Octopus Go for Solar Owners

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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:
| Time | Energy Source | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 00:30–05:30 | Grid at 7.5p (charge EV + battery) | Very cheap |
| 05:30–09:00 | Battery powers home | Free (stored) |
| 09:00–16:00 | Solar powers home + charges battery + exports | Free |
| 16:00–00:30 | Battery + grid at 26.11p | Mixed |
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.

Octopus Go + Solar: Annual Savings
Household with solar + EV + battery on Octopus Go:
| Energy Use | Annual kWh | Cost on Standard | Cost on Go + Solar | Saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home electricity (daytime) | 2,000 | £490 | £0 (solar) | £490 |
| Home electricity (evening) | 1,700 | £417 | £200 (battery + grid) | £217 |
| EV charging | 2,280 | £559 | £171 (Go overnight) | £388 |
| Total | 5,980 | £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.




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Buying through a big-name supplier is convenient, but rarely the cheapest. Compare against independent MCS-certified installer pricing for your home.
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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.

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

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See how this compares on price
Buying through a big-name supplier is convenient, but rarely the cheapest. Compare against independent MCS-certified installer pricing for your home.
Compare Installed PricesFree and independent. We are not owned by an installer.
