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.

 

[s_zigmond]

Auto opt in by HA.

Happy days

Auto opt in? How is this done? I missed yesterdays due to no notification

 

[yessuz]

Auto opt in? How is this done? I missed yesterdays due to no notification

Home Assistant does it with Automations

 

[s_zigmond]

Home Assistant does it with Automations

ahh ok - thank you

 

[yessuz]

ahh ok - thank you

It is actually quite nice.

I do have solar panels + battery.
so I have few automations running:
- make my inverter to charge solar batteries once car starts to charge (that I would not unload solar batteries into car). Then turn it back to load first once charge is completed.
- make inverter to charge solar batteries once IO off-peak tariff is in force. it makes much more sense to top up my battery from grid at 7p and sell at 15p...
- automatically opt in to saving sessions
- automatically start export once saving sessions started. then stop that export once session finished.
- used to use automation to enable/disable pod point charger depending on the charge tarriff... but wifi module failed and charger became dumb.. oh well :/

and then what ever automation you can think of...

 

[s_zigmond]

It is actually quite nice.

I do have solar panels + battery.
so I have few automations running:
- make my inverter to charge solar batteries once car starts to charge (that I would not unload solar batteries into car). Then turn it back to load first once charge is completed.
- make inverter to charge solar batteries once IO off-peak tariff is in force. it makes much more sense to top up my battery from grid at 7p and sell at 15p...
- automatically opt in to saving sessions
- automatically start export once saving sessions started. then stop that export once session finished.
- used to use automation to enable/disable pod point charger depending on the charge tarriff... but wifi module failed and charger became dumb.. oh well :/

and then what ever automation you can think of...

I'm due to get solar / batteries shortly, so will have to look into this fully. Thank you for he suggestions

 

[ACarneiro]

Dear Partner,

Thank you for contacting us.

The export has been changed from 5kw to 15kw as per your request.

I wish you a nice day.

Kind Regards
Energy Support Specialist EMEA

Contact: [email protected]

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Thank you Tesla Support for a very quick update.

Done.

In the wise words of Kelis… “I hate you so much right now”

 

[PITA]

In the wise words of Kelis… “I hate you so much right now”

Still got a way to go yet...

Although we've been given 15kW export... Two Powerwall 2 units can only export at 10kW... including home demand.

So... May need to get a 3rd Powerwall for the full 15kW export potential.

... as our 5kW Solar Inverter doesn't tend to work at night

But, we're getting there...

 

[ACarneiro]

Still got a way to go yet...

Although we've been given 15kW export... Two Powerwall 2 units can only export at 10kW... including home demand.

So... May need to get a 3rd Powerwall for the full 15kW export potential.

... as our 5kW Solar Inverter doesn't tend to work at night

But, we're getting there...

View attachment 1028509

You’ll need some awfully creative man maths to justify a 3rd Powerwall… especially as I seriously doubt our current export tariffs will remain for much longer

 

[Zilla91]

especially as I seriously doubt our current export tariffs will remain for much longer

Based on what?

 

[ACarneiro]

Based on what?

Based on "it's too good to last".
It is not reasonable and certainly not wise to make long term calculations based on the expectation of us to being able to sell at twice the cost that we buy for a long period of time (although, of course, not impossible).

 

[btc1k]

Based on "it's too good to last".
It is not reasonable and certainly not wise to make long term calculations based on the expectation of us to being able to sell at twice the cost that we buy for a long period of time (although, of course, not impossible).

Octopus calculation is not so much based as to what you can buy it and sell it back for.

But what they can buy it from you for (15p), and sell it on for, during that period. As long as there's a profitable margin, it'll stay

 

[ringi]

Based on what?

With radical reduction in cost of PV panels there will be enough solar farms to make electricity practically valueless on bright summer days. Battery costs are now also reducing fast, so payments for using overpriced home batteries are unlikely to give reasonable investment returns.

A home battery to move own usage to ofpeak seems to be a good long term investment, not convinced anything "jusitfied" based on export rates is a good investment.

I would assume within a few years that most home PV productions just displaces imports that would have been at ofpeak rates. But oversized PV will help reduce none sumer imports and I expect ofpeak winter electricity to cost more then summer electricity.

I also respecting stand charges to keep increasing as the cost of balancing the grid will keep increasing while generation costs keeps reducing on good days.

 

[MrT3]

But what they can buy it from you for (15p), and sell it on for, during that period. As long as there's a profitable margin, it'll stay

With standard rate charges coming down there is less margin, hence why it’s a fair assumption that export rates will start to come down too.

 

[Zilla91]

Based on "it's too good to last".
It is not reasonable and certainly not wise to make long term calculations based on the expectation of us to being able to sell at twice the cost that we buy for a long period of time (although, of course, not impossible).

So it’s based on opinion rather than any sort of actual evidence.

I suspect the people who are utilising IO to fill their batteries and then exporting all their solar is a drop in the ocean.

 

[ACarneiro]

So it’s based on opinion rather than any sort of actual evidence.

I suspect the people who are utilising IO to fill their batteries and then exporting all their solar is a drop in the ocean.

Of course it’s based on opinion, I never claimed otherwise. So are about 90% of the posts on here…

And I’m a firm believer that “if it’s too good to be true then it probably is”. I stand by my comment that it probably wouldn’t be sensible to make long term decisions for a significant capital investment on the assumption that this so far unheard-of circumstance is likely to remain int he long term.

But, of course, others might have different… errr… opinions.

 

[Js1977]

But, of course, others might have different… errr… opinions.

Im of a different opinion but I may well be being an optimistic and a visionary.

Anyway, second powerwall is on order and another 10 panels and micro inverters. I'll be changing the gas cooker for induction so cant really go wrong either way plus have an itch to get a nice large electric flat top griddle to join the bbq hut.

Should the time come where its no longer viable to export, I already have a Zappi that Ill actually get some extra use out of and will also get an eddi.

 

[ACarneiro]

Im of a different opinion but I may well be being an optimistic and a visionary.

Anyway, second powerwall is on order and another 10 panels and micro inverters. I'll be changing the gas cooker for induction so cant really go wrong either way plus have an itch to get a nice large electric flat top griddle to join the bbq hut.

Should the time come where its no longer viable to export, I already have a Zappi that Ill actually get some extra use out of and will also get an eddi.

Oh, I'm up to my eyeballs in Powerwalls and I heat and cook on electricity.
But I spent a ridiculous amount money on PWs because I kinda really wanted to (and my paranoia gets somewhat controlled by the added level of energy sufficiency and flexibility).
If I happen to get lucky and make a profit then even better, but I really don't think that counting on exporting at twice the price of import over the many years that it would take to make a PW profitable is a riskless endeavour

 

[Js1977]

Oh, I'm up to my eyeballs in Powerwalls and I heat and cook on electricity.
But I spent a ridiculous amount money on PWs because I kinda really wanted to (and my paranoia gets somewhat controlled by the added level of energy sufficiency and flexibility).
If I happen to get lucky and make a profit then even better, but I really don't think that counting on exporting at twice the price of import over the many years that it would take to make a PW profitable is a riskless endeavour

Yes but if you are like me, it pains to see money haemorrhaging every month, it's like a slow death. Besides, the man maths are ALWAYS correct

 

[ACarneiro]

Besides, the man maths are ALWAYS correct

Words live by
(Until you get married, apparently)

 

[Js1977]

Words live by
(Until you get married, apparently)

Me and the "Mrs" have been together over 30 years... to tight to get married considering how much divorce can cost