Posted by: @jamespa

↑

Posted by: @toodles

↑

@derek-m Could it be that this lies behind OE’s idea of giving away this excess energy for an hour; thus highlighting the stupidity of our energy programme? Toodles.

I think it's purely commercial.  When there excess energy the retailers are paid for consumption (IE the wholesale price is negative).  Thus it's in their commercial interest to give away as much as possible. 

I agree. Octopus is a company being run according to some pretty ethical principles but still as a going commercial concern. The fact they are the success they are is in no small amount the result of Mr Jackson's ability to apply sound commercial sense in an ethical way. There is nothing wrong with taking advantage of wholesale "plunge pricing" but it does make good business sense.

In fairness, of course, we are on Agile pricing so the price between 13:00hrs and 14:00hrs today is about 2.5p. If we use as much as we can (7kW car charger is the favourite), that means we'll profit by about 18p, so the pricing structure has already factored in most of the saving for us anyway. The "free electricity" thing is certainly a good marketing exercise but the benefit to us far greater in our minds than on paper. Not that that will stop us doing what we can.

Agreed, @toodles, and for anyone on a fixed tariff it makes sense. The point I was making, though, is that despite the offer sounding good in theory we won’t be participating primarily for profit. 

@majordennisbloodnok Oh I agree entirely Major! I will be topping up the battery, heating the DHW system and a few odds and ends will be running; as I’ll have 2 or more kWh’s dropping down from my PV panels I hope, I’m likely to relieve the grid of ~10-12 kWh’s in those 60 minutes. Ok, that’s probably saving me up to £1.50 but I will be helping relieve the oversupply a little.

What I think is elegant about this particular promotion is that those on higher charged tariffs are likely to be those who can afford it least and could benefit the most. It is a very neat way of making a scheme effective - which is more than can be said for many admin-heavy government schemes aimed at assisting the less well off. (And it is for this reason that I don’t object to the removal of my winter heating payment.) Regards, Toodles

@toodles  I was going to fill my boots again today after Greg's generous offer, then I realised I have no boots to fill after charging my EV during the session the other day.  I'm already subsisting on the free electricity from my PV panels and giving my spare back to Greg for free. 🤨 

@ianmk13 Oh Dear! (Can’t get the staff y’know) Meanwhile my solar panels are producing ~4.5 kW and I am drawing under 10 kW from the grid - never mind - it all makes work for the working man to do! Toodles.

@toodles I was going to discharge my battery beforehand (it had charged from solar by noon) until I was struck by the futility of the idea 🤣

@ianmk13 And now I can’t stop my Tesla app from grabbing the solar I wanted to export as there is still some battery capacity to fill 😒 Toodles

Posted by: @ianmk13

↑

@toodles  I was going to fill my boots again today after Greg's generous offer, then I realised I have no boots to fill after charging my EV during the session the other day.  I'm already subsisting on the free electricity from my PV panels and giving my spare back to Greg for free. 🤨 

So it's your fault there is too much energy available? 😋 

@derek-m 🤣 I did my best to use about 9 kWh’s worth of it! Toodles.

I was charging the battery, heating the DHW, running the washing machine and tumble dryer (a heat-pump equipped self condensing model that only draws ~ 800 watts peak and less than half of this some of the time) and with the solar providing ~4.5 kW’s most of the time, I don’t think I could reach 10 kWh’s for free! Of course, this particular promotion is because ‘there’s a lot of it about’ so my solar contribution is a contributory factor. Regards, Toodles.

There’s obviously ‘a lot of it about again’ as OE are hosting another session on Wednesday 21st. Aug. from 13:00 - 14:00; I might consume a few kWh’s extra by charging ‘things’ up but suspect the solar will be producing a respectableamount then too. Regards, Toodles.