Best energy supplier with solar panels

sevenhills
sevenhills Posts: 5,871 Forumite
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in Green & ethical MoneySaving
Does having solar panels make a difference to which energy supplier you should get?
I guess it depends on your production/usage, but people with solar panels will be lower than average electricity users. Does that mean its better to get a supplier with zero or low standing charges?


I just have eight panels, I have had them since 2015
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Comments

  • EricMears
    EricMears Posts: 3,231 Forumite
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    In theory, you'd want a zero or low standing charge during the summer but low unit costs during the winter. That could be difficult to arrange !

    Probably best just to get an accurate record of last years usage, use that as a forecast for next year and use a comparison site to pick your best supplier for next year. I've done that for several years now and have been fairly happy with results.

    EXCEPT, alas, that this year's lucky REC was Iresa which has just ceased trading so I'm stuck with Octopus for next month or so. I don't think they're going to be very competitive so am checking alternatives.

    One promising contender is "Bulb" who I understand have a fairly generous referral scheme. Is there a current Bulb customer who'd like to PM me with a link to that scheme ?
    NE Derbyshire.4kWp S Facing 17.5deg slope (dormer roof).24kWh of Pylontech batteries with Lux controller BEV : Hyundai Ioniq5
  • theboylard
    theboylard Posts: 1,206 Forumite
    Combo Breaker First Post First Anniversary
    I left Iresa at the beginning of July and moved to Utility Point - also moved my gas from Zog who have been great but a dual fuel deal works out fractionally better for us this year.


    Don't be scared of the small supplier - I found Iresa to be fine for us, no issues at all with billing including two bank moves.
    4kWp, SSE, SolarEdge P300 optimisers & SE3500 Inverter, in occasionally sunny Corby, Northants.
    Now with added Sunsynk 5kw hybrid ecco inverter & 15kWh Fogstar batteries. Oh Octopus Energy too.
  • EricMears
    EricMears Posts: 3,231 Forumite
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    theboylard wrote: »
    Don't be scared of the small supplier - I found Iresa to be fine for us, no issues at all with billing including two bank moves.
    I've had no real problems with Iresa except that they're dreadful at (not) responding to emails ! After 18 months with them, they're still not 'verifying' my start readings - in spite of having passed them on to my previous supplier wo used correct figures to close my previous account.

    Ofgem have assured me that any credit balances with Iresa will be refunded by Octopus so I'm not too bothered even if my next supplier also ceases trading.
    NE Derbyshire.4kWp S Facing 17.5deg slope (dormer roof).24kWh of Pylontech batteries with Lux controller BEV : Hyundai Ioniq5
  • travellerboy
    travellerboy Posts: 797 Forumite
    EricMears wrote: »
    One promising contender is "Bulb" who I understand have a fairly generous referral scheme. Is there a current Bulb customer who'd like to PM me with a link to that scheme ?

    Just today received another email from BULB saying they are likely to increase their rates in November. They aren’t the cheapest now, so changed yesterday to Eon 12 month fixed ahead of their planned November increase.
  • silverwhistle
    silverwhistle Posts: 3,790 Forumite
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    sevenhills wrote: »
    Does having solar panels make a difference to which energy supplier you should get?
    I guess it depends on your production/usage,


    Exactly! I'm a very low user (wood stove as well) so I've gone with Ebico for the standing charge free tariff for both gas and electric. I periodically review but it still comes out cheapest for my usage at the moment.
  • jimjames
    jimjames Posts: 17,581 Forumite
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    EricMears wrote: »
    In theory, you'd want a zero or low standing charge during the summer but low unit costs during the winter. That could be difficult to arrange !

    The beauty of switching is that you could (in theory) move supplier in spring and autumn to be on the best tariff for that time of year.

    Personally I've just used the supplier with the best deal for my consumption levels.
    Remember the saying: if it looks too good to be true it almost certainly is.
  • EricMears
    EricMears Posts: 3,231 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    jimjames wrote: »
    The beauty of switching is that you could (in theory) move supplier in spring and autumn to be on the best tariff for that time of year.

    Personally I've just used the supplier with the best deal for my consumption levels.
    Alas, it's only "in theory". In practice, to get best deal you usually have to sign up for 12 months and majority of suppliers would charge an 'exit fee' if you left before that.

    Fully agree that estimating next year's usage and accepting best deal those figures offer is almost always best practice. It's worked well for me for last ten years or so.
    NE Derbyshire.4kWp S Facing 17.5deg slope (dormer roof).24kWh of Pylontech batteries with Lux controller BEV : Hyundai Ioniq5
  • EricMears
    EricMears Posts: 3,231 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    I can't actually change suppliers till after 21st Aug but have had another quick look at comparisons. Bulb didn't seem to have a fixed price option and the daily standing charge seemed rather high. Not sure how long I'd need to stay with them to keep the £50 ? If it's a full year they're probably not the best but if it was only a couple of months they would be. Will look in detail at the various options when I'm allowed to change.
    NE Derbyshire.4kWp S Facing 17.5deg slope (dormer roof).24kWh of Pylontech batteries with Lux controller BEV : Hyundai Ioniq5
  • Chris_Type_R
    Chris_Type_R Posts: 177 Forumite
    First Post Name Dropper First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    EricMears wrote: »
    I can't actually change suppliers till after 21st Aug but have had another quick look at comparisons. Bulb didn't seem to have a fixed price option and the daily standing charge seemed rather high. Not sure how long I'd need to stay with them to keep the £50 ? If it's a full year they're probably not the best but if it was only a couple of months they would be. Will look in detail at the various options when I'm allowed to change.

    https://bulb.co.uk/terms/ Section 17, I think.
    Central Beds, 2.02kWp (9 x 225W) south facing with some morning shade, installed 2011 (£7.16/Wp). Tigo monitoring/optimisers on all panels, Growatt MIC 2000 TL-X Inverter and Solar iBoost installed 2022. (4 x 415W + 6 x 405W garden experiment connected to SunSynk 3.6 hybrid inverter & 2 x 5.3kWh SynSynk batteries) (4 x 405W panels queued to go somewhere)
  • EricMears
    EricMears Posts: 3,231 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    edited 11 August 2018 at 1:05PM
    https://bulb.co.uk/terms/ Section 17, I think.
    Thanks, it is indeed Sect 17 :-
    17.2.7. If the Recruit cancels their agreement with Bulb before the Switch Date, this will result in the cancellation of the Referrer's Reward and the Recruit's Reward.<
    17.2.8. The Referrer will be notified by email once a Recruit has signed up, on the Sign Up Date, and again when the Reward has been earned
    17.2.9. Rewards will be delivered to the Referrer and the Recruit as credit into their account on the Switch Date. This is usually 21 days after the Sign Up Date.
    It doesn't appear that there is any obligation to stay with Bulb (apart from the obvious one of needing to stay until the sign-up date and probably for 21 days after that) though if anyone knows different please shout.
    NE Derbyshire.4kWp S Facing 17.5deg slope (dormer roof).24kWh of Pylontech batteries with Lux controller BEV : Hyundai Ioniq5
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