Tomato Energy (Electric Only Supplier) - Too Good To Be True ?

Alex_ST

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81881202#Comment_81881202

At one point I planned to buy a high capacity EV and use this to serve as a back up home battery. Rural properties in Scotland can get an interest free loan to buy an EV. I worked out that the car could basically pay for itself instead of sitting depreciating in the drive. V2H/V2G technology has existed for some time but isn’t currently available in UK afaik. Does anyone know when it’s coming or who is working on this? I think Octopus? ran a pilot a few years ago but haven’t heard anything more.

QrizB

Does anyone know when it’s coming or who is working on this? I think Octopus? ran a pilot a few years ago but haven’t heard anything more.

Octopus have a scheme with BYD but it's still a wait list; I don't know if anyone has actually received a car yet. Also, the only car on offer is the BYD Dolphin.

https://octopusev.com/power-pack-bundle

Alex_ST

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81881391#Comment_81881391

I’d rather not be tied to a specific supplier (esp not Octopus) Is there no way to DIY as yet?

born_again

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81881431#Comment_81881431

You can buy a 2nd hand car battery & use that as a home battery. Plenty on U-Tube done this & you are getting a far bigger battery for less ££

At the moment V2H/V2G is still in trial stage & looks to be closed to any further application.

QrizB

I’d rather not be tied to a specific supplier (esp not Octopus) Is there no way to DIY as yet?

Exactly how much DIYing do you want to do?

There's no off-the-shelf certified system that you can pay an installer to fit for you.

There are ways to knife-and-fork it, but you're looking at a "project" that's going to need careful monitoring and maintenance. Not something that 95%+ of people would ever want to do. If you're one of the 5% you probably don't need to ask about if on the MSE forum; you either know already, or know of a better place to ask.

The_Hawk

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81881431#Comment_81881431

I have a V2L car (which may or may not be V2H/V2G capable at some point in the future). I have used the V2L to part power my home, during a power cut but, at the moment, that option involves using a simple extension lead, which significantly limits its usage.

Last year, given that V2H/V2G looked some way off as an option in this country, I looked into the possibility of using V2L to assist in powering my home and, from my investigations, I believe there is a potential workaround. Install a home battery with a Hybrid Inverter with an auxillary input. It should then be possible to recharge the home battery, via the auxillary input using V2L.

Alex_ST

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81881464#Comment_81881464

The main reason I haven’t really pursued it yet is that I’ll be moving in the spring and the fixed elements were too expensive for short term investment last I checked.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81881489#Comment_81881489

I did not realise you could do this. Could be worth getting a V2L just to run the hottub. Cheers!

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81881444#Comment_81881444

Interesting. My existing batteries are fixed in the loft and I’m not crazy about the fire risk of all that lithium in the house. Really want a portable power source I can also use for wild camping weekends etc. So keeping it in the car makes sense.

tfhnota

High DC voltage and current are not to be messed with IMO - I say this as a keen DIYer - and house insurance is probably invalid unless it is signed off by some body, which would possibly undermine the cheapness of the project. Battery prices are falling in China which should eventually work through to UK prices (already has for power tool batteries, BTW)

Alex_ST

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81882440#Comment_81882440

good points. DIY was the wrong expression. I always get qualified electricians in for anything to do with mains electric. I just meant I’m not looking to be tied in to one supplier/one car model & have no control over my own energy —basically just being infrastructure for Octopus. Hopefully UK will join the modern world at some point!

Alex_ST

Any other ex-Tomato customers get a random £80 from BG for “late bill generation”?

In fact they did bill me for the 7 days I was with them and only charged me for std chg. Odd. Not complaining though. lol