Octopus Energy Free Electricity

[NewbieT]

Join the Big Dirty Turn Down trial

Our cutting-edge trial in partnership with National Grid ESO gives customers all over the UK free electricity for moving power use out of the dirtiest times of day.

octopus.energy

…but not to charge your car. Courtesy of National Grid. Octopus Energy is paying customers to delay their power use during the dirtiest times during Feb and March.

 

[PITA]

Ahh... won't apply to me...

 

[NewbieT]

Shameless clickbait in the interest of trying to help decarbonisation.

 

[RedMod3]

Max saving for me will be £6, so not worth my time.

 

[Dilly]

I can only reduce grid draw during the Go off-peak 4 hour window.
Outside of that, I only use between 4 and 5KWh per month at peak rate times
cutting the former would probably increase the latter if the Powerwalls run dry!
I’ll just keep my head down

 

[PITA]

I can only reduce grid draw during the Go off-peak 4 hour window.
Outside of that, I only use between 4 and 5KWh per month at peak rate times
cutting the former would probably increase the latter if the Powerwalls run dry!
I’ll just keep my head down

I thought you had a SEG Tariff anyways?

 

[SR-Plus]

I thought you had a SEG Tariff anyways?

Is that a SEG export tariff with Octopus or any other supplier?

 

[Dilly]

I thought you had a SEG Tariff anyways?

No. I’m on 2015 FIT scheme with 50% deemed export

 

[PITA]

Is that a SEG export tariff with Octopus or any other supplier?

I read it as any SEG Tariff... and you don't qualify.

 

[GRiLLA]

So I've had the first request to reduce my energy usage tomorrow, but let's be honest it's not the most attractive offer.

Between 16:30 and 18:30 they would like me to use 40% less energy, and if I do they will give me what I do use for free. It's doesn't make sense, the more I save, the less I am rewarded?

Also my average use in that period is 2.07KWH, I'm currently paying 13.4p/KWH. So if I delay dinner until 18:30 I've the potential to save 17p. I don't wish to sound over-privileged, but would anyone change their behaviour for 2 hours for 17p ?

 

[MrBadger]

Isn't this meant to be a case of doing the right thing rather than seeking a reward for being a good boy?

You can kind of see why they might want people to use a bit less (below). Even more to be achieved Friday day time, but maybe too much to ask of Octopus customers and not be able to see a significant enough impact. I would think of payment as a a reward for being part of a social experiment, and many would do that for free.

 

[GRiLLA]

Isn't this meant to be a case of doing the right thing rather than seeking a reward for being a good boy?

You can kind of see why they might want people to use a bit less (below). Even more to be achieved Friday day time, but maybe too much to ask of Octopus customers and not be able to see a significant enough impact. I would think of payment as a a reward for being part of a social experiment, and many would do that for free.
View attachment 772931

Then the email invites should explain exactly what benefit we will create in terms of CO2, rather that only mentioning money.

 

[Drew57]

This is my target for tomorrow - I guess they need me to switch off at the meter box !

...& it looks like the past year of crisps & biscuit dinners finally pays off.

 

[Zakalwe]

So I've had the first request to reduce my energy usage tomorrow, but let's be honest it's not the most attractive offer.

Between 16:30 and 18:30 they would like me to use 40% less energy, and if I do they will give me what I do use for free. It's doesn't make sense, the more I save, the less I am rewarded?

Also my average use in that period is 2.07KWH, I'm currently paying 13.4p/KWH. So if I delay dinner until 18:30 I've the potential to save 17p. I don't wish to sound over-privileged, but would anyone change their behaviour for 2 hours for 17p ?

Count yourself lucky. I have to reduce my normal usage by 0.11 kWh from normal usage of 0.27 kWh. If I do so then I will get up to 0.16kWh totally free. A whole 2.5 pence to spend as I see fit....

 

[Considered1]

I'm in on the basis that its simply shifting usage at times of peak demand to demonstrate that we can do this to avoid firing up the Gas supplied by our great friends in Russia. That was the first message from Octopus, I knew straight away this wasn't about saving us money in the short term. More useful data for those on the EV tariff who can supply the grid and then let them charge your car for free during the night, not that would do your battery much good long term..

 

[MrBadger]

Then the email invites should explain exactly what benefit we will create in terms of CO2, rather that only mentioning money.

I found that I got the email in to the end too. Whilst its not entirely obvious from the email, it is from the link as part of signing up.

Join the Big Dirty Turn Down trial

I've signed up, not for any potential rebate, but its going to help with gaining insight on to the potential future opportunities and direction of the electricity markets and helping further with decarbonisation.

 

[Simavon]

The calculation is based on our average use, I think since day 1. So because out smart meter has the wrong time on it, and we have solar, our average use at this time period is only about 0.36kWh. Our target is to reduce this to 0.22kWh, which we'd get for free. About 1.5p saving if we achieve that. We'll probably use zero if we turn much off, since it's early-mid afternoon for us given the meter issue. So we'll save nothing.

 

[phil4]

I've just had the email, they want me to trim 1.66kWh between 4:30 and 6:30pm.

Ok.. so I need to go home, and tell my wife and kid that no, we're not eating yet. No, not soon, we'll start at 6:30, have a banana or something. And no, turn your computer off, no, don't turn the TV on. And kid, yes that banana needs to see you through scouts as you'll not have time for a meal before that. And for that grief I'd save 37p. Well that's assuming they can actually work it out with the bill and all... my belling is one hell of a mess at the moment, and they seem completely unable to sort it out.

Right, I know it shouldn't be about the money, but I think they're going about this the wrong way in my view. What we're seeing is the symptom of society having a norm of 9-5 working hours, and everything geared around that, from clubs, to TV schedules. etc.

Nice try though.

 

[btc1k]

I've just had the email, they want me to trim 1.66kWh between 4:30 and 6:30pm.

Ok.. so I need to go home, and tell my wife and kid that no, we're not eating yet. No, not soon, we'll start at 6:30, have a banana or something. And no, turn your computer off, no, don't turn the TV on. And kid, yes that banana needs to see you through scouts as you'll not have time for a meal before that. And for that grief I'd save 37p. Well that's assuming they can actually work it out with the bill and all... my belling is one hell of a mess at the moment, and they seem completely unable to sort it out.

Right, I know it shouldn't be about the money, but I think they're going about this the wrong way in my view. What we're seeing is the symptom of society having a norm of 9-5 working hours, and everything geared around that, from clubs, to TV schedules. etc.

Nice try though.

Or you could choose not to take part in the completely optional trial and save yourself all this self-imposed heartache...

What is clear from the thread is that people will need a lot bigger incentive to switch their use.
More likely is little incentive to switch use, but instead more widespread TOU tariffs which will have much higher prices at the main peak time of 1630-1830.

Clearly there is no financial incentive to join the trial but I never read it like that to begin with. Seemingly most did.

 

[Avendit]

Good intentions from octopus, but some pretty tough changes for people to try and make. Would be much easier for people with already with a battery, or able to use V2G from a car to store up some power and use that to power the house for a couple of hours. That way octopus could smear out rather than eliminate the usage, but that still has its advantages.

Some less painful thoughts to save? Slow cooker running through the day for tea rather than cooking fresh? I can't think of anything else big enough to make a real difference that might be thought of as optional? Could shift meals around and have the stirfry this eve rather than something that goes in the oven? Could turn off some lights, but thats all miniscule as its LEDs. Could say no TV to the kids (but ours don't watch much). Could make sure no one charges any phones? (same problem as the lights)

Maybe some people are running the tumble dryer and dishwasher and cooking and they are the people that need targeted?