Octopus Go for Solar Owners

By Home Solar Guide Team||comparison
Independently written | Evidence-based | Sources cited
Octopus Go tariff optimising solar and EV charging overnight
Octopus Go gives you 7.5p/kWh overnight — perfect for topping up EV and battery from the grid.

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Is Octopus Go good for solar panel owners?

Octopus Go charges just 7.5p/kWh between 00:30 and 05:30 — less than a third of the standard 26.11p rate. For solar owners, this means: cheap overnight EV charging (£171/year vs £559 at standard rate), cheap battery top-up for winter mornings, and low-cost grid import when solar is not generating. Combined with solar self-consumption during the day, your effective electricity cost drops to 5–10p/kWh average — a fraction of what non-solar households pay.

How Octopus Go Works with Solar

Octopus Go rates: - Off-peak (00:30–05:30): 7.5p/kWh - Peak (05:30–00:30): ~26.11p/kWh (similar to Ofgem cap)

Daily energy cycle for a solar + EV household:

TimeEnergy SourceCost
00:30–05:30Grid at 7.5p (charge EV + battery)Very cheap
05:30–09:00Battery powers homeFree (stored)
09:00–16:00Solar powers home + charges battery + exportsFree
16:00–00:30Battery + grid at 26.11pMixed

The result: - Daytime: free solar electricity - Overnight: ultra-cheap grid at 7.5p - Evening: battery covers most consumption - Grid at full rate: only when battery is empty (late evening/early night)

Average effective cost across the full day: 5–10p/kWh — compared to 26.11p for a household with no solar or smart tariff.

Source: Octopus Go published rates; solar + battery energy modelling.

Energy flow showing Go overnight charging and solar daytime generation
Go fills the gap that solar cannot: cheap overnight electricity when the sun is not shining.

Octopus Go + Solar: Annual Savings

Household with solar + EV + battery on Octopus Go:

Energy UseAnnual kWhCost on StandardCost on Go + SolarSaving
Home electricity (daytime)2,000£490£0 (solar)£490
Home electricity (evening)1,700£417£200 (battery + grid)£217
EV charging2,280£559£171 (Go overnight)£388
Total5,980£1,466£371£1,095

Total annual saving with solar + Go: £1,095 vs no solar and standard tariff.

Even without an EV: - Solar + Go (no EV): saves £707/year vs standard - Solar + Go + battery: saves £830/year vs standard

Source: Energy modelling; Octopus Go rates; Ofgem price cap July-September 2026.

Go tariff monitoring
Go energy flow
Dramatic savings
Go + EV

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Electricity bill showing dramatic reduction with solar + Octopus Go
Solar + Octopus Go can reduce your total energy bill by 75% — from £1,466 to £371/year.

Go vs Flux: Which Is Better for Solar?

Octopus Go: - Cheap overnight: 7.5p (5 hours) - Standard daytime: ~26.11p - No premium export rate - Simple — one cheap window, one standard rate - Best for: EV owners who charge overnight

Octopus Flux: - Cheap overnight: ~10p (3 hours) - Premium peak export: ~24p (3 hours) - Expensive peak import: ~36p (3 hours) - Complex — three rate periods, requires active management - Best for: battery owners who can export during peak

Go wins when: - You have an EV that charges overnight (Go is 2.5p cheaper overnight) - You do not want complexity (one cheap rate vs three variable rates) - You cook/use heavy appliances at 5–7pm (Flux charges 36p during this window)

Flux wins when: - You have a battery and can export during 16:00–19:00 peak - You can completely avoid importing during 16:00–19:00 - You want maximum earnings from tariff arbitrage

For most solar + EV households: Go is simpler and nearly as valuable. For solar + battery experts: Flux squeezes more value but requires management.

Source: Octopus tariff comparison.

Octopus Go optimising solar EV charging — cheap overnight rate
Go is ideal for EV owners: 7.5p overnight charging + free solar charging during the day.

How to Sign Up for Octopus Go

  • You need a smart meter (SMETS2 recommended) — if you do not have one, Octopus will install one free
  • You need an EV or EV charger registered on your account (Go was originally EV-focused, though some accounts qualify without an EV)
  • Sign up at octopus.energy/go
  • The tariff applies from your next billing period
  • You can switch away at any time — no exit fees on Octopus variable tariffs
  • Go is available nationwide in the UK
  • Your solar SEG can stay with a different supplier — Go is your import tariff only
Octopus Go adds significant value to solar over 25 years
Over 25 years, the right tariff adds thousands to your solar returns — Go or Flux.

Frequently Asked Questions

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