Octopus Energy - Unethical price changes for solar generators

Netexporter

As there is considerably less (factor 10 to factor 20 in December) to no solar energy in the winter months, there is less renewable supply in the October-April period. Therefore energy prices go up in winter.

There is more wind energy in winter. Solar and wind complement each other, seasonally. The main reason wholesale prices go up in winter is because total demand goes up.

spot1034

Netexporter said:

As there is considerably less (factor 10 to factor 20 in December) to no solar energy in the winter months, there is less renewable supply in the October-April period. Therefore energy prices go up in winter.

There is more wind energy in winter. Solar and wind complement each other, seasonally. The main reason wholesale prices go up in winter is because total demand goes up.

That's not necessarily the case. It might have been so last winter but sooner or later we will get a large area of high pressure moving in and parking itself over us and quite possibly over much of northern Europe in the middle of winter. Once it's there it can take some shifting, and the calm, settled and very cold conditions (where energy demand is as high as it ever gets) can last quite a long time.

Netexporter

spot1034 said:

Netexporter said:

As there is considerably less (factor 10 to factor 20 in December) to no solar energy in the winter months, there is less renewable supply in the October-April period. Therefore energy prices go up in winter.

There is more wind energy in winter. Solar and wind complement each other, seasonally. The main reason wholesale prices go up in winter is because total demand goes up.

That's not necessarily the case. It might have been so last winter but sooner or later we will get a large area of high pressure moving in and parking itself over us and quite possibly over much of northern Europe in the middle of winter. Once it's there it can take some shifting, and the calm, settled and very cold conditions (where energy demand is as high as it ever gets) can last quite a long time.

Yes, a blocking high can exacerbate the situation, but it doesn't alter the fact that demand, and therefore prices, are much higher in winter.

Werbstrode

.I fèel this thread is getting off topic. As far as I am concerned I cannot contemplate exporting  between 16.00 and 19.00 as this period encompasses or highest usage from cooking evening meal using possibly 2 ovens and electric hob.  Dependent on usage I then usually survive on the battery until 02.00. Given a full battery at 05.00. I can then survive daily usage and during summer months export more than I imported.
I am thus disappoited

badmemory

I must say I found this thread interesting as I am new to solar.  I have never paid so much attention to the weather when not leaving the house.  Watching the effect my sons 30 min shower has on the battery & the grid has been a whole new learning curve.  I am nervously contemplating force charging the battery during the night & frequently feel like I have missed the necessary tuition.  So far though I believe my bills are down by well over 50%.  On a couple of very good days I believe they would have been minus if only I had been paid for export even with those showers.

powerful_Rogue

badmemory said:

I must say I found this thread interesting as I am new to solar.  I have never paid so much attention to the weather when not leaving the house.  Watching the effect my sons 30 min shower has on the battery & the grid has been a whole new learning curve.  I am nervously contemplating force charging the battery during the night & frequently feel like I have missed the necessary tuition.  So far though I believe my bills are down by well over 50%.  On a couple of very good days I believe they would have been minus if only I had been paid for export even with those showers.

I've always charged my batteries overnight, whether I was on E7, Flux, Go and now Intelligent Go. If it's sunny the next day, just means I start exporting sooner.

mmmmikey

Werbstrode said:

.I fèel this thread is getting off topic. As far as I am concerned I cannot contemplate exporting  between 16.00 and 19.00 as this period encompasses or highest usage from cooking evening meal using possibly 2 ovens and electric hob.  Dependent on usage I then usually survive on the battery until 02.00. Given a full battery at 05.00. I can then survive daily usage and during summer months export more than I imported.
I am thus disappoited

Hi, welcome to the forum. Yes, I can see in your case it's a disappointing change. Flux works best if you can do most of your importing 02:00 to 05:00 and export as much as you can from 16:00 to 19:00 (which you're obviously aware of, I'm just thinking out loud here). Sounds like you're doing the import bit but as you point out the export bit isn't practical for you. I'm wondering if something like Agile for import and the fixed 15p/kWh for export would work better (if that's still available). My thinking is that Agile rates are good between 02:00 and 05:00 so you could just stick with the same schedule? I haven't done any detailed number crunching but it may work? Have you looked at other options recently?

mmmmikey

badmemory said:

I must say I found this thread interesting as I am new to solar.  I have never paid so much attention to the weather when not leaving the house.  Watching the effect my sons 30 min shower has on the battery & the grid has been a whole new learning curve.  I am nervously contemplating force charging the battery during the night & frequently feel like I have missed the necessary tuition.  So far though I believe my bills are down by well over 50%.  On a couple of very good days I believe they would have been minus if only I had been paid for export even with those showers.

I think the reality is for many of us here tinkering with solar panels, batteries and the like has become as much of a hobby / challenge as a money saving effort. I do wonder if we sometimes go a bit over the top with it. Having said that, there is a worthwhile intermediate step between just leaving it to take care of itself and a bit of basic tweaking to make the most of whatever tariff you're on. Doing a forced charge between 02:00 and 05:00 is a good thing to do with no real downside as long as you are on Flux and a good thing to try it you want to go to the next level. If you're struggling to get started maybe post some details of your setup and we'll then be able to offer a multitude of different options before we break off and have an argument about smart meters of standing charges :-) :-)

Gerry1

mmmmikey said:

badmemory said:

I must say I found this thread interesting as I am new to solar.  I have never paid so much attention to the weather when not leaving the house.  Watching the effect my sons 30 min shower has on the battery & the grid has been a whole new learning curve.  I am nervously contemplating force charging the battery during the night & frequently feel like I have missed the necessary tuition.  So far though I believe my bills are down by well over 50%.  On a couple of very good days I believe they would have been minus if only I had been paid for export even with those showers.

...before we break off and have an argument about smart meters or standing charges :-) :-)

We'll all have to have solar before too long, because your smart meter will cut you off at times when you want to use the grid, and the standing  charges will need a mortgage. 😄

Qyburn

Werbstrode said:

.I fèel this thread is getting off topic. As far as I am concerned I cannot contemplate exporting  between 16.00 and 19.00 as this period encompasses or highest usage from cooking evening meal using possibly 2 ovens and electric hob.  

I'm sure you're not the only one, that will be exactly why that's the peak time. These TOU tariffs are specifically aimed at people who can adapt their usage, not people who use most power during peak demand, and export when it's not really needed.