The Cheapest Energy So Far

[John Brown]

They use 2 x 2 hour periods where the grid demand isn't as high as the max daily demand. They use 09:30 to 11:30 and 22:00 to midnight to discount the peal price to 13.37p. I would guess that people that don't have solar / battery it will be quite attractive for washing machine, tumble dryer, dish washer etc. also good to give electric heating a boost.

Peal, rather than peak. Irrelevant, really, but I get the impression that PP thought you were saying the time periods you specified were classed as peak, when I understood it to mean that those periods would "normally" be in the non-discounted band, but we're being offered at a cheaper rate.

I feel like I'm confusing the issue even more now, with my muddy explanation...

 

[Phil Pascoe]

OP - I didn't say you or your post was weird, just that it's just weird they class those times as peak. The spikes in usage are much earlier in both the morning and the evening. Yes, those reductions are useful but that's not what I'm querying. Octopus for some odd reason choose my night rate to be from 11pm - 12am then 1am - 7am. I don't know why 12am - 1am should be full rate.

 

[johnb80]

OP - I didn't say you or your post was weird, just that it's just weird they class those times as peak. The spikes in usage are much earlier in both the morning and the evening. Yes, those reductions are useful but that's not what I'm querying. Octopus for some odd reason choose my night rate to be from 11pm - 12am then 1am - 7am. I don't know why 12am - 1am should be full rate.

Understood.

It's really that most energy suppliers have two ranges, peak and off peak and Tomato have added a third range kind of mid peak or a discounted period during the conventional peak time. I feel it's useful for many, not for me because I only run on the 5p off peak rate

 

[johnb80]

Peal, rather than peak. Irrelevant, really, but I get the impression that PP thought you were saying the time periods you specified were classed as peak, when I understood it to mean that those periods would "normally" be in the non-discounted band, but we're being offered at a cheaper rate.

Aye thats another way to explain it.

I feel like I'm confusing the issue even more now, with my muddy explanation...

Not at all, thank you

 

[Oldman]

Being quite interested in this new offering from Tomato I set out to see just how much cheaper it could be for me. Currently my solar and batteries are with Octopus on Flux tariff. I used a full year's worth of figures from Flux import and export to gain some idea of how much cheaper Tomato could be.
Maths and spreadsheets are not my strongest point so I did use octopus compare App to shift the burden some. It allows you to directly compare flux with any tariff you input.
So I had £545 import from flux in the last 12 months and £193 from the export to flux. Tomato import cost would have been £264 over the same period.
So £545-£264= saving of £281 but subtract my export of £193 (as tomato dont do export) leaves £87 then add *SEG payments of £42 leaves a final number £130 better off with tomato, which is 36p/day.
Also as the smart electric meter would be with tomato, Octopus would not be able to read the SEG export or the smart gas meter so both those would need to be read monthly.
Oh Tomato is a 12 month fixed contract with no get out costs.

*You cant have flux export only and need to switch to SEG which is paid at 4.1p/kWh

In my case the faffing about changing stuff was just too much and I have elected to stay put. Maybe I have too much disposable pension even without the winter fuel payment and the October imminent hike in fuel costs, maybe I will regret it down the line. I ALWAYS chose the wrong checkout queue so maybe so.

 

[johnb80]

Being quite interested in this new offering from Tomato I set out to see just how much cheaper it could be for me. Currently my solar and batteries are with Octopus on Flux tariff. I used a full year's worth of figures from Flux import and export to gain some idea of how much cheaper Tomato could be.
Maths and spreadsheets are not my strongest point so I did use octopus compare App to shift the burden some. It allows you to directly compare flux with any tariff you input.
So I had £545 import from flux in the last 12 months and £193 from the export to flux. Tomato import cost would have been £264 over the same period.
So £545-£264= saving of £281 but subtract my export of £193 (as tomato dont do export) leaves £87 then add *SEG payments of £42 leaves a final number £130 better off with tomato, which is 36p/day.

You can export elsewhere, my export has stayed with Octopus and according to their customer services it can stay there on 15p kWh

Also as the smart electric meter would be with tomato, Octopus would not be able to read the SEG export or the smart gas meter so both those would need to be read monthly.

It doesnt work like that, the readings can still be read by the supplying companies.

Oh Tomato is a 12 month fixed contract with no get out costs.

Correct and no restrictions like with Octopus

*You cant have flux export only and need to switch to SEG which is paid at 4.1p/kWh

My export tariff renewed 4 days ago at the same rate.

In my case the faffing about changing stuff was just too much and I have elected to stay put. Maybe I have too much disposable pension even without the winter fuel payment and the October imminent hike in fuel costs, maybe I will regret it down the line. I ALWAYS chose the wrong checkout queue so maybe so.

Absolutely your choice, 15p export may make the numbers look even more favourable?

 

[Oldman]

Well John, Octopus seem to change the rules as it suits.

Here is a quote from todays Octopus email. "In terms of the export this would be switched to Smart export guarantee, as we would no longer be able to communicate with your smart meter as this will be communicating with Tomato instead of us due to the import."
He went on to say "Unfortunately, we will have a similar issue with your gas, as this also requires a connection to your electric smart meter, so whilst we can keep this you would need to submit the readings manually."

Outgoing Octopus would @15p mean a saving of £215 or 59p/day.
Tempting me again!

 

[johnb80]

Well John, Octopus seem to change the rules as it suits.

Here is a quote from todays Octopus email. "In terms of the export this would be switched to Smart export guarantee, as we would no longer be able to communicate with your smart meter as this will be communicating with Tomato instead of us due to the import."

I went live on Tomato on 1st September:-

He went on to say "Unfortunately, we will have a similar issue with your gas, as this also requires a connection to your electric smart meter, so whilst we can keep this you would need to submit the readings manually."

oh dear, how could this happen?

Outgoing Octopus would @15p mean a saving of £215 or 59p/day.
Tempting me again!

You have to make your own mind up, I'm a newbie with Tomato and it may all go wrong but in my view the savings are too great to ignore and I'm pretty hacked off with Octopus as you know.

 

[Sachakins]

@Oldman
How did impact of reduced standing charge factor have towards your calculated savings

 

[Oldman]

@Oldman
How did impact of reduced standing charge factor have towards your calculated savings

I'm really not sure if I or the octopus compare app factored that in but lets say not, the difference is £51/yr add that to the £215 saving already factored, so £266/yr or 73p/day savings.
Thats assuming Octopus will not offer the 12m flux export fixed @ 15p/kWh.