Barry Keenan

In the last week Octopus Energy has launched and run free #energy sessions in GB; opportunities for consumers to use energy above and beyond their normal usage at no cost. Much like the energy saving sessions in the winter, the incentive applies to the energy used (or saved in the winter) outside your normal average usage at the relevant time of day. I’ve quite happily participated in the free energy sessions, unlike some others who have proudly stated that they haven’t participated and “there’s no point” because the savings will be minimal. That’s shortsighted and it wasn’t a big deal to do your bit. I charged my EV, and turned on the dishwasher, washing machine and tumble dryer between 1-2pm. I would have done all of those things at another time during the day anyway so it was no great hardship. True enough, the savings are minimal if you take it as a one off. What will I have saved during the energy savings sessions, £1, £2, maybe? It’s not going to change my life. If you focus on the small personal gain exclusively then you miss the point of participation. The point of the process, in my opinion, is to operate collectively to the benefit of every participant and the market and system as a whole. A different question; what will I save / generate across the year if I participate in all the Octopus savings or usage sessions? £50? Again, not an amount that will change my life but it's a meaningful amount through simple interventions so why wouldn't you participate? I’ll definitely bask in the warm, smug glow of having done my bit. The free energy sessions are only possible due to an oversupply of #electricity during periods of high #solar and #wind #generation. At those times energy prices become extremely low and in some cases negative. I don’t know the full commercial rationale for the Octopus product but I have to assume they will be paid for the additional volume, outside forecast, used in their portfolio during those times. By operating a free energy product their customers get free energy and Octopus is paid, and the grid is able to offload the excess energy. The customer wins, Octopus wins, the grid wins, the market wins. The more people that participate in the energy sessions, both saving and using, the more we can use these products as a regular tool to help balance and operate the market. I was happy to do my bit. We should all take pride in reducing the energy we use but also in helping the grid and the #market to operate efficiently when called upon.

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