Solar Panels UK - is it worth it?

[Js1977]

No harm in asking

Yes but it doest it doesn't matter to you since you already know the answer

 

[notmeguv]

Less than you might think in a regulated market. They're obliged to be fair to customers, and if you say clearly that export is payable in the FAQ, it would be unfair to have terms override that.
Odds are they'd lose if it went to OFGEM.

<grabs screenshot of FAQ>

 

[notmeguv]

Yes but it doest it doesn't matter to you since you already know the answer

I’m always open to being corrected. However it’s better to have a greater data set than just one

 

[Js1977]

I’m always open to being corrected. However it’s better to have a greater data set than just one

But you are not though are you?... when you ask the question and dispute the answer with assumed facts. Again, you are reputing all the answers with your own... so again, what does it matter to you?

 

[notmeguv]

But you are not though are you?... when you ask the question and dispute the answer with assumed facts. Again, you are reputing all the answers with your own... so again, what does it matter to you?

Thanks for your input, have a great day

 

[scdoubleu]

its not going to waste if you are selling your solar a a higher price than what you charged the battery from the grid though is it?

Thing is, our daily usage is a wee bit higher than one PW can cover from an overnight charge. So if there's anything left by late evening, it came from our solar panels, just deferred by a few hours.

 

[Js1977]

Thing is, our daily usage is a wee bit higher than one PW can cover from an overnight charge. So if there's anything left by late evening, it came from our solar panels, just deferred by a few hours.

But clearly the time of 23:30 matters to you and you would have been exporting all your sun during the day

 

[notmeguv]

I switch PW's Energy Exports setting to "Everything" at around 9-10pm to earn a few more pennies. PW does a decent job of adjusting export power in order to hit the standby reserve exactly on 11:30pm.

That’s interesting. I’ve only tried it out for the last couple of evenings and was doing a rough calculation of when I needed to switch the setting to “Everything” to ensure I didn’t dump too much and get charged at some peak rate.

If the AI can handle it then a simple Home Assistant automation to switch to “Everything” at around 10pm will probably work.

 

[Pink Duck]

My evening export is timed to start at 23:30 - as that’s when local EV demand typically exists (and grid usually not so green).

My own household demand by that point is low, getting the most out of my fixed export rate.

 

[notmeguv]

I should have just looked at the next FAQ!

“Do I need to have solar, or could I take advantage if I have home batteries and/or V2G?

Outgoing Octopus is best for homes with significant renewable generation, but you don’t HAVE to be generating energy to benefit.
Join Outgoing Octopus and use home batteries (or your EV battery, if you've got hold of a vehicle-to-grid charger...) to take advantage of low consumption prices on our Agile tariff and high export rates on Outgoing Octopus. It’s a balancing act.
Store electricity at times of the day when the Agile prices are super low or even negative (on December 8 2018 Agile dropped to -2.31p per kWh). Then export from your battery when energy on the grid is most in demand, and most expensive. Not only are you powering your home with cheaper stored energy, but supporting the grid when energy is in high demand, and making money off anything extra you export.
If you’re exporting more energy than you’re using, you might even get your Octopus bill into credit. And we’ll even refund the cash if you wish. It’s worth remembering, though, your home will consume battery discharge first before sending the surplus to the grid).”

It says Agile but surely that would include IO?

Or am I still interpreting this all incorrectly

 

[Js1977]

My evening export is timed to start at 23:30 - as that’s when local EV demand typically exists (and grid usually not so green).

So, the energy you are exporting from the battery when the grid is not so green all came from solar?

 

[Pink Duck]

Yes, what’s left after evening household consumption.

 

[Js1977]

It says Agile but surely that would include IO?

Or am I still interpreting this all incorrectly

You just keep confusing yourself.

You cant get an MPAN for export from having a battery alone

 

[Js1977]

Yes, what’s left after evening household consumption.

So.. you have also charged the battery overnight plus supplemented with solar during the day because your battery is too small?... and then discharged overnight again?

Is that a good assumption?

 

[notmeguv]

You just keep confusing yourself.

You cant get an MPAN for export from having a battery alone

I wonder why Octopus are suggesting you can? That whole FAQ statement seems to be obsolete if you can’t export from a battery if you don’t have solar. Are Octopus really that ignorant?

What does this bit from the Octopus FAQ mean in your view?

“Store electricity at times of the day when the Agile prices are super low or even negative (on December 8 2018 Agile dropped to -2.31p per kWh). Then export from your battery when energy on the grid is most in demand, and most expensive.”

Is that not saying you can charge your battery at cheap prices (even negative) and then export it again at a higher price? I’m pretty sure that’s how the average person would interpret it, no?

 

[ringi]

Yes very contradictory. The people writing these documents obviously don’t talk to each other.

The T&Cs probably hold more weight though if they really didn’t want to pay out.

I read the FAQ as being their policy now, and the T&Cs as being written so they can change policy if too many people behave in a unhelpful way. For example if 1000s of Tesla powerwalls started to automatically export just before cheap rate.

 

[Js1977]

I wonder why Octopus are suggesting you can? That whole FAQ statement seems to be obsolete if you can’t export from a battery if you don’t have solar. Are Octopus really that ignorant?

You can have a different "export tariff" with a battery alone just not with the battery you have and not the export tariff that you have now with your MPAN

 

[phil4]

I wonder why Octopus are suggesting you can? That whole FAQ statement seems to be obsolete if you can’t export from a battery if you don’t have solar. Are Octopus really that ignorant?

Because you don't need an MPAN to be able to export, you only need the MPAN to get PAID for the export. Subtle difference.

But that FAQ is defo going to be wrong anyway, they probably meant getting paid.

 

[notmeguv]

You can have a different "export tariff" with a battery alone just not with the battery you have and not the export tariff that you have now with your MPAN

Nope, you've lost me now!

Are you saying this doesn't mean we can import at cheap prices and export at higher prices on Outgoing Octopus....?

“Store electricity at times of the day when the Agile prices are super low or even negative (on December 8 2018 Agile dropped to -2.31p per kWh). Then export from your battery when energy on the grid is most in demand, and most expensive.”

If it doesn't mean that then yes, I am very confused!

 

[notmeguv]

I read the FAQ as being their policy now, and the T&Cs as being written so they can change policy if too many people behave in a unhelpful way. For example if 1000s of Tesla powerwalls started to automatically export just before cheap rate.

It does appear that way doesn't it.

Ofgem say...

"Where the export meter for an eligible installation also records electricity exported from a non-SEG eligible source, a SEG licensee is not obliged to make SEG payments, but they can if they wish.

For example, an export meter may record export from a non-SEG eligible technology, a standby generator or a battery that is charged from a source other than the SEG eligible technology."

So it looks like Octopus have chosen to pay it, even though they don't have to and could change their minds in the future.