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.

 

[Mrklaw]

and this, my kids, is how dick measurement contest for Solar generation/storage owners started

makes a change from last years ‘who can post a photo from the darkest house with a candle in the window’

Heck I’m exporting and I doubt I’ll even get paid for it. Luickly the solar today helped me start with 95% so fingers crossed I can dump 5kwh into the grid and still squeak to 23:30 without dipping into peak (might be tight with cooking later now being electric)

 

[Mrklaw]

this is genuinely interesting. There are likely an order of magnitude fewer people with home storage batteries, but they can potentially push out quite a bit more than individuals just cutting back use, so they could be pretty useful

 

[yessuz]

this is genuinely interesting. There are likely an order of magnitude fewer people with home storage batteries, but they can potentially push out quite a bit more than individuals just cutting back use, so they could be pretty useful

well, it will be very difficult to cut the use, when it is right in the peak. meaning - people back from work, coocking etc. and there is no sun.. and it is cold...

 

[Mrklaw]

well, it will be very difficult to cut the use, when it is right in the peak. meaning - people back from work, coocking etc. and there is no sun.. and it is cold...

well so far they’ve kept them relatively outside of full peak time - perhaps recognising that being difficult to curtail demand so better to try and reduce it earlier in the evening? Many will be able to push dinner until after 6:30

 

[Js1977]

I wish I had your problems...

Be careful what you wish for
On a more serious note, mine has to be the smallest solar array... I forgot to cover that up

 

[KennethS]

Working like a charm. Our DNO has a site export limit of 3.7kW on our home, so we are limited in what we can feed into the grid. With 2 Powerwalls it is unfortunate but this is the first time I have had reason to care. Still I shouldn't complain!

 

[NewbieT]

I see there are definitely lights on in some of those houses. How the other half live.
400W, 650W, 800W, 800W and the winner is… 1000W!

 

[ringi]

Does the Powerwall then export battery power though if it thinks you can only sell it for the same amount as it will cost you to buy? Mine allows me to have a sell price which is greater than the buy price.

It should get it right as it knows a short time later that power costs a lot less to buy.

Assume battery starts with 9kwh, then it can safely discharge at 5kw for the 90 minutes with no need to predict what energy the home needs that day.

 

[ringi]

Anyone monitoring what it is doing to voltage at their inverter? Could get interesting if a few homes on same small transformer all use their 3.6kw export rights with starting and stopping synced to the second!

 

[ACarneiro]

Anyone monitoring what it is doing to voltage at their inverter? Could get interesting if a few homes on same small transformer all use their 3.6kw export rights with starting and stopping synced to the second!

That's a good question. I just checked and my voltage on the meter is 250V, so still within limits but it's close. Looks like my DNOP did the maths right with the export limit

 

[PITA]

Anyone monitoring what it is doing to voltage at their inverter? Could get interesting if a few homes on same small transformer all use their 3.6kw export rights with starting and stopping synced to the second!

I've staggered ours a few minutes either side of the Session Window ...

 

[YYY2022]

Well that seemed to be straightforward and successful (assuming the points get credited properly). Discharged 54% of my Powerwall in that 90 minutes and only on 34% now so am likely to need a bit of peak power to get me through to 11:30pm. Powerwall shows 7kWh sent to the grid, so fingers crossed for an easy £28!

 

[Js1977]

Mine UPS states 240v at the plug but I suppose its what the powerwall is giving me.

 

[PITA]

Well that seemed to be straightforward and successful (assuming the points get credited properly). Discharged 54% of my Powerwall in that 90 minutes and only on 34% now so am likely to need a bit of peak power to get me through to 11:30pm. Powerwall shows 7kWh sent to the grid, so fingers crossed for an easy £28!

Yep, ran ours a couple of minutes before and afterwards. Shows 7.7 kWh exported, so it should be the full 7.5 kWh during the session.

So just have to see what Octopus credit us with now...

 

[Js1977]

Well that seemed to be straightforward and successful (assuming the points get credited properly). Discharged 54% of my Powerwall in that 90 minutes and only on 34% now so am likely to need a bit of peak power to get me through to 11:30pm. Powerwall shows 7kWh sent to the grid, so fingers crossed for an easy £28!

On IO?...plug you car in...

 

[scdoubleu]

Here's my local voltage for the 90 minute period (frequency too, which will have been the same everywhere and gives a good indication of grid loading):

So voltage up a wee bit as the Powerwall was pushing out to the grid. Export was sitting at around 3 kW for the duration, so well within the 6 kW site limit.

Final tally was around £18.80 for the session:

At this point I don't care if we drain the PW before 11.30pm! Still quids in.

 

[Js1977]

So just have to see what Octopus credit us with now...

It was good fun either way..... what does that say about us...

 

[ACarneiro]

Here's my local voltage for the 90 minute period (frequency too, which will have been the same everywhere and gives a good indication of grid loading):
View attachment 994726

So voltage up a wee bit as the Powerwall was pushing out to the grid. Export was sitting at around 3 kW for the duration, so well within the 6 kW site limit.

Final tally was around £18.80 for the session:
View attachment 994727

At this point I don't care if we drain the PW before 11.30pm! Still quids in.

Nooooice!
What kit are you using to get that voltage/frequency plot?

 

[ACarneiro]

It was good fun either way..... what does that say about us...

It says lots of things... most of which I'd rather not know...

 

[PITA]

I see there are definitely lights on in some of those houses. How the other half live.
400W, 650W, 800W, 800W and the winner is… 1000W!

It's the other way round...

Most of our lights are 5W LED