fitted? Just trying to work out a timeline.

Alnat1

Do you definitely have an EXPORT MPAN as it's  different number to your import one that's on the bill

pete-20-11

Some people have challenged octopus,s decisions on similar. 

As the export is being measured by a meter, they need to pay you for the energy exported to the grid.

something to do with a settlement or balancing act. A national grid requirement. One to google perhaps. 

CSI_Yorkshire

pete-20-11 said:

something to do with a settlement or balancing act. A national grid requirement. One to google perhaps. 

The principles of grid balancing would say that Octopus have already had to pay someone else not to generate the energy that they didn't know you were exporting.

There is no principle that says they need to pay you for something that there wasn't a contractual arrangement or (if there is no export MPAN) an 'unfinished' system incapable of export.  Just the same as commissioning tests of a real power station.


The OFGEM guidance for generators is very clear.  To be an eligible installation and get paid you must:

1. Prove that the installation/installer are certified (eg. MCS)
2. Have an export meter
3. Have an export MPAN

If you only have the first two, you are not eligible - and you can't be paid for anything that happens when you are not eligible.

If you get really lucky, they might deem that your meter started at zero at the point that everything is sorted, but that's entirely goodwill and not based on anything legal.

hellosupernova

Unfortunately from my own experience you may not get any money back for export you have sent back to the grid. You usually only get paid from the date your export tariff has been setup.

Currently it seems like DNO's are being inundated with solar installs and requests for export mpans. It has taken 4 months to register export on two seperate occasions for different installs with Octopus in the past 10 months. However it was the DNO causing the most delay. 

As others have said you require an MCS certificate and proof that your installer has notified the DNO (District network operator) of the install and that they have accepted this.

Being with Octopus you could apply for their fixed agile outgoing export tariff paying 15p per every kwh exported as opposed to the SEG which is a lower fixed pence per kwh. If you web search for Octopus agile outgoing export and apply there and they will link your account and start the process.

It seems to be the case of being persistent and chasing up Octopus/contacting the DNO.