Octopus 3 hour Free Electricity Session tomorrow

Chrysalis

If you want reliable super sub 10p cheapness every late night Agile isnt good enough.  But will still be better than single rate SVR and probably tracker.

I am still on it as my usage is spread around the clock, so I look for the lowest average unit rate across the day, and I do have ability to load shift as well, so e.g. Oven is never used 4-7pm, and if the electricity ever gets super cheap and I need heating quickly, I will take advantage of it with portable heater, but yeah main purpose for me is the average cost over the day.  I remember comparing other tariffs maybe 2-3 weeks ago, and posted my thoughts on here about, and was surprised to see Agile was the best option for me still. As the other tariffs seemed to have got nerfed a bit.

Qyburn

It's really hard to compare two tariffs that require (or shall we say benefit from) different load shifting patterns. So I can confidently say that with my use optimised for Go I'm better off than if I was on Tracker or SVT.  I don't think I could work out what Agile would cost after suitable optimisation, I think the only way would be to try.

Have you been on Agile for long? 

NedS

NedS said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

NedS said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

In that part you've quoted, Ned, they mention using the half-hourly usage to work out your baseline.  I understand your apprehension though as other mentions are less specific, and dug slightly deeper:

"5. … For any increase in consumption compared to your ‘Baseline’ consumption (as calculated by us in line with paragraph 5[sic] below), you will receive credit on your bill (the “Incentive”), equal to the value of your current unit rate per kWh for your energy tariff multiplied by the increase in kWh consumed during the Session, (measured as the difference between your meter reading and your Baseline consumption for the same period).

7. We will calculate your baseline consumption (the ‘Baseline’) by taking your average usage in the same half hour period from the last 10 days for power up periods arising on a weekday, and 4 days for power up periods arising on a weekend. The calculation shall disregard any consumption during a period where any other Session was taking place. Our view of your baseline consumption calculation is final and determined at our discretion."

From the T&Cs https://octopus.energy/Octoplus-terms-and-conditions/#freeelectricity

Thank you @Spoonie_Turtle

So are we saying that for the 3h session tomorrow, there are actually 6 'periods' and 6 different baseline amounts, one for each 30min slot within the 3h session? So I'd be OK to max usage between 12-1pm as previously my usage has been zero?

I don't want to definitively say yes because it's just my interpretation, but … that does seem to be what it's implying (to me).

[I had a quick look to see if there was any specific info on my account or whether there's a calculator like there is for the savings sessions, but didn't find anything else.]

Thanks.

I've made a spreadsheet with my usage for the last 4 weekend days during those 30min slots to calculate my 'baseline', and will record my usage tomorrow, at which point I will have all the data and should be able to work out how they calculate it once I receive my refunded credit in 10 days.

I'm planning to use around 10kWh between 12-1pm, which will cost me around £3 that will be refunded if we are correct. If we're wrong, it costs me £3 so not the end of the world, but at least we know how they calculate it for future reference.

My plans were a little scuppered by the fact we had good solar throughout the 3h session, but I did manage to import 3.1kWh in the 12-1pm hour where I'd normally have zero usage, so that should allow me to determine whether each 30min period is calculated separately or if averaged over the whole 3h session. 

Just waiting for the outcome.

Chrysalis

Qyburn said:

It's really hard to compare two tariffs that require (or shall we say benefit from) different load shifting patterns. So I can confidently say that with my use optimised for Go I'm better off than if I was on Tracker or SVT.  I don't think I could work out what Agile would cost after suitable optimisation, I think the only way would be to try.

Have you been on Agile for long? 

Overall, I have used it for multiple years at this point, no question long term its saved me money.

There is periods of high costs, but the longer periods of outperforming SVR and tracker easily out weight them.  For me its also outperforming Cosy (and Go) when I do a comparison on average unit rate.

My usage spread isnt common though.

Qyburn

Chrysalis said:

Overall, I have used it for multiple years at this point, no question long term its saved me money.

There is periods of high costs, but the longer periods of outperforming SVR and tracker easily out weight them.  For me its also outperforming Cosy (and Go) when I do a comparison on average unit rate.

My usage spread isnt common though.

Thanks, that's good to know. Thinking about it, it would be easier to compare that way round, comparing your known returns on Agile with an estimate on the other tariffs. For example if you're managing to average 10p/kWh on Agile, then for Go to compete you'd need more than 90% off peak.

JKenH

I’m on Agile and it is difficult to work out a true average Agile rate for comparison purposes. My Octopus Watch app says my average for the last 7 days has been 6.997 p/kWh but that is skewed by using more than needed when rates are very low or negative, for instance leaving my two ASHPs running overnight to maintain core temperature in the house. Also I used an immersion heater to heat up the larger of our two hot water cylinders rather than using the oil boiler. 

Had I been on Go I would not have done either of those.

greenbee

I'm averaging 1.7p/kWh for the last 7 days on Agile, like @JKenH using it to heat the hot water instead of the oil boiler (I do this, and run electric towel rails/oil-filled rads when the price is under 6p/kWh). No ASHP here or EV, but I do have solar and battery which makes it easier to take advantage of the low prices. 
 

Bendo

I pay no attention to the average rate, my use is when agile is cheap to use that to heat the thermal store rather than gas, so the only metric that really matters is combined gas & electric bill versus what they would be on the best fix.

NedS

NedS said:

NedS said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

NedS said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

In that part you've quoted, Ned, they mention using the half-hourly usage to work out your baseline.  I understand your apprehension though as other mentions are less specific, and dug slightly deeper:

"5. … For any increase in consumption compared to your ‘Baseline’ consumption (as calculated by us in line with paragraph 5[sic] below), you will receive credit on your bill (the “Incentive”), equal to the value of your current unit rate per kWh for your energy tariff multiplied by the increase in kWh consumed during the Session, (measured as the difference between your meter reading and your Baseline consumption for the same period).

7. We will calculate your baseline consumption (the ‘Baseline’) by taking your average usage in the same half hour period from the last 10 days for power up periods arising on a weekday, and 4 days for power up periods arising on a weekend. The calculation shall disregard any consumption during a period where any other Session was taking place. Our view of your baseline consumption calculation is final and determined at our discretion."

From the T&Cs https://octopus.energy/Octoplus-terms-and-conditions/#freeelectricity

Thank you @Spoonie_Turtle

So are we saying that for the 3h session tomorrow, there are actually 6 'periods' and 6 different baseline amounts, one for each 30min slot within the 3h session? So I'd be OK to max usage between 12-1pm as previously my usage has been zero?

I don't want to definitively say yes because it's just my interpretation, but … that does seem to be what it's implying (to me).

[I had a quick look to see if there was any specific info on my account or whether there's a calculator like there is for the savings sessions, but didn't find anything else.]

Thanks.

I've made a spreadsheet with my usage for the last 4 weekend days during those 30min slots to calculate my 'baseline', and will record my usage tomorrow, at which point I will have all the data and should be able to work out how they calculate it once I receive my refunded credit in 10 days.

I'm planning to use around 10kWh between 12-1pm, which will cost me around £3 that will be refunded if we are correct. If we're wrong, it costs me £3 so not the end of the world, but at least we know how they calculate it for future reference.

My plans were a little scuppered by the fact we had good solar throughout the 3h session, but I did manage to import 3.1kWh in the 12-1pm hour where I'd normally have zero usage, so that should allow me to determine whether each 30min period is calculated separately or if averaged over the whole 3h session. 

Just waiting for the outcome.

Credit received today, and I can confirm they appear to use the individual 30min slots rather than averaging over the whole 'session'.

We normally use zero between 12-1pm as normally we'd be on battery. We used 3.1kWh (so 3.1kWh more than we'd normally use in these two 30min slots) and were credited 95p for this as predicted.

We used less than our normal baseline usage between 1-3pm as we'd normally have quite high usage here but our usage on the day of the free session was low due to strong solar, so less than 'normal', and no credit received, again as expected.

Qyburn

I've not been notified but the results are in my account and appear spot on. I would love to see what that view show where people say they've been credited the wrong rate.