Wow, that's pretty lucrative for summer PV generation. They've set the import and export rates quite cleverly to avoid charge/discharge cycling as the sole strategy, since the 2p difference means it's probably not worth the round trip loss for charging at 20p and exporting at 22p, or charging at 34p and exporting at 36p. The 7 hour gap between the peak and off-peak times would for example limit my ability to discharge the battery during the peak 36p export window and recharge it during the off peak 20p import window, but I could still make around 70p per day doing so I think.

They also seem to have only marginally incentivised load shifting to 2am-5am off peak too, as the cost of using your own solar generation during the day of 22p is only slightly greater than the cost of using it at night. I'd probably still try to maximise self-generation rather and load shift to peak solar hours, rather than load shift to off peak times as I do now in Winter. At the same time, they've clearly incentivised load shifting away from the peak period. Both of which make sense from an environmental POV.

Not really much to exploit, and not really much to complain about either - just a straightforwardly good deal for PV and/or battery owners. Very well worked scheme at first glance!

Much like the Octopus Outgoing, there is an unfortunate requirement for MCS documentation; now sure why since the MCS certificates page states

Please note that an MCS certificate is not a mandatory or legal requirement for system installation.

Posted by: @chickenbig

↑

Much like the Octopus Outgoing, there is an unfortunate requirement for MCS documentation; now sure why since the MCS certificates page states

Please note that an MCS certificate is not a mandatory or legal requirement for system installation.

 

Nothing there to stop companies requiring it for access to their commercial schemes?

@mjr I feel you're somewhat missing the point I was making; I was trying to find out the reasoning behind such a rule, not determine whether they were permitted to have this rule. Are they using MCS certification as a proxy for "is permitted by the DNO"? Or is there some other reason?

You'll need to have:

• A smart meter providing us with half-hourly readings
• A solar system with a maximum generation of 9 kWp (kilowatt peak)
• A copy of the MCS document for your solar system
• Confirmation your local energy network was notified of your installation *

 

* This will be a letter or email you got from your energy network, after they were notified by your solar installer.

 

If you receive Feed-in-Tariff payments from Octopus, or another supplier, we'll also need a copy of your (Microgeneration Certificate Scheme) MCS certificate.

So it looks like there may need to validate your system size as well as FiT status ... Hmmmm.

@chickenbig I don't know. Would you like me to ask on their forum for you?

Posted by: @chickenbig

↑

You'll need to have:

• A smart meter providing us with half-hourly readings
• A solar system with a maximum generation of 9 kWp (kilowatt peak)
• A copy of the MCS document for your solar system
• Confirmation your local energy network was notified of your installation *

 

* This will be a letter or email you got from your energy network, after they were notified by your solar installer.

 

If you receive Feed-in-Tariff payments from Octopus, or another supplier, we'll also need a copy of your (Microgeneration Certificate Scheme) MCS certificate.

So it looks like there may need to validate your system size as well as FiT status ... Hmmmm.

 

They would need to check your FIT status. 

Simply because you would have to de register for the export part of your FIT to get this tariff. That is part of the FIT rules. 

Posted by: @jeff

↑

They would need to check your FIT status. 

If the equipment was installed after the FiT scheme ended they still need the paperwork as there is no other way to demonstrate the absence of FiT payments?

Posted by: @mjr

↑

@chickenbig I don't know. Would you like me to ask on their forum for you?

If you are in good standing in the Octopus forums that would be helpful, thanks! I’m interested in the case is installing a battery but not through an MCS supplier.

Posted by: @chickenbig

↑

Posted by: @jeff

↑

They would need to check your FIT status. 

If the equipment was installed after the FiT scheme ended they still need the paperwork as there is no other way to demonstrate the absence of FiT payments?

Then you may get caught out with the SEG rules? But i am no expert on those and what they say in detail. 

This is taken from one of the Octopus Outgoing FAQs where they mention the SEG rules in relation to Octopus Outgoing. 

1. Check we have the right documentation. Aligned with the new Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) we need a copy of the MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) certificate, the DNO (Distribution Network Operator) Notification form and the DNOs response. For older installs we’re seeing a high level that haven’t been notified to the DNO which can cause several weeks’ delay and frustration.

And this is the issue with SEG

The technology and installer used by householders must be certified under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) or equivalent. Energy suppliers may ask you to provide a MCS certificate to prove your installation meets this standard.

The Octopus Flux Terms and Conditions include the SEG rules. 

I think the only way to be sure is to ask Octopus what flexibility is allowed. What part of the system needs to be MCS certified or equivalent for example to meet the SEG rules. 

It does beg the question of whether you might get locked out of some tariff in the future if you have a system that is not MCS or equivalent certified. Whether Energy suppliers could or have to legally limit some tariff to MCS or equivalent installs

@transparent what are your thoughts and understanding. You have a lot of knowledge in this general area. 

Thanks @jeff  and prior to this discussion, I hadn't been aware that there was (yet) another new ToU tariff from Octopus.
They'll need to take care that Ofgem doesn't step in and impose a limit of the number of ToU tariffs which can be offered, in addition to the existing cap of 3 fixed tariffs per Energy Supplier.
The whole point is to prevent us consumers being too confused by all the permutations.

The issue of DNOs being properly consulted on grid-tied generation & storage is important.
We're now 6-weeks away from the start of the RIIO-ED2 agreement between DNOs and Ofgem.
They need to keep ever more accurate data in order to provide the evidence that they are meeting their core targets.

A large proportion of the increase in losses over the last 20 years has been due to phase-imbalance at the substations.
That's now running at about 10% for domestic connections, which is unsustainable.

But before a DNO can claim credit for reducing losses, they need to discover, and then clamp down on, unapproved export:

• sites which have not obtained consent for grid-tied generation
• sites that are exporting above the level which was stipulated

It's entirely reasonable for Energy Suppliers to assist in getting their customers' sites to be properly approved.
They include TUoS and DUoS (Transmission/Distribution Use of Service) costs within our bills, which then get passed on to National-Grid ESO and the regional DNOs respectively.

There's little point us all contributing towards these costs of running the grid, if the energy then gets wasted at the final sub-station because there are un-registered sites exporting electricity.
It's ethically irresponsible.