How to calculate if it's worthwhile swapping to Agile or Tracker

NorfolkCanary

Background: Currently on B.G. E7 tariff (eastern), Annual usage is currently E: 918 (645D / 273N) and G: 7030kWh (assuming my maths is correct & same usage I could save £12.60/year by switching to non-E7 on BG, not really worthwhile).
Paying monthly (VDD). Since Sept. this has varied ~£50 in June to ~£225 Feb. (pre-govt discount).

Currently working more in the office between ~9-5 / 10-6 weekdays, 3+ days per week, so therefore would miss part of the higher 4-7pm pricing some days of the week, ignoring background usage. Additional usage when at home weekdays would be laptop, lights, radio, drinks.

Existing boiler is 2005ish Alpha 28 combi last of the non-condensing which I'm looking at replacing, during the next year or two. I don't currently have the extra £lol thousands sloshing around for solar panels, boiler change and storage facility; or heat pump. Nor do I see myself staying for 12+ years for payback.

So would I save money on either of the smart-er ToU tariffs?
As we're now heading towards autumn/winter and therefore likely higher energy pricing, I'm wondering whether it would therefore be more appropriate to sit on standard rate until March next year then swap over?

Either way the meter in the house would need changing, L&G CL147d 2 more years certification (?) and mechanical timer.
Which also raises a secondary issue - as my gas meter is outside will this be able to talk to the leccy, inside? Signal would need to pass through the external cavity wall, kitchen space/cupboards and interior solid wall?) distance about 4m linear.

Thanks for any advice

[Deleted User]

So would I save money on either of the smart-er ToU tariffs?
As we're now heading towards autumn/winter and therefore likely higher energy pricing, I'm wondering whether it would therefore be more appropriate to sit on standard rate until March next year then swap over?

Tracker and Agile move up and down as wholesale prices change. Tracker has a daily price whereas the Agile Unit price changes every 30 minutes with the highest cost in the period 4 to 7pm.These are the Agile prices for my region at the moment: (Edit: I should add that the 35p/kWh is now £1/kWh maximum. The App is picking up data from the Agile tariff that I was on 18 months ago)

Whilst Agile prices were low over the weekend the most telling thing for me is the recent upslope in the daily graph. Whether either Tracker or Agile would save you money is an unknown. Generally, if you can load shift on Agile you will get a lower overall average unit price.

Either way the meter in the house would need changing, L&G CL147d 2 more years certification (?) and mechanical timer.
Which also raises a secondary issue - as my gas meter is outside will this be able to talk to the leccy, inside? Signal would need to pass through the external cavity wall, kitchen space/cupboards and interior solid wall?) distance about 4m linear.

For both tariffs, you need a working smart meter. Only an installer can assess your chances of getting a working installation. Suppliers now offer dual-band comms hubs and gas meters to overcome any distance problems. You should include this in your initial request.

spot1034

Forgive me for a question here - I am not an Octopus customer but have been watching Agile prices over the past few months, and I was under the impression that the exact price of 35.00p which has nearly always been the price during the evening peak hours was the result of the government price cap, and that once we got past the end of June we would see prices for this period of the day usually higher, and presumably not the same round number every day. Yet here we are in July and it hasn't happened. Have I misunderstood this?

Spoonie_Turtle

spot1034 said:

Forgive me for a question here - I am not an Octopus customer but have been watching Agile prices over the past few months, and I was under the impression that the exact price of 35.00p which has nearly always been the price during the evening peak hours was the result of the government price cap, and that once we got past the end of June we would see prices for this period of the day usually higher, and presumably not the same round number every day. Yet here we are in July and it hasn't happened. Have I misunderstood this?

Depends what you're looking at.  For older versions of the tariff, Octopus honour their own cap of 35p.  But you're right, as far as I understand, that the newer version was effectively capped by the application of the EPG discount.  MySmartEnergy says that prices on the newer tariffs went up to 39p+ yesterday in peak time, for the Eastern region.
https://mysmartenergy.uk/Prices/Eastern-England

TheKDs

[Deleted User] said:

 (Edit: I should add that the 35p/kWh is now £1/kWh maximum. The App is picking up data from the Agile tariff that I was on 18 months ago)

@[Deleted User], out of curiosity as we've talked about Tracker elsewhere, what tariff are you on now and what is your review of it?

[Deleted User]

TheKDs said:

Dolor said:

 (Edit: I should add that the 35p/kWh is now £1/kWh maximum. The App is picking up data from the Agile tariff that I was on 18 months ago)

@[Deleted User], out of curiosity as we've talked about Tracker elsewhere, what tariff are you on now and what is your review of it?

I am on Tracker for gas and Flux for electricity. Having been on Tracker Gas now for 18 months, my cap has not changed. Would I switch to Octopus Tracker Gas today is something that would require a lot of thought. Yes, Tracker prices at the moment are low, but National gas usage is low and reserves are full. If we were to have a Winter of 62/63, then I believe that we would struggle to maintain sufficient supply. Shortages would be reflected in the Tracker price. The River Thames in 1963.

In sum, going for a market-following tariff has to be a personal decision. That said, unlike Texas, the financial cost of getting it wrong is bounded.