Why I Switched From Agile to Intelligent Octopus Flux

* NOTES SINCE PUBLICATION * I forgot to make the point in the video that you currently need to have a GivEnergy battery to be on Intelligent Octopus Flux.

Another excellent video. It's great to see you trying these tariffs out. As an owner of a givenergy battery I will wait with baited breath for the results.

Another great topic Gary! Probably needs a warning up-front though that if you don't have a GivEnergy battery (and most don't) that this option is simply not available. For most of us this is something that may happen in the future, or just fades away.

Love your video’s and I’ve been running IOF since April. I’m only just getting comfortable with them managing everything. I’m struggling with the infinite battery concept being something for the winter though. I did occasionally miss starting or stopping Timed Discharge and this certainly relieves me of that (self-imposed) stress. Keep up the good good 👍🏻

Initial comments after having switched from Agile after Gary’s video, it seems to be doing what many have done using HomeAssistant and the Add On PredBat, but without the angst of learning all the ins and outs of those systems. It is apparent it uses the solar forecasts then starts charging the battery as the inverter starts clipping the output, then dumps it all down to 33% of our 8.2kWh battery. So far so good 😀

Thanks Gary, I too am on Agile+fixed export and had considered going back to Flux, your video has caused me to do some envelope calculations for IOF - conclusion is that it's marginal benefit for me: I compared two days, 12th May poor solar (30kWh generated, 9 imported) where on Agile I received £2 net profit, on IOF it's £1.10 For 14th May a good solar day (70 generated, 13 imported), Agile profit was £8.25, IOF it'd be £8.90. Assuming more good than not good, IOF is therefore slightly better but not much, offset in part by the standing charge being 24p higher. In your calculations of peak rate cost arbitrage I suggest you need to subtract your peak period home consumption from the export potential as you want to be taking that from the battery not the grid. On those two days for me it's 2.8kWh peak consumption that would come off my theoretical best case 10.7kWh peak period export. If Octopus doesn't export the most it can then profit will of course be lower. Interesting stuff though

Gary, good video and explaining to people how it works. I changed from Octopus Go also in Oct last year to Agile. But the Agile wasn't for me, there are nice low or 'you get money' for importing or exporting electricity but it didn't get me what I wanted. I switched in April to Octopus Intelligent Go (as I have an EV). I have also PV and batteries and have now my import down to approx 8p/kW using the 7ppkw charging over night (Scotland)

An excellent and timely reminder to have another look at this tariff. It didn’t seem to make any sense when it was first released at the end of last summer.

The 1600 - 1900 hours discharge is also flexible. I’ve noticed that I’ve been discharging till 1930 ish probably to get the battery down to a reasonable recharge level. My total energy cost last month on this tariff was £13. That’s because we heat our water with gas. At the moment in May I’m £60 to the good. As I commented originally months ago it does take a bit of getting used to, so far I am satisfied how it is performing. Keep up the good work Gary.

Haa hhaaa, you had us at Horse Guards parade and now you have us at the Oxford post office.

Hi Gary, I have just switched today from Octopus Flux to the Intelligent tariff. Looking forward to see how it all works out. The beauty of Octopus is the ability to quickly switch between tariffs, so you are not tied in if something does not work out as you expected.

Thanks, Gary - very helpful to get my head around possibilities. I don't have supported batteries (PureDrive II) but put them on the list with Octopus. Currently on Octopus Flux and doing my own arbitrage for the summer - which is going well so far. £100 in revenue since March, as my production is much greater than usage and I have found a manual force charge setting that works most days. Looking forward to hearing about the "One Tariff" approach 👍

Thanks again for the interesting video. I should be on this tariff from 20th May as that's when my Solar 12 panel array and Givenergy 5.2 KWh battery. I will need to get my head around the spreadsheets and at some point would like to compare notes with you Gary

When the role out allows more than 'Give Energy' battery systems I'm going to switch. I'm on the standard flux tarrif at the moment but want to swap ASAP... Great Channel Gary keep up the good content 👍

Hi Gay, fantastic video as usual. I've been on IOF for the last few months, and for the most part it works great as you say. However I think it can be more intelligent. I have noticed on a sunny day, when my PV can generate 7.5kw, there can be 3.0kw charging of the battery and 4kw export with baseload of 0.5kw. Fantastic !!! But I have noticed the battery being idle or worse actually charging from the grid during the morning of a forecasted sunny day. My theory is that it may be possible to have the battery full by lunch time. With the sun still shining I will still export at 4kw with 0.5kw baseload but the battery can't charge as it is full, with generation at about 7.5kw, my system will be clipped by 3.5kw / hour. If the system was "more intelligent" and took a sunny forecast in to account it would not import to charge the battery in the morning, as it knows the charging will be by solar allowing maximum useage of the PV generation. Now I haven't actually seen this happen yet, but I'd be interested to know if other people have seen this.

Other than not having GivEnergy my concern with this tariff is not having a large enough battery. You need at least 15 kW of storage to be able to have the battery exporting for the full three hour peak period otherwise you will have to buy in some energy at peak rate. I prefer Flux. It would be interesting to see your calculations for how much better Intelligent Flux is than regular flux? Less than 5% of my energy is being used at anything other than the cheap overnight rate.

I've been on IOF for a few weeks now, and I've found it works a little differently from how you explained. I'm getting reduced power export at around 2KW between 4 30pm and 6pm then further export from 7pm to 8pm (outside of peak rate). Battery discharges to 40% and idles overnight so drawing from the grid. It starts to charge up to a limit of 1200W in the morning when it gets light from solar. I've turned off my Eddi solar diverter to maximise export income. This time Last year I was exporting 33% of my solar generation, whereas this year it is nearer to double, even when subtracting the night time draw from the grid. It looks very profitable, but it seems the battery is being used to balance grid demand rather than maximising income for the customer, after all this is the whole purpose of the product !

FYI: I live in Spain and have contracted Octopus Relax Tariff. (that's how it's called over here). I pay 0,1240 €/kWh + VAT (21%) (10.67 pence / kWh+VAT). For a household of 2, we consumed about 300kWh in March, and will probably use about 3000 kWh this year. Just to compare with your (Gary) 7200kWh. I assume you have electric immersion heater. I heat water with nat gas. And we of course have milder climate.

i been on IOF since april and it working great right now :)

I've just had my 1st month on Intelligent Octopus Flux , We have had a good generation peroid so I am in the plus this month ( £87 ) So far I am happy with the control of my systen By Octopus Although I wouldnt mind if we could set a lower max charge point ( 100%) just for the general health of the battery , Happy to float between say 10% and 90 % so to not stress the batteries . I really love your " Infinate" Battery concept it makes real sence Although my heart would realy like to see days when I dont have to import off peak and Just use solar or Night rate power from the batteries I would love to find an app so I could compare my import , use & Generation against various tarrifs Keep up the great "man in the streeet" understandable videos Andy 5 kw gen 2 giveneryy inveter , 15 kw givenery batteries , 6.34 kw solar