We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. See the Community Noticeboard for more info. Thank you for your patience.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Solar install Tuesday, not sure what to do about supplier

Options
We are currently on SVR with EDF on a new smart meter installed in April with a £100 credit incentive from EDF  to install.

Friday 4.55pm I received a phone call from the solar company we were expecting to install our solar system at the start of next month. Can they come and do it on Tuesday as they'd had a cancellation. I said yes, so the scaffolding should be rocking up tomorrow.

Can you please give me advise on what to do next about my supplier?  I had intended to look into moving to Octopus with a £50 referral some time this month ahead of the installation. Now I don't know what order to do things in? Should I leave everything with EDF until we get all the paperwork etc signed off, or can I start a move now? By making an agreement with EDF regarding export am I going to be stuck with that? Sorry for the very basic questions, this whole thing is not really my forte but OH has been very busy and the fast installation has caught us on the hop as it were.

We're having a 4.1kwh system and a 9.6kw battery. We use about 3000kwh a year.
Make £2025 in 2025
Prolific £229.82, Octopoints £4.27, Topcashback £290.85, Tesco Clubcard challenges £60, Misc Sales £321, Airtime £10.
Total £915.94/£2025 45.2%

Make £2024 in 2024
Prolific £907.37, Chase Intt £59.97, Chase roundup int £3.55, Chase CB £122.88, Roadkill £1.30, Octopus referral reward £50, Octopoints £70.46, Topcashback £112.03, Shopmium referral £3, Iceland bonus £4, Ipsos survey £20, Misc Sales £55.44
Total £1410/£2024  70%

Make £2023 in 2023  Total: £2606.33/£2023  128.8%



«1

Comments

  • QrizB
    QrizB Posts: 18,144 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Fourth Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    Your electricity supplier is independent of your solar power installation.
    Get the system installed and bedded in. You can worry about switching later.
    N. Hampshire, he/him. Octopus Intelligent Go elec & Tracker gas / Vodafone BB / iD mobile. Ripple Kirk Hill member.
    2.72kWp PV facing SSW installed Jan 2012. 11 x 247w panels, 3.6kw inverter. 34 MWh generated, long-term average 2.6 Os.
    Not exactly back from my break, but dipping in and out of the forum.
    Ofgem cap table, Ofgem cap explainer. Economy 7 cap explainer. Gas vs E7 vs peak elec heating costs, Best kettle!
  • HowardM993
    HowardM993 Posts: 5 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Photogenic
    You have plenty of time, even after your system is installed you’ll need to wait for the confirmation letter from your DNO before you can apply to any provider for an Export MPAN.

    Your import tariff is separate to your export currently so you can switch this if you want to and then leave applying for the export until it’s ready,

    Or if you’re going for a combined tariff something like Octopus Flux, you’ll need apply to switch after you have your DNO letter to go all together.
    6.2kWp SE Facing on-roof array (16 x 385W JA Solar) with Tigo optimisers | 5kW SunSynk Hybrid inverter | 10.2kWh of battery storage
  • Alnat1
    Alnat1 Posts: 3,841 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Third Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    Or get switched to Octopus SVT (called Flexible) now and you can make sure they are getting readings from your smart meter. Apply for your export tariff when you get all the necessary paperwork, maybe Fixed Outgoing at 15p. 

    Once all this is set up you can decide if you want to change to any of their smart tariffs.
    Barnsley, South Yorkshire
    Solar PV 5.25kWp SW facing (14 x 375) Lux 3.6kw hybrid inverter installed Mar 22 and 9.6kw Pylontech battery 
    Daikin 8kW ASHP installed Jan 25
    Octopus Cosy/Fixed Outgoing 
  • MikeHEQA
    MikeHEQA Posts: 59 Forumite
    Second Anniversary 10 Posts Name Dropper
    Most importantly is to receive the documentation from your Installer afterwards for the DNO Approval &Confirmation of Installation from DNO and MCS Certificate of Installation both required by your Energy provider to get the DNO to authorise an Export MPAN Number for your Energy supplier to receive Export payments.
  • Slinky
    Slinky Posts: 11,007 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    MikeHEQA said:
    Most importantly is to receive the documentation from your Installer afterwards for the DNO Approval &Confirmation of Installation from DNO and MCS Certificate of Installation both required by your Energy provider to get the DNO to authorise an Export MPAN Number for your Energy supplier to receive Export payments.

    How long does this take to come through do you know? 
    Make £2025 in 2025
    Prolific £229.82, Octopoints £4.27, Topcashback £290.85, Tesco Clubcard challenges £60, Misc Sales £321, Airtime £10.
    Total £915.94/£2025 45.2%

    Make £2024 in 2024
    Prolific £907.37, Chase Intt £59.97, Chase roundup int £3.55, Chase CB £122.88, Roadkill £1.30, Octopus referral reward £50, Octopoints £70.46, Topcashback £112.03, Shopmium referral £3, Iceland bonus £4, Ipsos survey £20, Misc Sales £55.44
    Total £1410/£2024  70%

    Make £2023 in 2023  Total: £2606.33/£2023  128.8%



  • MikeHEQA
    MikeHEQA Posts: 59 Forumite
    Second Anniversary 10 Posts Name Dropper
    Depends how efficient your Installer Admin is in conjunction with the DNO for your G98 or G99 on approval and confirmation of your installation.  Confirmation of Installation by installer is the important part otherwise DNO will not authorise EXport MPAN for your energy provider.


    Various threads per install on time to be quick to prolonged time scales.

    Is your Installer MCS Approved is also what you need to know.  If so good.
  • Slinky
    Slinky Posts: 11,007 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Yes they are MCS Approved. A neighbour had their's installed by the same people about 5 weeks ago if memory serves me and they're up and running as far as I'm aware.
    Make £2025 in 2025
    Prolific £229.82, Octopoints £4.27, Topcashback £290.85, Tesco Clubcard challenges £60, Misc Sales £321, Airtime £10.
    Total £915.94/£2025 45.2%

    Make £2024 in 2024
    Prolific £907.37, Chase Intt £59.97, Chase roundup int £3.55, Chase CB £122.88, Roadkill £1.30, Octopus referral reward £50, Octopoints £70.46, Topcashback £112.03, Shopmium referral £3, Iceland bonus £4, Ipsos survey £20, Misc Sales £55.44
    Total £1410/£2024  70%

    Make £2023 in 2023  Total: £2606.33/£2023  128.8%



  • Slinky
    Slinky Posts: 11,007 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    I've tried applying to Octopus but it's still showing as us having Economy 7 which we don't since we had our new smart meter installed a couple of months ago. Have had to email them.
    Make £2025 in 2025
    Prolific £229.82, Octopoints £4.27, Topcashback £290.85, Tesco Clubcard challenges £60, Misc Sales £321, Airtime £10.
    Total £915.94/£2025 45.2%

    Make £2024 in 2024
    Prolific £907.37, Chase Intt £59.97, Chase roundup int £3.55, Chase CB £122.88, Roadkill £1.30, Octopus referral reward £50, Octopoints £70.46, Topcashback £112.03, Shopmium referral £3, Iceland bonus £4, Ipsos survey £20, Misc Sales £55.44
    Total £1410/£2024  70%

    Make £2023 in 2023  Total: £2606.33/£2023  128.8%



  • Slinky
    Slinky Posts: 11,007 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    No response from email to Octopus. I gather they are pretty busy with dealing with exBulb customers given what I've heard elsewhere.

    Don't know whether to just put E7 in to get a quote and try to initiate a move and see what happens from there. Anybody able to give advice on this front?
    Make £2025 in 2025
    Prolific £229.82, Octopoints £4.27, Topcashback £290.85, Tesco Clubcard challenges £60, Misc Sales £321, Airtime £10.
    Total £915.94/£2025 45.2%

    Make £2024 in 2024
    Prolific £907.37, Chase Intt £59.97, Chase roundup int £3.55, Chase CB £122.88, Roadkill £1.30, Octopus referral reward £50, Octopoints £70.46, Topcashback £112.03, Shopmium referral £3, Iceland bonus £4, Ipsos survey £20, Misc Sales £55.44
    Total £1410/£2024  70%

    Make £2023 in 2023  Total: £2606.33/£2023  128.8%



  • Exiled_Tyke
    Exiled_Tyke Posts: 1,345 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I'd try phoning them.  They tend to be pretty helpful when you get through. 
    Install 28th Nov 15, 3.3kW, (11x300LG), SolarEdge, SW. W Yorks.
    Install 2: Sept 19, 600W SSE
    Solax 6.3kWh battery
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 350.9K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.5K Spending & Discounts
  • 243.9K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 598.7K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 176.9K Life & Family
  • 257.2K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.