Batteries VAT free from 1/2/24

[Joeboy]

If I was looking to grow my battery storage specifically for financial return I'd be careful as there is no guarantee how long IO and 15p per will be about.

The asset isn't simple to transfer, will degrade, doesn't have a compounding side that's guaranteed and is not limited in time.

If on the other hand you've done your sums and are happy with the risk & return... Looking forward to the photos!

Have you got any sums to show on the project. That would be interesting?

Do you not fancy the diy route?

The financial return is the icing on the cake, my main objective is to protect us from peak rate in case they go nuts again (hopefully not) and IOG changes.
We are quite heavy users with 3 EVs and ASHPs etc and on the very cold months and lots of driving can use 3.25-3.75 mWh a month.
IOG has saved us a small fortune which I can re-invest in further storage, if I can get a return quicker even better. I think I could make £100-150 per month in the sunny months.
There is no way I could consider DIY, my limit was swapping the immersion fuse spur for a WiFi timer switch and SWMBO was not happy that I even did that
[/quote]

Ah OK, you've done your homework. A shame you can't go the diy route. I'm sure a more knowledgeable member will be along to help with the specifics. Can I ask how much for the new battery? I am pricing up for myself and would appreciate a recent comparison point?

[Krill]

Yuff, do you have a DNO export limit? Adding more AC inverters via professional may well require that the new batteries are unavailable for export purposes.

[nowty]

We are quite heavy users with 3 EVs and ASHPs etc and on the very cold months and lots of driving can use 3.25-3.75 mWh a month.

Just on that basis (I know you mean mega and not milli ) its a no brainer to add more batteries and more solar PV if you can. I'm about 2MWh in Dec and Jan and sometimes even my battery is at its limit if its several days of sub zero.

As an importer on IOG the difference between cheapslot and peak rate is 22.5p for me, lets say 20p after conversion losses. As an exporter, the difference between export rates and cheapslot after conversion losses is only about 5p.

[John_S]

The other thing to consider is that, in the not too distant future, there will be V2G. Your car batteries will be able to do much of the work and then the other batteries will be largely redundant.

Remember that Octopus is a much a software company as an energy provider. They licence their Kraken software to several other energy suppliers both in the UK and overseas. Indeed, the main reason they became an energy company is that their software customers wanted them to run a test bed for the software that they were licencing. With IOG, they know your charger, they know your car, they know how much energy is going into the car and they could, if they wanted to, limit the cheap rate to the energy that goes into the car and nothing else, especially for the extra slots.

[Yuff]

We are quite heavy users with 3 EVs and ASHPs etc and on the very cold months and lots of driving can use 3.25-3.75 mWh a month.

Just on that basis (I know you mean mega and not milli ) its a no brainer to add more batteries and more solar PV if you can. I'm about 2MWh in Dec and Jan and sometimes even my battery is at its limit if its several days of sub zero.

As an importer on IOG the difference between cheapslot and peak rate is 22.5p for me, lets say 20p after conversion losses. As an exporter, the difference between export rates and cheapslot after conversion losses is only about 5p.

I looked at adding more solar but I can’t get enough panels to justify the scaffolding and the the majority of the roof, not with panels, has too many trees around it and North facing.
Batteries are my best option but as John points out, in the post after yours, I’ve been holding out for V2H and V2H and it doesn’t seem to be getting any closer.
If I can get the two 9.5s and not much more than the AIO that’s probably what I would go for I think.
If there isn’t much in it I’ll go for the AIO. Sorely tempted to go for two AIO. IOG savings have paid for one of them over the past 12 months.

[94JDH]

We are quite heavy users with 3 EVs and ASHPs etc and on the very cold months and lots of driving can use 3.25-3.75 mWh a month.

Just on that basis (I know you mean mega and not milli ) its a no brainer to add more batteries and more solar PV if you can. I'm about 2MWh in Dec and Jan and sometimes even my battery is at its limit if its several days of sub zero.

As an importer on IOG the difference between cheapslot and peak rate is 22.5p for me, lets say 20p after conversion losses. As an exporter, the difference between export rates and cheapslot after conversion losses is only about 5p.

I looked at adding more solar but I can’t get enough panels to justify the scaffolding and the the majority of the roof, not with panels, has too many trees around it and North facing.
Batteries are my best option but as John points out, in the post after yours, I’ve been holding out for V2H and V2H and it doesn’t seem to be getting any closer.
If I can get the two 9.5s and not much more than the AIO that’s probably what I would go for I think.
If there isn’t much in it I’ll go for the AIO. Sorely tempted to go for two AIO. IOG savings have paid for one of them over the past 12 months.

Have you thought about running another hybrid inverter parallel? I've just added another two 9.5kwh batteries (two per inverter) it gives you the benefit of double charge/discharge rates but potentially need balancing with HA or the official Givenergy EMS (when it's finally out!).

[Yuff]

Just on that basis (I know you mean mega and not milli ) its a no brainer to add more batteries and more solar PV if you can. I'm about 2MWh in Dec and Jan and sometimes even my battery is at its limit if its several days of sub zero.

As an importer on IOG the difference between cheapslot and peak rate is 22.5p for me, lets say 20p after conversion losses. As an exporter, the difference between export rates and cheapslot after conversion losses is only about 5p.

I looked at adding more solar but I can’t get enough panels to justify the scaffolding and the the majority of the roof, not with panels, has too many trees around it and North facing.
Batteries are my best option but as John points out, in the post after yours, I’ve been holding out for V2H and V2H and it doesn’t seem to be getting any closer.
If I can get the two 9.5s and not much more than the AIO that’s probably what I would go for I think.
If there isn’t much in it I’ll go for the AIO. Sorely tempted to go for two AIO. IOG savings have paid for one of them over the past 12 months.

Have you thought about running another hybrid inverter parallel? I've just added another two 9.5kwh batteries (two per inverter) it gives you the benefit of double charge/discharge rates but potentially need balancing with HA or the official Givenergy EMS (when it's finally out!).

I think because I only have one solar string I can’t do that, I was told I need an ac inverter separate to my 2 batteries and hybrid inverter. But if it’s possible I’ll certainly ask the question.

[94JDH]

I looked at adding more solar but I can’t get enough panels to justify the scaffolding and the the majority of the roof, not with panels, has too many trees around it and North facing.
Batteries are my best option but as John points out, in the post after yours, I’ve been holding out for V2H and V2H and it doesn’t seem to be getting any closer.
If I can get the two 9.5s and not much more than the AIO that’s probably what I would go for I think.
If there isn’t much in it I’ll go for the AIO. Sorely tempted to go for two AIO. IOG savings have paid for one of them over the past 12 months.

Have you thought about running another hybrid inverter parallel? I've just added another two 9.5kwh batteries (two per inverter) it gives you the benefit of double charge/discharge rates but potentially need balancing with HA or the official Givenergy EMS (when it's finally out!).

I think because I only have one solar string I can’t do that, I was told I need an ac inverter separate to my 2 batteries and hybrid inverter. But if it’s possible I’ll certainly ask the question.

Yes, you should be able to run a second hybrid without the DC input, an AC will work fine as suggested but the charge/discharge of the AC unit will be reduced to 3kW/3kW compared to the hybrid 3.3kW/3.6KW.

[Yuff]

Have you thought about running another hybrid inverter parallel? I've just added another two 9.5kwh batteries (two per inverter) it gives you the benefit of double charge/discharge rates but potentially need balancing with HA or the official Givenergy EMS (when it's finally out!).

I think because I only have one solar string I can’t do that, I was told I need an ac inverter separate to my 2 batteries and hybrid inverter. But if it’s possible I’ll certainly ask the question.

Yes, you should be able to run a second hybrid without the DC input, an AC will work fine as suggested but the charge/discharge of the AC unit will be reduced to 3kW/3kW compared to the hybrid 3.3kW/3.6KW.

Thanks 94JDH
I will raise that with my installer tomorrow.
He was saying I would have to have the new battery/batteries on a separate system, with your suggestion can I keep the batteries on the same system?
Maybe it has to be a separate system as it has no DC input.
I’ll see what he comes up with and prices and go from there.

[94JDH]

I think because I only have one solar string I can’t do that, I was told I need an ac inverter separate to my 2 batteries and hybrid inverter. But if it’s possible I’ll certainly ask the question.

Yes, you should be able to run a second hybrid without the DC input, an AC will work fine as suggested but the charge/discharge of the AC unit will be reduced to 3kW/3kW compared to the hybrid 3.3kW/3.6KW.

Thanks 94JDH
I will raise that with my installer tomorrow.
He was saying I would have to have the new battery/batteries on a separate system, with your suggestion can I keep the batteries on the same system?
Maybe it has to be a separate system as it has no DC input.
I’ll see what he comes up with and prices and go from there.

My system has PV ( DC inputs) on both inverters but that shouldn't make a difference ( it works when DC isn't connected).
It is commissioned as a plant system from the portal, two batteries on each inverter (one master,one slave) - the opposite batteries can pick up excess power from the other inverter if those batteries are full as the inverters monitor AC power.