Octopus Tesla Energy Plan

[KennethS]

I've been on the plan since late August. Very happy so far. It seems they make sure the battery is at 100% at 4pm, at which time they run the battery for house and grid. I have mine setup to retain 20% for power outages, and so far they only run it down one cycle daily during the 4pm - 8pm period. They then top it back up after midnight, but not to full (it appears they are factoring in some prediction of the next days' excess solar). I was apprehensive about giving up the Advanced Options control, but I don't miss it now that I've been on the plan for a bit. And having an 8p rate 24/7 makes life pretty simple. It is not for everyone. Despite our best efforts we consume a large amount of electric in our home, so it made economic sense for us.

It may be with winter coming and less daylight hours that they utilise the battery more than 1x per day, but the 10 year warranty is not affected by participating in the plan so I am not concerned.

 

[Nitramman3]

How does it work, is there a separate mode on the Powerwall that they control? When do you typically charge your car on this tariff.

 

[Obliter8]

Going through my application now

 

[Nitramman3]

I am in the middle of the application stage, seems to take a while. Not heard anything even though I asked for an update. Typical Tesla customer communication.

 

[KennethS]

How does it work, is there a separate mode on the Powerwall that they control? When do you typically charge your car on this tariff.

In the Powerwall app there was a menu called Advanced Settings (I believe, mine is now gone), which gives you some control over the setup of the PW which adjusts how and when it uses the stored power and when it charges itself. That menu is now gone and Tesla/Octopus presumably make the relevant adjustments. I was concerned that Octopus would have access to my Tesla account but am told it is done through Tesla and Octopus does not have direct access. I have no way to confirm this. I still have the ability to monitor the battery through the app (the other three main menus and corresponding sub-menus are still fully accessible -- Power Flow, Performance and Backup History). Going in it was made clear that I would lose control over the advanced settings, and I find I don't miss them. I did ask that they retain a 20% charge in the PW for any power outages. This is not something that happens at all frequently but I felt it is a benefit of the PW and also felt not running the battery to empty daily might be better for the longevity. You have the choice of retaining 20% or none when you get setup.

In terms of charging the car(s), because the tariff is a constant 8p it really makes no difference when you charge from a cost standpoint. Octopus did request that I set the car not to charge during the 4pm to 8pm peak, which I have done but I can easily override this anytime I might need to. I thought going in that Tesla/Octopus might also regulate how and when the car charged but so far I've seen no indication that they make any attempt to do so.

 

[KennethS]

I am in the middle of the application stage, seems to take a while. Not heard anything even though I asked for an update. Typical Tesla customer communication.

I found communication lagged but did get a response to every email question within a handful of days (I did try to limit my prodding). I'm sure you know, but local DNO approval is needed to allow the installation. I was told this can take up to 12 weeks or more. In my case it took about 8. Then a 4 week lead time for the installation to be scheduled. The two men who did the actual installation for me were Tesla employed electricians, who said they only do Powerwall installations and travel countrywide doing installs. All I can say is they were two of the nicest and most competent electricians I have ever encountered. And when all was done Tesla provided me with the DNO approvals, electrical certifications and building regulation compliance certificates for my files. I have nothing but praise for the way Tesla handled the entire process, albeit there were some periods of silence while approvals were being sought.

 

[henleyregatta]

I've been on it since March (applied last December). But... Solar system (Panels + Powerwall) was only fitted in June. And the final pre-req - SmartMeter - was only installed last week and that's going through the "takes 2 weeks to filter through the system to Octopus" phaff right now.

We've been on the 8p Import rate since July (..back-dated from August). We're yet to get anything on the export rate (although given we've been running the old wheel power meter backwards for a lot of the summer I'm not bothered by that).


So far, despite Octopus asking for all key information on the install (P/W & Gateway S/Ns etc), they have *not* taken control of the Powerwall, it remains on my settings. When it's all properly commissioned perhaps that'll change but a key point that I think this all misses is that the system is *prohibited* by UK standards from back-feeding the grid. PW/GW installs in the UK - or so I was told by our installer - are restricted to only supplying the domestic side to prevent any issues. Having said that we do have a micro-gen cert so who actually knows what the difference between "should" and "could" actually is?

 

[Nitramman3]

The delay seems to be with Tesla/Octopus as I have had solar/PW/car for a year so all the documentation applications did not need to be made. Should have been a simple change from Agile to Tesla Energy.

 

[phil4]

Moderator comment - merged 'Octopus & Tesla' (along with replies) into main thread

Looks like Tesla are pushing into the UK with solar:

Bloomberg - Are you a robot?

From Tesla:
Tesla Energy Plan

and Octopus:
Octopus Energy

 

[NorfolkMustard]

They've had it for about a year now. Each time they send out a batch of invitations it gets some attention, which is nice

 

[phil4]

My apologies.

Always been interested, but no point me having it.... but thought someone else might, and the Bloomberg article seemed to be recent, hence my mistake.

 

[ElectricJoules]

Always good to get a reminder, we hopefully move to new house soon and are thinking solar and powerwall.

 

[CMc1]

Looks like Tesla are pushing into the UK with solar:

Bloomberg - Are you a robot?

From Tesla:
Tesla Energy Plan

and Octopus:
Octopus Energy

UK Tesla Energy plan with Octopus

[URL="https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/posts/4171042"]"Introducing Tesla Energy Plan"

Octopus Tesla tarrif[/URL]

 

[ElectricJoules]

I have done a lot of research on this. Just had a 7KW solar installation fitted. Waiting for my Powerwall. Have already switched to Agile. Huge saving already over past 2 weeks even though I still need paperwork to get an outgoing (export) tariff from Octopus. I am currently averaging 5.35p/Kwh. After dumping surplus energy to my hot water tanks (saving on gas) I am still exporting about 10-15KwH per day to the grid (at the moment FREE but in future at a minimum of 5.5p/KwH)). My PW will allow me to import more when tariffs are negative, avoid the 16.00- 19.00 expensive window and export on Agile Outgoing at the most beneficial times of day. Under Tesla Energy Plan they are going to take control of your Powerwall and charge you an expensive 8p in or out for the privilege. No brainer if you have a PW Agile is the way to go.
I appreciate that early adopters should stay with their FIT but if I were them I would still go with Agile.

With solar and powerwall on Optopus agile is it a manual process to import when energy prices are low / negative, and export when you can make a profit? I can not imagine that the powerwall will know when the agile tariff is negative.

 

[Dilly]

I’ve had a long hard look at the Octopus Tesla deal. With 2 Powerwalls and a 7.9 Kw array, even this month, which has been pretty dull, I’ve only pulled a couple of hundred off-peak kilowatts off the grid at exported virtually nothing.
The Outlander has charged off-peak quite a few times, but the Tesla has only taken solar since March.
My average daily generation over a whole year is 17.5Kwh.
My deemed export remains much less than the actual so I’ll stay put.

 

[MrBadger]

Moderator comment - merged in 'Octopus Tesla tarrif' (neil_dsb 2020-Jun-16), 'UK Tesla Energy plan with Octopus' (nitramman3 2020-Oct-1) and 'Octopus & Tesla' (phil4 2020-Oct-27)

 

[CMc1]

I can not imagine that the powerwall will know when the agile tariff is negative.

Isn’t there something on GitHub to hack it?

 

[opals]

What I can't understand is why 8p/kWh is "better" than 5p/kWh on Go? I also understand that one has to forgo the deemed export part of ones FIT. That's not much (~£55pa), but it is worth having.

Virtually all of our import is during the 5p rate window.

[ Model 3, 4kW PV and x1 Powerwall ]

 

[Dilly]

I looked at this too. With two Powerwalls, I can run the house all day and fill them in under 3 hours during the Go off - peak time if needed.
I can still put charge in the cars too. Under normal circumstances I buy about 1 kilowatt per week on normal rate.
The Tesla plan is definitely not for me

 

[Neil_dsb]

What I can't understand is why 8p/kWh is "better" than 5p/kWh on Go? I also understand that one has to forgo the deemed export part of ones FIT. That's not much (~£55pa), but it is worth having.

Virtually all of our import is during the 5p rate window.

[ Model 3, 4kW PV and x1 Powerwall ]

with 2 full electric cars and a PW the 4hr window was not big enough to fit within a 100 Amp breaker + hot tub and other appliances, over the year, 8p 24x7 works best for us.