UK Only - Tesla Energy Plan/Octopus Energy

[Cuban8]

I am presently an Octopus Energy customer. I would be interested in feedback/comments on the Tesla Energy Plan. I do not own a Tesla EV so I would be on the higher import/export rate. I have a 7kWp array. Thanks

 

[JohnRatsey]

How long have you had your solar array and a Powerwall? If for a year or more then you've got a good source of data and can do your own calculation (I found the on-line calculator baffling). Probably a key factor is whether your Powerwall gets fully charged and drained on a daily basis. Mine doesn't, which means there's some spare capacity which could be used for import when electricity is cheap and export when it's expensive. Tesla doesn't provide a facility for users to do this themselves. My spreadsheet suggests that the Octopus Tesla Energy Plan will put a bit over £100/year into my pocket. This Plan would also eliminate my frustration with the Powerwall's off-peak charging algorithm not considering solar generation which means I sometimes end up with a low battery charging at the start of a murky day.

 

[Cuban8]

How long have you had your solar array and a Powerwall? If for a year or more then you've got a good source of data and can do your own calculation (I found the on-line calculator baffling). Probably a key factor is whether your Powerwall gets fully charged and drained on a daily basis. Mine doesn't, which means there's some spare capacity which could be used for import when electricity is cheap and export when it's expensive. Tesla doesn't provide a facility for users to do this themselves. My spreadsheet suggests that the Octopus Tesla Energy Plan will put a bit over £100/year into my pocket. This Plan would also eliminate my frustration with the Powerwall's off-peak charging algorithm not considering solar generation which means I sometimes end up with a low battery charging at the start of a murky day.

Just a couple of months and I am still waiting for DNO sign off before I can apply for any plan. I have had PV solar previously so I am not completely out of my depth. Outwith the Tesla Plan, I calculate a £30 per annum return (above the energy savings) on Agile Import/Export based on a 7kWp array with PW2: Zappi and EDDI. The Tesla Plan calculator suggests a matched import/export of 3800kWhs/year (based on a conservative annual PV output of 5600kWhs rather than the MSE 6300kWhs with a £0 energy bill.

I am not sure that I want the extra battery cycles when Agile looks to be just as good as the Tesla Plan.

 

[Dave101]

I have been on the Octopus Go rate for a few months now and, like John, have become frustrated with the randomness of when it does and does not decide to charge overnight.

This new Energy Plan looks like it will be beneficial as I can stop worrying about things like that. I am a net exporter by quite a large amount ( I have 2 arrays and nearly hit a MegaWatt of production in May)

I am struggling to see a downside.

PS - the App has not adjusted for the time change yesterday, so I am not sure how to adjust my settings. Is the Octopus time of day now out of step with the Tesla time of day? This is another problem that would go away!

 

[Cuban8]

I am not seeing the randomness that you describe with Go. Clearly, the Tesla algorithm looks back rather than forward so it can get caught out when a good day of sun follows a poor one. Yesterday, my PW2 topped up by 5kWhs in the early morning to 90% (I have yet to see it charge to full). Solar gave me a full battery by the time that it was dark so no overnight charge. In addition, my CH cylinder reheated and the car got 5kWhs. Arguably, the battery didn’t need the 5kWhs from the Grid but had yesterday been a poor solar day, I might have been caught out. I am still not seeing the advantages of the Tesla plan for my sized system and usage.

 

[Dave101]

Thanks Cuban

Do you have your Advanced Setting on Balanced or Cost Saving? I only started using the TOU settings a couple of weeks ago, so maybe I have just not been patient enough.

According to my App, in 2020 I have imported 420KW and exported 4,445KW, So a net export of over 4,000 Kw in 10 months.

I don't have a Tesla car, so, after discounting my deemed export amount, this should see me about £400 better off (although there are 2 low production months coming up).

Cheers

David

 

[Cuban8]

Thanks Cuban

Do you have your Advanced Setting on Balanced or Cost Saving? I only started using the TOU settings a couple of weeks ago, so maybe I have just not been patient enough.

According to my App, in 2020 I have imported 420KW and exported 4,445KW, So a net export of over 4,000 Kw in 10 months.

I don't have a Tesla car, so, after discounting my deemed export amount, this should see me about £400 better off (although there are 2 low production months coming up).

Cheers

David

Cost Saving rather than Balanced. Back Up set to 25% and StormWatch OFF.

 

[Dave101]

Thanks - yes I am on cost saving and StormWatch off, but I have the reserve set to zero. I have not experimented with changing the reserve figure.

Cheers

 

[JohnRatsey]

I've applied for the Tesla Plan and wait to see what happens next. I did a further calculation splitting the year into summer and winter halves which revealed that almost all my financial gain will be during the summer half. I wonder how many months it will take for Telsa to get this working properly. They will need to tap in to some solar forecasting (eg Solcast) which might get things roughly right on a regional scale.

 

[Dave101]

Hi John

I have also applied and just received the link to submit my details.

Lets see how it unfolds!

Cheers

David

 

[Dave101]

Had a "good news" message from Octopus today to tell me that my Import Tariff had been transfrerred and that my export tariff would follow when completed. However, there was no time line for this.

I have replied that, unfortunately, as I am migrating from Go they have doubled the price of most of my electricity and please could I wait until the export part is ready.

I can understand how this has happened!

 

[JohnRatsey]

I've been waiting for my installer to provide a copy of the DNO notification (did they ever do it?) before I could proceed with my application. However, since I had worked out that all my financial gain from this tariff would be during the summer half of the year I was also in no hurry. Your update suggests that delay might be prudent.

 

[Dave101]

An update - I am now live on both tariffs. The process has been straightforward, but confusing (for me) in two areas.

I suspect Tesla see this as an "integrated" package, whereas, it seems to me, that Octopus have dealt with import and export as 2 separate things. So I moved onto the import rate on 12th November and then got a message which said they were waiting for my existing supplier to agree to the change in Tariff. I now assume that they were engaging with SSE (my FIT account). I went live on the export rate on 19th. I think this is just industry standard for changing suppliers and was not due to any delay created by Octopus or SSE. My suggestion to Octopus for future customers would be to wait until the export rate is sorted and put both live at the same time.

I can't quite get my head around what would happen at this time next year if I want to change supplier and the dates don't match. Maybe I am worrying unnecessarily . However, I have sent a message to Henry (who seems to be the main man for this project at Octopus) asking if they can bring the end dates into line so that I can stop worrying about it!

The other question I have asked relates to the in-house monitor for the Smart meter which is still showing the old tariff. This needs to be updated and I can't picture how this will work to show both tariffs, will it show the net amount?

Other than these points, so far so good

Despite these comments, I have nothing but praise for the staff at Octopus who, in my experience, always do their best, even when dealing with something new like this.

They have also efficiently managed my faulty smart meter problem which is being replaced next month.

 

[JohnRatsey]

Thanks for the update. I've just received copies of the DNO notifications from my installer so I can now proceed with my application. I hope they have taken note of your comment to synchronise the changeovers.

 

[Dave101]

Hi John

I suggest that you ask them specifically to start them together.

Today, I have been a net exporter, but it is not showing on my internal monitor. I will look at the readings from the smart meter tomorrow.

Good luck

 

[Dave101]

Another update

My Octopus page on the web allows me to see yesterday's imported units, button the exported ones

 

[Dave101]

Octopus updated my import and export end dates today at my request so that they co-terminate next year.

They told me that the In House Display will catch up in the future to show the import and export separately.

I am happy with the situation

 

[Solar1920]

Hi Dave,

What’s happened to your Tesla app? Do you still have any control over the powerwall?

Mike

 

[Dave101]

Hi Mike
No change at all in the App at the moment. I have turned off the Go time schedule and gone back to self powered mode with 0% reserve.

There is no evidence of anything "new" happening to my import/export and the behaviour is unchanged.

Hope that helps

Cheers

 

[JohnRatsey]

I went to fill in the form and discovered "Please attach this DNO response letter, not the DNO Notification form. If you do not have the DNO response letter then contact your DNO for help." While I installer managed to find copies of the notifications, they had never received any response so that's more bureaucracy I would have to do. I then revisited my calculations and decided that my estimated £50 year of earnings is not worth the hassle given that the Tesla Power Plan will also increase the battery wear.