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Saving Sessions / Demand reduction thread

"Thank you for taking part in our eclipse challenge last week.
Almost 800,000 people powered down – the most ever – collectively saving 347 megawatt hours (as much electricity as the entire city of Leicester). In return, you collectively used £170,000 worth of free power last Sunday!
I was honestly blown away by your efforts. And so, we decided to keep it going while the weather’s still warm...
Score free electricity in Weekend Happy Hours.
Until 1st November, when you use less electricity in two weekday Saving Sessions, you earn an hour of free power at the weekend.

How does Weekend Happy Hours work?
  1. Power Down: 2x weekday Power Down sessions = 1 Weekend Happy Hour. You'll still earn some Octopoints for doing Power Down sessions too.
  2. Pick your Happy Hour: Choose your weekend hour in advance, or keep it for another one. You can save a couple of hours up to use them all at once, if you prefer.
  3. Remember: Stick a reminder in your calendar to make the most of your free power.
  4. Fill your boots: During your Happy Hour, your power is entirely free (up to a 16kWh cap – which is enough to light up a stadium!), so use as much as you need, while staying safe.
  5. Credit incoming: You’ll be charged as normal during your Happy Hours, and we’ll credit you back for any electricity you use during that time within 14 days."
Oh nice !
 
They're pants anyway, do you remember when we got over a £1 a kWh, sometimes much higher than that IIRC?? The most I ever got in one session was £33.75

2023 £122 (only November & December)
2024 £69
2025 £17.18

On first impressions this looks similar value to what we currently get, but a bit harder to manage, but with decreasing solar, it will be easier. Being able to choose the time will help a bit.
 
reef said:
To me it implies that the Octopoints offered on saving sessions are going to be pants from now on.
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From now on? They're crap already have been for ages. 10p is an insult.

The free power hour probably sounds more attractive to normal users than saving 10p, I imagine almost everyone apart from battery users (a tiny minority) had stopped participating in these sessions.
 
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200sols said:
From now on? They're crap already have been for ages. 10p is an insult.

The free power hour probably sounds more attractive to normal users than saving 10p, I imagine almost everyone apart from battery users (a tiny minority) had stopped participating in these sessions.
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Absolutely

Imagine sitting in the dark for a couple of hours and delaying your dinner in order to save 50p!

I remember when people used to say they would shut the house down and go to the pub for a pint, which was in effect free or nigh on.
 
50p? That would mean saving 5kwh in that one hour. For most people it’s closer to 15p and that’s if they turn off the main breaker by the meter.
 
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200sols said:
From now on? They're crap already have been for ages. 10p is an insult.

The free power hour probably sounds more attractive to normal users than saving 10p, I imagine almost everyone apart from battery users (a tiny minority) had stopped participating in these sessions.
Click to expand...
Indeed. However I bet we see rubbish like 3 or 4p/kWh now. At least its not peak summer, but I imagine if it goes down it'll never come back up.
 
b0rn2sk8 said:
50p? That would mean saving 5kwh in that one hour. For most people it’s closer to 15p and that’s if they turn off the main breaker by the meter.
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I did say a couple of hours, so either the longer session or two hour ones ;)

From my view of people that come home switch on the oven etc they probably do use at that sort of rate for an hour or more.

But it wasn't supposed to be an exam question just a view that its pennies and most people won't care to engage now.
I don't see the fun side of it that some were doing coming across anymore.
(People were making in fun with the kids, having a picnic in the dark under a table etc)

reef said:
Indeed. However I bet we see rubbish like 3 or 4p/kWh now. At least its not peak summer, but I imagine if it goes down it'll never come back up.
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This is only up until Nov
Export is probably too high anyway, these demand reductions probably too low.
There is quite a lot of competition to secure the slots so there is capacity there which has driven down the prices. Its simply market forces.
(thats what I would like to see happen, lower standard export and bump up demand reduction but part is supplier controlled and part market forces)
 
My evening load is about 1kWh so the sessions have always been crap for me, so unless I know I am not going to be home little point taking part
 
I've now got 2 "tokens" but no option to get a free session this weekend. I guess we will have to wait until next weekend
With my west facing array I will be trying to grab the earliest session I can.

Dump the batts before then load it up recharging them, dishwasher, washing machine, solar diverter switched on etc
By the end of Oct they should be pretty useful, hell even some heating with the AC unit on heat mode becomes viable to bump it up a smidge

Just hope we get the saving sessions regularly enough to trigger this frequently
 
do the tokens expire? probably worth to keep the tokens for the winter months (weeks)...esp if having ASHP/air con
 
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tamzzy said:
do the tokens expire? probably worth to keep the tokens for the winter months (weeks)...esp if having ASHP/air con
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they say you can save to get a double session, I havent looked into the detail that much
I guess the only risk is being able to grab the slots when they come up, they are limited although how limited who knows

And TBH, the air con side is low compared to the rest, we often get the powerups and I tend to be maxing the first hour to hour and half but the end most stuff is winding down, batts are full/slow charge, water may be maxed heat, DW and washing are using little elec etc
 
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