Octopus Energy Saving Sessions

[Stranger Dings]

Does anyone know how the Octopus ”Power Hour” energy saving sessions are actually calculated?

I’ve taken part in all of them, but the results just seem totally random.

I’ve had sessions where we’ve switched off as much as we can and gone out, only to be told that we didn’t manage to save anything.

Some sessions, we’ve made very small savings, Including one where virtually everything was switched off and the whole family was in another country.

One session I forgot it was happening despite signing up, only to be told I’d managed to save 93% of my normal usage and be credited with over £16 off!

I’ll continue to sign up for them and don’t really do it expecting to save much as we are already quite energy efficient. It all just seems so random.

 

[ACarneiro]

Don’t you get charged according to supply rating though? So you pay more for being able to consume more power in addition to cost of energy?

I guess it’s how the standing charge is priced. In England it once wasn’t uncommon to pay a standing charge for each metered phase.

Yes, your standing charge is proportional to the "contracted power".
It's just another way of doing things, but I find that particular way pretty annoying.

 

[Columbo]

Yes, your standing charge is proportional to the "contracted power".
It's just another way of doing things, but I find that particular way pretty annoying.

Are you sure? I had my 3 phase uprated to 100a per phase from 60a and nothing changed. I can't find anything in the T's and C's with regards to this with Octopus, have you a link to this?

 

[ACarneiro]

Are you sure? I had my 3 phase uprated to 100a per phase from 60a and nothing changed. I can't find anything in the T's and C's with regards to this with Octopus, have you a link to this?

I was referring to my home country in mainland Europe

(Sorry, didn't mean to worry you)

 

[xreyuk]

I didn't even know the first one had happened, I've been opted in and never got an app notfication or email, how lovely.

 

[PITA]

Don’t you get charged according to supply rating though? So you pay more for being able to consume more power in addition to cost of energy?

I guess it’s how the standing charge is priced. In England it once wasn’t uncommon to pay a standing charge for each metered phase.

I'm in the West Midlands UK, and we only pay a single standing charge (same cost as everybody else), but we just have a single 3-Phase smart meter.

The biggest benefit is being able to charge multiple high demand devices during cheap time-restricted periods.

Plugging in two cars and getting fast charging, while charging home battery storage, plus running the house... without having to stop and think about 'rotation' or 'scheduling' or 'who gets to charge first'... nice

 

[Zilla91]

Results for the first session are in. Managed to make £4.01 by exporting throughout the hour so not bad going, I think I’ll cover the majority of my gas and electricity usage for that day

 

[Js1977]

Results for the first session are in. Managed to make £4.01 by exporting throughout the hour so not bad going, I think I’ll cover the majority of my gas and electricity usage for that day

Mine is still calculating. Think I need a faster camputer thing in me jig

 

[PITA]

Yep... made £ 10.30 in one hour.

That'll do...

4.58 kWh exported is equivalent of 137 kWh back, in free Grid Power. Which is a lot of free energy in the Winter months.

 

[ACarneiro]

I exported 8kWh but got a “saving” of around 6.5kWh
I’d been exporting occasionally to make some money and “help the grid” during peak time. I don’t think I’ll be doing that again…
Still, that’s around £14 of electricity or nearly 190kWh for “free”. I’m not complaining.
Roll on the next 11 sessions!

 

[PITA]

I exported 8kWh but got a “saving” of around 6.5kWh
I’d been exporting occasionally to make some money and “help the grid” during peak time. I don’t think I’ll be doing that again…
Still, that’s around £14 of electricity or nearly 190kWh for “free”. I’m not complaining.
Roll on the next 11 sessions!

I start exporting every day at about 20:30 to 21:30 ...

I think that should be outside the Saving Sessions maybe? I think the 'peak' times are between 4pm and 7pm

 

[ACarneiro]

I start exporting every day at about 20:30 to 21:30 ...

I think that should be outside the Saving Sessions maybe? I think the 'peak' times are between 4pm and 7pm

Well, there are rumours of another one next Monday, let’s see what time that’ll land at…

 

[Pink Duck]

My forecast is 17:00–18:00 (perhaps 16:30–18:00) for their belovéd Tuesdays, i.e. 28th (tomorrow).

 

[phil4]

My forecast is 17:00–18:00 (perhaps 16:30–18:00) for their belovéd Tuesdays, i.e. 28th (tomorrow).

I'll bet on 17:00-18:00 on 29th

 

[ACarneiro]

Is it 24 hours notice they aim for?

 

[Pink Duck]

National Grid will normally issue DFS Anticipatory notice by 10:00 weekdays, then confirm around 14:30 if so. Nothing issued today.

This year’s Saving Sessions can be same day notification too, even down to hours before.

 

[Alex987854]

Results from the last one are in for me. I made 20p but I forgot to turn anything off.

 

[Drew57]

Results from the last one are in for me. I made 20p but I forgot to turn anything off.

I used precisely 0kWh during the session & apparently earned 9p based on our average usage. This is my second highest payout since the first saving session last year.

It's also a timely reminder to chastise my wife for a target based on her ongoing extravagance compared to my iron will in achieving such a monumental result.

 

[ACarneiro]

I’m surprised there have been no DFS notices so far this week. There is not much wind, the weather is cold and the margins are tight…

 

[phil4]

Woohoo, I shaved 29% off my normal usage of 0kWh, and saved 0kWh, which means I got 8octopoints (1p). I'm amazed I got anything, but I guess rounding errors worked in my favour.

 

[Pink Duck]

I’m still in a bleak reading-less desert of non-participation this year.

16:30–18:30 tomorrow would be an actually effective time-frame, for split group DFS like last time.

Just passed the 10:00 anticipatory notice time so likely won’t be today.