Octopus Go?

[Alun26]

Hi, Anyone know how to stay on Go Faster tariff, just had email to renew and it only lets me renew on Go?

Thanks
Gareth

 

[biffo]

Hi, Anyone know how to stay on Go Faster tariff, just had email to renew and it only lets me renew on Go?

Thanks
Gareth

I don’t really have an answer other than I’ve just joined Octopus Go and Faster doesn’t appear to be an option for me - Intelligent seems to be on offer but only for specific vehicles/chargers. Mine isn’t one of them ?

 

[Alb]

Talk to them directly. They are normally quite helpful.

 

[Mr H]

Hi, Anyone know how to stay on Go Faster tariff, just had email to renew and it only lets me renew on Go?

Thanks
Gareth

I was on Go then I emailed octopus about go faster and they got back to me with 3 choices. I went with 5-hour Go period at 5.5p/kWh and select a start time of 20.30. There’s a limit to the number of slots for each period - if you miss out on your preferred one they will give you the next one available. I think it all about balancing the grid. I believe the price has increased. Mine runs out in July so I suspect I will have do all of the above again.

 

[biffo]

I was on Go then I emailed octopus about go faster and they got back to me with 3 choices. I went with 5-hour Go period at 5.5p/kWh and select a start time of 20.30. There’s a limit to the number of slots for each period - if you miss out on your preferred one they will give you the next one available. I think it all about balancing the grid. I believe the price has increased. Mine runs out in July so I suspect I will have do all of the above again.

I just messsged them, I’m 7.5p on Go & 8.25p on Go Faster.

 

[Alun26]

Thanks for the reply's, I did message them last year to get on Go Faster, I guess I will have to do it again, I just thought that it would continue at renewal time.

 

[Alun26]

All sorted now via a Tweet should be back on Go Faster soon at 8.25p from 21:30 to 02:30

 

[biffo]

All sorted now via a Tweet should be back on Go Faster soon at 8.25p from 21:30 to 02:30

Their response to Twitter DM is impressively fast.

 

[BarryH]

All sorted now via a Tweet should be back on Go Faster soon at 8.25p from 21:30 to 02:30

I assume you need the 5-hours every night? I stuck with 'Go' and the 4-hour slot for the cheaper price per kWh. Assuming also if you need the 5 hours you are happy with the 0.75p per kWh 'Go Faster' premium since at 7 kW that is 5.25p per hour more expensive than 'Go' to charge your car. Then there are the other appliances you might run during the off-peak period. for example, 43% of my total usage is at the Octopus Go rate. I wouldn't personally want to have the extra 0.75p on 43% of my annual consumption.

 

[biffo]

I assume you need the 5-hours every night? I stuck with 'Go' and the 4-hour slot for the cheaper price per kWh. Assuming also if you need the 5 hours you are happy with the 0.75p per kWh 'Go Faster' premium since at 7 kW that is 5.25p per hour more expensive than 'Go' to charge your car. Then there are the other appliances you might run during the off-peak period. for example, 43% of my total usage is at the Octopus Go rate. I wouldn't personally want to have the extra 0.75p on 43% of my annual consumption.

I guess the other advantage of Go Faster (other than the extra hour) is the flexibility in the off-peak period offered. Might mean that both a wash and tumble dry could be achieved off-peak rather than just the overnight washing. Might be worth it, might not.

Like you say - it's all down to the individual use case. From my own perspective, it's 50/50 whether I charge the car enough to justify Go, but I may not be Working From Home forever and I like the idea of it anyway - so lets give it a try. Besides, I can always change back to variable tariff or increase to Go Faster once I understand my usage in more detail.

 

[Alun26]

The early time of the off peak is ideal for me as I can heat my water, dishwasher, washing machine and tumble all go on at this time I also do some cooking for the next day lunch. I’ve maxed out once at about 17kW.

 

[BarryH]

I guess the other advantage of Go Faster (other than the extra hour) is the flexibility in the off-peak period offered. Might mean that both a wash and tumble dry could be achieved off-peak rather than just the overnight washing. Might be worth it, might not.

Like you say - it's all down to the individual use case. From my own perspective, it's 50/50 whether I charge the car enough to justify Go, but I may not be Working From Home forever and I like the idea of it anyway - so lets give it a try. Besides, I can always change back to variable tariff or increase to Go Faster once I understand my usage in more detail.

You're absolutely right, you need to keep it under review. I locked into the 12 month fixed price of Go in mid-December 2021 at 5p and 24.6p but by end of January 2022 there had been I think two increases in the peak rate first to 30p and then something like 36p and the off-peak Go from 5p to 7.5p. Those steep rises prompted me to reassess the Solar PV and Storage economics which when I'd looked at them last in July 2021 Solar PV was still more expensive than Octopus's 24.6p Peak-rate. I'd calculated that as I'd only be in this home a maximum of 10 years I'd have to write off the £10k investment over ton years ie £1,000 per year and the predicted output of 2,800 kWh in year One. This means that in year One the cost of Solar PV generation would be 35.7p per kWh in the first year and rising thereafter (because PV output degrades 3% after 1 year and then 0.5% per year for years 2 to 10).
However, in early 2022 I started seriously researching Solar PV and Storage and have on order 4.8 kW of PV and 7.8 kWh of LEP Battery Storage with a Hybrid Inverter capable of 3.6 kWh constant and a boost up to 5 kW for up to 10 minutes. This should provide for most of my daytime use for 8 months of the year and then I can supplement the Solar by charging the Batteries on Go off-peak in the winter months thereby minimising but not completely eliminating Peak-time usage. I will monitor the situation closely and it may be that switching to Go-Faster with a longer off-peak period which starts in late evening would be more viable if the batteries are exhausted too early in the evening but in the evening my house is only consuming 300 to 350 watts because the heavy loads of Dishwasher, Washing Machine and EV Charging are already done in the early hours on Go. Who knows, Agile might return to be a more viable option.

 

[Ozzie1989]

I assume you need the 5-hours every night? I stuck with 'Go' and the 4-hour slot for the cheaper price per kWh. Assuming also if you need the 5 hours you are happy with the 0.75p per kWh 'Go Faster' premium since at 7 kW that is 5.25p per hour more expensive than 'Go' to charge your car. Then there are the other appliances you might run during the off-peak period. for example, 43% of my total usage is at the Octopus Go rate. I wouldn't personally want to have the extra 0.75p on 43% of my annual consumption.

Just in case you weren't aware you can have Go faster for 4 hours for the same price as Go if you want to shift the time forward. E.g.:

Octopus Go Faster (4H from 2130) March 2022 v1
Day unit rate:
35.04 p/kWh
Night unit rate:
7.5 p/kWh
Standing charge:
47.88 p/day

 

[rpannell]

You're absolutely right, you need to keep it under review. I locked into the 12 month fixed price of Go in mid-December 2021 at 5p and 24.6p but by end of January 2022 there had been I think two increases in the peak rate first to 30p and then something like 36p and the off-peak Go from 5p to 7.5p. Those steep rises prompted me to reassess the Solar PV and Storage economics which when I'd looked at them last in July 2021 Solar PV was still more expensive than Octopus's 24.6p Peak-rate. I'd calculated that as I'd only be in this home a maximum of 10 years I'd have to write off the £10k investment over ton years ie £1,000 per year and the predicted output of 2,800 kWh in year One. This means that in year One the cost of Solar PV generation would be 35.7p per kWh in the first year and rising thereafter (because PV output degrades 3% after 1 year and then 0.5% per year for years 2 to 10).
However, in early 2022 I started seriously researching Solar PV and Storage and have on order 4.8 kW of PV and 7.8 kWh of LEP Battery Storage with a Hybrid Inverter capable of 3.6 kWh constant and a boost up to 5 kW for up to 10 minutes. This should provide for most of my daytime use for 8 months of the year and then I can supplement the Solar by charging the Batteries on Go off-peak in the winter months thereby minimising but not completely eliminating Peak-time usage. I will monitor the situation closely and it may be that switching to Go-Faster with a longer off-peak period which starts in late evening would be more viable if the batteries are exhausted too early in the evening but in the evening my house is only consuming 300 to 350 watts because the heavy loads of Dishwasher, Washing Machine and EV Charging are already done in the early hours on Go. Who knows, Agile might return to be a more viable option.

You have made a good argument for the economics of installing the 7.8kWh battery storage, but I suspect that the economics for the the 4.8kWp of solar panels is not so convincing. Assuming that, once you have time shifted all your heavy use items into the nighttime cheap rate, the 7.8kWh battery will supply your remaining items. If so, then the effective value of each kWh of solar produced power is only 4.5p (EDF Go35) or 7.5p (Octopus Go). So your 2800kWh of solar generation is only saving you around £126 - £210 per year which will push the payback period to far more than 10 years.

 

[Gomev]

I don’t really have an answer other than I’ve just joined Octopus Go and Faster doesn’t appear to be an option for me - Intelligent seems to be on offer but only for specific vehicles/chargers. Mine isn’t one of them ?

Whichever you end up on at least you are fixed for a year with what looks like another big increase coming in October.
I don't really charge much at home and don't really have much to timeshift, but Go was about the only decent 'fix' around at the time I joined in March.
I do also take pleasure when I do charge that it only costs just over £4 to FULLY charge the car, i.e. if you could, 57 kWh at 7.5p = £4.27. (Not all in one go of course, on the 4 hours standard Go)

 

[BarryH]

Just in case you weren't aware you can have Go faster for 4 hours for the same price as Go if you want to shift the time forward. E.g.:

Octopus Go Faster (4H from 2130) March 2022 v1
Day unit rate:
35.04 p/kWh
Night unit rate:
7.5 p/kWh
Standing charge:
47.88 p/day

I'll pass on that then until my contract ends on 17/12/2022 because, my 4 hours Octopus Go which is from 00:30 to 04:30 suits me, especially with the steep increase in Daily Standing Charge 47.88p cricky! I pay 18.26p Daily Standing Charge and

However, Just noticed my Gas price on the flexible tariff has jumped to 7.34p/kWh (inc VAT) so time to switch over to heating DHW by Electric at 5p/kWh during the 4 hours nightly on Go

 

[Ozzie1989]

Of course you'd be silly to switch now whilst your on the old prices, but for anyone else not in that position it's easier to time shift devices etc. to 9.30pm ??

 

[pshotton]

You're absolutely right, you need to keep it under review. I locked into the 12 month fixed price of Go in mid-December 2021 at 5p and 24.6p but by end of January 2022 there had been I think two increases in the peak rate first to 30p and then something like 36p and the off-peak Go from 5p to 7.5p. Those steep rises prompted me to reassess the Solar PV and Storage economics which when I'd looked at them last in July 2021 Solar PV was still more expensive than Octopus's 24.6p Peak-rate. I'd calculated that as I'd only be in this home a maximum of 10 years I'd have to write off the £10k investment over ton years ie £1,000 per year and the predicted output of 2,800 kWh in year One. This means that in year One the cost of Solar PV generation would be 35.7p per kWh in the first year and rising thereafter (because PV output degrades 3% after 1 year and then 0.5% per year for years 2 to 10).
However, in early 2022 I started seriously researching Solar PV and Storage and have on order 4.8 kW of PV and 7.8 kWh of LEP Battery Storage with a Hybrid Inverter capable of 3.6 kWh constant and a boost up to 5 kW for up to 10 minutes. This should provide for most of my daytime use for 8 months of the year and then I can supplement the Solar by charging the Batteries on Go off-peak in the winter months thereby minimising but not completely eliminating Peak-time usage. I will monitor the situation closely and it may be that switching to Go-Faster with a longer off-peak period which starts in late evening would be more viable if the batteries are exhausted too early in the evening but in the evening my house is only consuming 300 to 350 watts because the heavy loads of Dishwasher, Washing Machine and EV Charging are already done in the early hours on Go. Who knows, Agile might return to be a more viable option.

Hi Barry
Very interested in your setup - thinking of doing something similar. Could you tell me what hybrid box you're using? What happens if your draw exceeds the 5kW, does it supply the rest from the grid?
Thanks, Phil

 

[BarryH]

Hi Barry
Very interested in your setup - thinking of doing something similar. Could you tell me what hybrid box you're using? What happens if your draw exceeds the 5kW, does it supply the rest from the grid?
Thanks, Phil

Hi Phil

I went hot the Fox-ESS 3.8 kW hybrid because it only needs a G98 Notification to the Nat Grid whereas the next model up the 5 kW Hybrid would need a G99 Application to connect and that introduces a delay as the local Grid operation has to assess the impact of you exporting 5Kw to the Grid.

The Fox ESS however can overrun the Nominal 3.8 kW and deliver up to 5 kW into the home to meet peak needs for moderate periods of several minutes ie long enough to boil a kettle and run your toaster or microwave at the same time without pulling from the grid. That 5 kW can be from battery or PV or both in combination so I have gone for 3x 2.6 kWh which can if required meet that 5 kW peak demand.

If availability had allowed I would have gone for the Fox-ESS All-in-one which costs about £500 more but encases the batteries and Inverter in one wall-mounted case and is even IP rated to be installed outside should space be at a premium.

 

[Lguk]

We get a snotty letter every few weeks for ukpn because apparently exporting 40kw is not acceptable ?