Hi everyone
Note sure if this is a good idea. We'll see.
I could not find on the forum a thread that discuss the pros and cons of the various export tariffs available and why should you use one rather than another.
I will start with what I know/assume and I am sure you'll be able to add to it and even prove my assumptions wrong.
I am talking about the current tariffs available and not the old one when the FiT was available with the so called "assumed 50% export"
1) Export but do nothing:
I know someone who got solar panels in April and wanted to wait a bit before selling to the grid. At the moment he exports to the grid but get nothing in return.
Pro: No registration
Con: Loss of true passive income
2) Octopus Go/Economy 7:
Fixed import tariff at slightly above than normal except during some hours, usually 00:00 to 4:30am where the electricity is 7.5p/kWh
Pros: You get cheaper electricity off peak. Useful to run devices that can run at night and consume and of course to charge the batteries during the off peak time if they are a bit flat and you know it will not be sunny the following day.
Cons: You do not sell electricity to the grid. You need to plan when to charge the batteries at night. It would be a shame you charge them for 4 hours and the following day is a very sunny day
3) SEG
You sell your exported electricity at around a fixed price of 7.5kWh regardless of when you export. You still need to be on a tariff to import
Pros: You get some money for your exported electricity
Cons: You still import at a much higher rate than you export.
4) Agile
The import and export tariffs depends on the demand and prices are determined 30min ahead and changes every 30min. Sometimes the export tariff is higher than the import tariff
Pros: You can sell your electricity at a higher price than you import
Cons: You need a device that will automate the process and decide if your priority is to store electricity as much as possible if you have batteries, or sell as much as possible at always the highest price. You cannot benefit of the Economie 7. Therefore at night you pay the wholesale price at a time
How to choose which one to go for:
Obviously 1) is not to be chosen. With or without battery if you export you should get paid. Bar.
Where I am still to learn more is this exact point how to decide on which tariff. Of course it will depend on your strategy
Strategy 1) Store as much as possible (add batteries if you fill you are still exporting too much) and therefore export as little as possible.
For this strategy there will be situation where you still need to import electricity. In that case, if you import more than you export. I think the Economy 7 is best suited with SEG
Strategy 2) Export as much as possible (either all excess because you do not have batteries, or a compromise between your storage need and trying to export as much as possible when the export tariff is higher than the import tariff)
I think in this case Agile is the most suited if the equipment is smart enough to always balance the needs to store enough, always sell when the export price is higher than the import price, and be able to charge when required the batteries from the grid at a cheaper price
Strategy 3) I cannot think of something else.
I appreciate some of you have generator and all sort of other generation devices but I think the above still apply. How to deal with any excess of electricity.
I hope this new discussion will bring clarity to any newcomers including myself.
Thank you for your time and contribution. Please try to stay with the topic
Note sure if this is a good idea. We'll see.
I could not find on the forum a thread that discuss the pros and cons of the various export tariffs available and why should you use one rather than another.
I will start with what I know/assume and I am sure you'll be able to add to it and even prove my assumptions wrong.
I am talking about the current tariffs available and not the old one when the FiT was available with the so called "assumed 50% export"
1) Export but do nothing:
I know someone who got solar panels in April and wanted to wait a bit before selling to the grid. At the moment he exports to the grid but get nothing in return.
Pro: No registration
Con: Loss of true passive income
2) Octopus Go/Economy 7:
Fixed import tariff at slightly above than normal except during some hours, usually 00:00 to 4:30am where the electricity is 7.5p/kWh
Pros: You get cheaper electricity off peak. Useful to run devices that can run at night and consume and of course to charge the batteries during the off peak time if they are a bit flat and you know it will not be sunny the following day.
Cons: You do not sell electricity to the grid. You need to plan when to charge the batteries at night. It would be a shame you charge them for 4 hours and the following day is a very sunny day
3) SEG
You sell your exported electricity at around a fixed price of 7.5kWh regardless of when you export. You still need to be on a tariff to import
Pros: You get some money for your exported electricity
Cons: You still import at a much higher rate than you export.
4) Agile
The import and export tariffs depends on the demand and prices are determined 30min ahead and changes every 30min. Sometimes the export tariff is higher than the import tariff
Pros: You can sell your electricity at a higher price than you import
Cons: You need a device that will automate the process and decide if your priority is to store electricity as much as possible if you have batteries, or sell as much as possible at always the highest price. You cannot benefit of the Economie 7. Therefore at night you pay the wholesale price at a time
How to choose which one to go for:
Obviously 1) is not to be chosen. With or without battery if you export you should get paid. Bar.
Where I am still to learn more is this exact point how to decide on which tariff. Of course it will depend on your strategy
Strategy 1) Store as much as possible (add batteries if you fill you are still exporting too much) and therefore export as little as possible.
For this strategy there will be situation where you still need to import electricity. In that case, if you import more than you export. I think the Economy 7 is best suited with SEG
Strategy 2) Export as much as possible (either all excess because you do not have batteries, or a compromise between your storage need and trying to export as much as possible when the export tariff is higher than the import tariff)
I think in this case Agile is the most suited if the equipment is smart enough to always balance the needs to store enough, always sell when the export price is higher than the import price, and be able to charge when required the batteries from the grid at a cheaper price
Strategy 3) I cannot think of something else.
I appreciate some of you have generator and all sort of other generation devices but I think the above still apply. How to deal with any excess of electricity.
I hope this new discussion will bring clarity to any newcomers including myself.
Thank you for your time and contribution. Please try to stay with the topic
