Thanks! I'll be patient then and wait for my bill. Got a few things going to estimate it already, but it would be nice to know how accurate my calcs are... I think I made a profit of about £5 yesterday, which would be amazing!! It's been lovely and sunny lately - long may it continue!

What have folks here made so far? My net electricity cost (i.e. import + standing charge - export) for my first month on Flux has been -£61.26 including standing charge, which is pretty awesome.

From 1st July the rates have gone down by about 4p in the day and 2p at night. Import and Export prices have fallen by the same amount, so in terms of decision making (i.e. should I export, time-shift, or self-consume), the calculus is the same. Overall if you're a net exporter you'll lose out a bit, but not by much.

@scrchngwsl That does sound great! We are big consumers, but we still came out with flux at -£45 as well.

For June we came out at -£104 so very happy with that. Now we have the ASHP and the gas cooker is on its way out the door, our self consumption will be going up a bit.

This was June break down everything is electric at our house. 

@chickenbig Hi, I'm guessing you may have a Flexi-orb certificate and not a MCS. If so, I'm in the same boat and will be making a complaint to the Energy Ombudsman as I feel it that there is a malpractice occurring that needs righting. Please get in touch if you are of a similar mind. I get my power through SP Energy Networks and Scottish Power retail accept Flexi-orb so how can Octopus object? It's bonkers. I also know of at least two Flexi-orb certificate owners that have now got Outgoing Octopus. So, there are precedents to cite. I've offered to pay to have my system inspected and Octopus have just blanked me. If the Ombudsman is really impartial I fail to see how the complaint can fail.

Thanks for that information @howardp99

Remember that you must first exhaust both stages of a complaint against an energy supplier before the Ombudsman will accept your case.

That's tricky if the problem is with the supplier who you wish to move to.

I have already assisted others in similar predicaments, and spoken to staff at the Office of the Energy Ombudsman about it.
You still need to take out the complaint against your existing supplier, in your case citing the failure of the switching process to Octopus.

Of course there's nothing they can do about that, and they'll be upset that you've left them with an unresolvable complaint against them.
However, they may be willing to give you a Deadlock Letter instead of you having to wait the usual 8 weeks for the complaints process to allow a resolution (or not, as in this case!).

Option-2: You can take the matter to your MP, who can intervene and write directly to the Ombudsman.
It depends on your MP as to whether they're will to do so.
The usual route for energy issues is for an MP to refer the matter to the relevant government Minister (DESNZ Minister of State is Grant Shapps MP)

Option-3: The Parliamentary Committee on Energy security and Net Zero has a call for evidence which closes on 15th August.

Look at the four categories for which they want to hear from the public and send them the details.
Remember they require this to be presented as a set of facts about systemic failure.
It needs to read like evidence which you might want to supply to a court.

They cannot intervene in a specific case.
But they can require the Energy Ombudsman's terms of reference to be altered in situations like yours.
Ie they will address the constraints of the existing system.

You can include photos, timelines, graphics within your document, which I'd suggest is sent as a PDF.

@transparent Thanks. I'm currently with Octopus and just want them to allow me to sign-up to Outgoing Octopus but they require an MCS certificate "or equivalent" (I have a Flexi-Orb certificate) but the application process will only accept the MCS certificate format. I have everything else in place (Smart meter, on Agile, DNO and Flexi-Orb). I've tried writing to Greg Jackson (CEO) but I suspect that my request is simply being ignored in the hope it will go away. It won't. I was promised a reply from "Greg's senior team within 24 hours but none came.  I am aware, anecdotally, of at least 2 others getting Outgoing Octopus with a Flexi-Orb certificate and believe there are grounds to appeal this. I've not revealed this knowledge, yet. I then e-mailed again and nothing received back. I may be being paranoid. I would prefer to stay with Octopus as I think they are genuinely a good company.  However, I believe I have a strong case and have even offered to cover the cost of an inspection to prove my system is sound. I really think this situation whereby Flexi-Ord is outcast be Octopus needs a proper airing and it would be good to get the Ombudsman to look at it. If Scottish Power is happy with Flexi-Orb and I actually interface with their circuits (they actually supply the electrons) then why would Octopus have an issue? I'm somewhat puzzled by the whole matter. It smells of something unpleasant and I really don't like being taken for a ride. I'm exporting 150% of what I use and get nothing in return.

Posted by: @howardp99

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I'm guessing you may have a Flexi-orb certificate and not a MCS.

So I was exploring options for installation, and why, for instance, a purely battery storage option did not result in SEG payments. After all, time-shifting of energy/power is a valid service. I'm now looking at shelling out just short of £8k for 4kW of panels and an 8kW inverter, so I can (eventually) have an MCS certificate to show; at least I know how to save money on the battery front.

I saw https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/retailers-using-mcs-energy-laundering-marko-cosic on linkedin, where they got the attention of Phillip Steele in the comments (it takes some wrangling to get all the comments shown on Linkedin ... urgh).

Hi Marko, I created our process for export and set MCS as our requirement. Only reason is as per the SEG references on an install being correctly installed according to the referenced standards. We did look at Flexi-Orb too but their documentation has never exited their draft status.
You'll see on Agile import/export, our Works With page, the original Powerloop tariff etc that we actively encourage battery charge/discharge as the wholesale market moves.
There's no use of MCS certificates to make green claims.

and in a later comment

But even so reviewing the policy I wrote in 2019 and revising that is what we're doing.

@chickenbig Hi, just be sure to check that your supplier will accept recycling of energy rather than a live feed from solar. I did come across at least one that wanted to see the circuit diagram to check that the only power being uploaded was that which was being generated in real time as opposed to bought more cheaply at an earlier time. I thought it was Scottish Power but I am now failing to find the reference.  I hope it isn't them as I will likely mover there from Octopus if my attempts to get my application approved are unsuccessful. With SP if they install the batteries you get an extra 3p/kWh. I may have some additional batteries installed and see if that then qualifies. They may even give me an MCS certificate as well, but I very much doubt it! However, if I have a system that has been modified by SP then that might be a step back towards salvation in the eyes of Octopus!!! Again, I doubt it.

You should also consider system losses in charging and discharging.  I guess somewhere between 5 and 10% may be lost.  I have my batteries under the stairs and so any heat generated due to system inefficiency is useful during the winter. I did not fancy having the batteries in the loft. Too hot in summer. Heavy as well.

@scrchngwsl ... similar setup here in the UK

4.8kW panels with 3x3.2kW battery, 3.6kW inverter

Installed in Dec 2022... got about £1k back so far which is about what we have used since joining Octopus in June 21 😁