Octopus Free hour tomorrow (Sunday 2pm)

[Everest]

I plugged mine in this morning and set the Octopus app to add 45%, it started at 12:00 and says it will finish at 17:00.

for free?

 

[MG Clive]

While you're all still contemplating your free hour, my free 8 hours with EDF has just ended.

 

[Kenp1]

for free?

The hour between 14:00 and 15:00, the rest at 7p a unit.

 

[Everest]

While you're all still contemplating your free hour, my free 8 hours with EDF has just ended.

My 'free' solar is still charging the EV

 

[Bam Bam]

If you're on IOG all you get is the free car charging. Everything else is at normal rates.

I'm on 'regular' Go so they have no way of knowing.

My understanding is that they will compare to my usual usage. Which would probably be about -4kWh if they count exports or 0kWh if they don't.

I'm guessing I used 8kWh, but most went into the car so I only saved about 50p on that.

Weather forecasting is still very far from an exact science.

Indeed!

However, it won't be the sun you were wasting.

High winds in Scotland (plus solar in the South meaning no demand from there) meant that wind farms were being significantly curtailed.

Seagreen wind farm has been almost entirely curtailed from 8am to 3pm. If we had regional pricing your electricity would have been free today (Orange block means curtailed, the dotted line is what would have been provided to the grid and what will probably have to be paid for out of our standing charges).

GB Renewables Map

Live map showing realtime renewable energy generation in Great Britain

renewables-map.robinhawkes.com

 

[Rolfe]

Interesting, Bam Bam.

I didn't get a thing. Car was on a smart-charge request, just asking for 20% added before 5.30 am. Never got a schedule though, the app spent the entire middle of the day saying "Preparing your juice", until I just turned it all off after four.

My 'free' solar is still charging the EV

By that metric, I just got a lot of "free" public DC charging by using my Electroverse card, with the surplus I'd built up exporting that solar for 15p/unit.

 

[Alb]

Gave it my best shot today

 

[Rolfe]

Kudos. Care to elaborate?

 

[GaryMG4]

Being on IOG I was credited with 48p for having my car plugged in at the allotted hour. As smart schedule was active and solar was exporting I used 5.87kWh over the period.

 

[Bam Bam]

Apparently we got £2.71 credit for our usage on 02/07/2025.

Not on IOG so no complications.

Another one is happening tomorrow!

 

[Everest]

What do you have to do - we're on regular Octopus Go?

 

[GaryMG4]

What do you have to do - we're on regular Octopus Go?

Sign up on the app, should be an invite on the app or sent by email. Once signed up you are automatically included unless you opt out.

Apparently we got £2.71 credit for our usage on 02/07/2025.

Not on IOG so no complications.

Another one is happening tomorrow!

Was on Go last year so could really load up the system to the max, although the most was around £1.25.

 

[MG Clive]

What do you have to do

Switch to EDF and sign up to the Sunday Saver scheme, so far this year I've had £131.50 free leccy on Sundays (car charging day).

 

[Rolfe]

I got 50p for being plugged in, but it didn't give me any electricity. Hardly seems worth it.

 

[Rolfe]

Well, this is a bust. I plugged the car in, and the screen is telling me it's connected, but the Octopus app is insisting that I'm not plugged in. I'm not going to get anything at this rate.

 

[Bam Bam]

Was on Go last year so could really load up the system to the max, although the most was around £1.25.

Yeah that amount includes electricity I would not have bought at peak rate but instead would have done so at cheap rate, so in reality it is less.

Masses of curtailment going on overnight and today. All that gets added on to our bills, so shifting usage to now is helping reduce those charges for all.

 

[Rolfe]

Well, this is a bust. I plugged the car in, and the screen is telling me it's connected, but the Octopus app is insisting that I'm not plugged in. I'm not going to get anything at this rate.

View attachment 37884

The problem has cleared now, might have been an internet connectivity issue. But the schedule created is from 2.30 am to 5.30 am so they can't be that keen to offload electricity. It's dull and cloudy here and the high winds of the morning have calmed down.

 

[Bam Bam]

The problem has cleared now, might have been an internet connectivity issue. But the schedule created is from 2.30 am to 5.30 am so they can't be that keen to offload electricity. It's dull and cloudy here and the high winds of the morning have calmed down.

Yeah the curtailment seems to have stopped, mostly by 1pm.

Last night was the 'greener night' so that was a signal to use up some of that surplus wind. I plugged in the car but forgot to update the schedule so only got 10kwh in the 90 minutes.

Need some big battery banks near the wind farms to absorb the surplus.

 

[securespark]

Not tried the stick

I did. Accidentally.

I can tell you it flippin' hurt.

A lot.

I said some very naughty words that would have made my Granny blush.

 

[GaryMG4]

Yeah that amount includes electricity I would not have bought at peak rate but instead would have done so at cheap rate, so in reality it is less.

Masses of curtailment going on overnight and today. All that gets added on to our bills, so shifting usage to now is helping reduce those charges for all.

I think in my case I delayed Sunday lunch a little, put the dish washer on early, had a load in the washing machine and tumble dryer plus car, so some of that would have been time shifted but not all.