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.

 

[Hook]

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.

They take the baseline for the previous 10 day's average.

You can see how it's worked out, plus what you've been paid by adding your octopus api key at this website: https://savingsessions.streamlit.app/

 

[Pink Duck]

Powerwall can be discharged at will by manipulating time of use schedules and pricing, however, a bit late now with one DFS event to go.

 

[Js1977]

I have solarPV and a Powerwall, and am with Octopus (Intelligent Octopus Go tarif). So my opportunity to save on the Winter Cahsback schemes is very limited, as I actually use nothing during those hours as far as the grid is concernd anyway - it's all just powerwall use!. But this year they have introduced battery discharging too - so the opportunity to cash in is great!. BUT, sadly I cannot get my powerwall to discharge during the sessions. It will only send solar generation to the grid (which during winter between 4-6pm is virtually nil!)

Has anyone yet figured out how to discharge your Powerwall at will?

Thanks
J.

I didn't sign up to the Octoplus points scheme fo rthe cash back events, as they dont actually give cash back, just their own version of points, which I dont feel are worth much. Insetad I have HUGO manage my cashbacks for me - they pay out the cash, and take a 20% cut (which I'm really quite happy with).

Ive had £115 cash back towards the electric bill and ive missed at least two sessions.

as @Pink Duck mentioned its a bit late now specially as you need to get in touch with Tesla to enable battery export as it seems. This was recently discussed on this thread if you take some time to read through (maybe easier if you work your way backwards)

 

[cyclbatrob]

I have solarPV and a Powerwall, and am with Octopus (Intelligent Octopus Go tarif). So my opportunity to save on the Winter Cahsback schemes is very limited, as I actually use nothing during those hours as far as the grid is concernd anyway - it's all just powerwall use!. But this year they have introduced battery discharging too - so the opportunity to cash in is great!. BUT, sadly I cannot get my powerwall to discharge during the sessions. It will only send solar generation to the grid (which during winter between 4-6pm is virtually nil!)

Has anyone yet figured out how to discharge your Powerwall at will?

Thanks
J.

You have to email Tesla ([email protected]) - they can enable Powerwall exports for you.

 

[yessuz]

interesting that on both last sessions I got exactly same amount of points.

meaning my savings were exactly the same.. which cannot be correct

 

[btc1k]

I have solarPV and a Powerwall, and am with Octopus (Intelligent Octopus Go tarif). So my opportunity to save on the Winter Cahsback schemes is very limited, as I actually use nothing during those hours as far as the grid is concernd anyway - it's all just powerwall use!. But this year they have introduced battery discharging too - so the opportunity to cash in is great!. BUT, sadly I cannot get my powerwall to discharge during the sessions. It will only send solar generation to the grid (which during winter between 4-6pm is virtually nil!)

Has anyone yet figured out how to discharge your Powerwall at will?

Thanks
J.

Yep its been discussed in this very thread, export everything option, might need turning on via Tesla Support

 

[btc1k]

I didn't sign up to the Octoplus points scheme fo rthe cash back events, as they dont actually give cash back, just their own version of points, which I dont feel are worth much. Insetad I have HUGO manage my cashbacks for me - they pay out the cash, and take a 20% cut (which I'm really quite happy with).

Points convertible to account credit (which you can withdraw as cash if in credit), without a 20% cut

 

[KennethS]

interesting that on both last sessions I got exactly same amount of points.

meaning my savings were exactly the same.. which cannot be correct

I can't comment on your specific circumstances but both of ours are also the same, and correct. We run the house off our Powerwalls outside of the off peak rate period. So our "savings" is what the PWs dump into the grid during the savings sessions (since the house ordinarily consumes nothing at those times). With our site export limited to 5kW that regulates how much we are able to feed into the grid and both hour sessions led to the same 5kWh "savings".

 

[yessuz]

I can't comment on your specific circumstances but both of ours are also the same, and correct. We run the house off our Powerwalls outside of the off peak rate period. So our "savings" is what the PWs dump into the grid during the savings sessions (since the house ordinarily consumes nothing at those times). With our site export limited to 5kW that regulates how much we are able to feed into the grid and both hour sessions led to the same 5kWh "savings".

It is same for me, as I live on the battery.

but the house load might be somewhat different session to session and total exported electricity actually is different..

it is just fascinating that one session from another is just 0.01 kwh different

 

[YYY2022]

It is same for me, as I live on the battery.

but the house load might be somewhat different session to session and total exported electricity actually is different..

it is just fascinating that one session from another is just 0.01 kwh different

Mine are remarkably close, session to session, even taking account of small ups and downs in house load coming from the battery and affecting the remaining that is exported. I don't try too hard during the session by turning everything off but I delay dinner to save running the fan oven.

Accross the last 6 sessions, my savings are 4.52 kWh, 4.62, 4.57, 4.67, 4.43 and 4.64 so never a lot of difference between them.

 

[yessuz]

mine are 2.2 kwh for last two... main reason is that my battery is limited to 3kw export

 

[ACarneiro]

I have solarPV and a Powerwall, and am with Octopus (Intelligent Octopus Go tarif). So my opportunity to save on the Winter Cahsback schemes is very limited, as I actually use nothing during those hours as far as the grid is concernd anyway - it's all just powerwall use!. But this year they have introduced battery discharging too - so the opportunity to cash in is great!. BUT, sadly I cannot get my powerwall to discharge during the sessions. It will only send solar generation to the grid (which during winter between 4-6pm is virtually nil!)

Has anyone yet figured out how to discharge your Powerwall at will?

Thanks
J.

You can email [email protected] with your gateway serial number and telling them what your maximum permitted export is (your DNO should have told you that).
Tesla will then enable Export from battery.

 

[Pink Duck]

My expectation for twelfth DFS event has shifted to Monday 19th for the coming week.

May get a £3/kWh reward rate if Octopus believe it to be the last - like I suspect.

 

[thewishy]

Points convertible to account credit (which you can withdraw as cash if in credit), without a 20% cut

Octopus *generally* take a 25% cut of what the ESO pay them before giving you the points.
GivEnergy/Axel take a 30% cut
So Hugo at 20% is pretty good...

That said, octopus are also providing bonus points, prize pools and have taken 0% or even topped up some of the lower paying events. There is also the yet to materialise suggestion that they might offer free energy when there is an excess (Although, that hasn't happened yet, and you'd be surprised how little you can actually take in an hour). The APIs also work reasonably well for home automation

Overall, I'm pretty happy with the Octopus scheme.

 

[PITA]

There is also the yet to materialise suggestion that they might offer free energy when there is an excess (Although, that hasn't happened yet, and you'd be surprised how little you can actually take in an hour).

This is what I'm waiting for... my 3 Phase is locked and loaded.

I could charge my Powerwalls, two Cars and run the Heat Pump for an hour with about 34 kWh used.

That's about £10 worth of free Power at peak rate.

Would be worth it for our home setup.

 

[ACarneiro]

I'm guessing those "free sessions" are more likely to happen in the middle of the day in the spring and summer when renewables are highest and grid draw is lowest.
It seemed to happen more or less like that during last year's "Power Hours".

 

[PITA]

I'm guessing those "free sessions" are more likely to happen in the middle of the day in the spring and summer when renewables are highest and grid draw is lowest.
It seemed to happen more or less like that during last year's "Power Hours".

That would be perfect as well. My Wife and I both work flexible from home... so cars would be available mostly.

 

[Fred2]

If it’s like the power up sessions, those vary quite a bit. There have been quite a few middle of the day ones (say 11-2pm) also but morning (9am-12am), late afternoon/early evening (5pm-8pm) or evening (8pm-11pm)

 

[PITA]

If it’s like the power up sessions, those vary quite a bit. There have been quite a few middle of the day ones (say 11-2pm) also but morning (9am-12am), late afternoon/early evening (5pm-8pm) or evening (8pm-11pm)

Gimme, gimme, gimme...

 

[Pink Duck]

Here we go again. No DFS industry notification by 10:07, with next tightest margin forecast for Sunday 25th, second-most Thursday 29th.

Unless they spring a surprise one tomorrow, like last time.