Octopus Greener Nights ending.

born_again

Just had this email

I want to let you know that on 31st July, we will be officially retiring Greener Nights. This isn’t really an end, but more of a graduation.

If you’re short on time, here is the quick summary of what’s changing and why:

• Greener Nights ends on 31st July: You have one more month to earn rewards under the current system.
• The grid has evolved: Rapid solar expansion means daytime is frequently the new nighttime for cheap, green energy and flexible charging.
• Plugging in often is better than being selective: The best way to balance today’s grid and keep your Intelligent Octopus prices low is to stay plugged in as much as possible for shorter, more frequent charging sessions.
• Something new is coming: We’re working on a new way to track and celebrate your daily charging habits.

You helped us prove the model

When we launched Greener Nights, we asked you to help us test a hypothesis: Could we shift EV charging behavior to align with grid carbon intensity?

The answer was a resounding yes.

You and the original Greener Nights community proved that domestic energy flexibility works at scale.

Since the programme began, we’ve collectively absorbed around 13GWh of renewable energy and earned rewards by targeting the key days when the grid was rich in green power. You helped us write the playbook on grid flexibility, and for that, you are an enduring legend.

But the smart charging world is changing

The science of smart charging has evolved, and the grid has fundamentally changed.

Previously, the cheapest and greenest energy was reliably found during the overnight "graveyard shift”. Today, the rapid expansion of solar power means we frequently see big bumps of surplus generation in the middle of the day as well.

When millions of EVs sit unplugged on driveways during sunny afternoons — waiting for the sun to go down for a single, large overnight charge — the grid experiences a major imbalance. In fact, when there is a surge of surplus energy, the network sometimes has to shut down (but still pay for) renewable generators because there is nowhere for that clean power to go.

The solution isn't the off-switch. It’s dynamic, continuous load balancing.

What this means for you: Plug in, stay plugged in

To make the most of this evolving grid, we need a new approach. Instead of holding off for specific nights, we want you to plug in whenever you can, as often as you can. When you plug in, our systems can generate and continuously update a smart schedule, pulling smaller, more frequent charging sessions to hit your charge target — whether it’s a breezy night or a sunny Tuesday afternoon.

By keeping your car plugged in, you act as a constant, flexible battery for the grid. This continuous optimisation is exactly how we are able to grab bargain electrons and keep your overall Intelligent Octopus prices low. And remember: simply being plugged in acts like standby mode — you only pay when the car starts actively charging.

What’s next?

As we shift to this highly responsive "plug in daily" model, the old Greener Nights programme no longer makes sense, which is why we are sunsetting it at the end of the month.

However, because building this new daily charging habit is so important for the next phase of our green grid, we’re building a new feature that’s coming soon. So keep an eye out in the coming weeks for a new way to track your charging streaks and visualise your impact.

Thank you for continuing to fly the energy flexibility flag. I’m incredibly proud of what we achieved with Greener Nights, and I can't wait to show you what's next.