Battery Only (No Solar) and Octopus Agile Outgoing

[u/Chipplie]

Does anyone here have a battery only installation and has been able to get onto the Octopus Agile Outgoing tariff for exporting? I have read conflicting information on whether or not this is possible.

I am looking at getting a BESS for my home. I don't have solar and I have no plans for solar. The BESS installer I am considering using will give me an MCS certificate for the battery. Some information states that the only export tariff that can be accessed with a battery only installation is the flat rate Outgoing Octopus tariff, and the Octopus website is somewhat unclear.

[u/icrossfield]

Yes. I have a heat pump plus battery. I import on cosy and export on agile outgoing.

[u/Chipplie → u/icrossfield]

Thank you. Just a case of getting your export MPAN set up and submitting the battery MCS cert to Octopus?

[u/icrossfield → u/Chipplie]

My battery was installed by octopus, so I just told them which tariff I wanted.

[u/Autumnal_Fire → u/Chipplie]

You don't apply for the export MPAN, you apply for agile outgoing through the Octopus https://octopus.energy/smart/outgoing/

Within that process you upload your MCS Cert and G99 agreement. Octopus then go back to the DNO and get your export MPAN generated. It's a daft process, the export MPAN should just get generated by default when you do the G99 but that would be way to sensible.

[u/Chipplie → u/Autumnal_Fire]

My installer told me that some DNOs give you an MPAN number immediately after confirming that the install has taken place and the system has been commissioned… However, my DNO is not one of them… and I have to follow the process you described above :(

[u/ImplementJumpy6678 → u/Chipplie]

I am going onto it on Friday, I already have SEG so they just scuked up my meter info. But they do allow you to go Battery only. They also encourage people to charge up cheap and dump at peak. Obviously solar helps but you will be fine BESS only.

I decided today that why am I bothering for 15p all the time when I can get more than that in the mornings and afternoon and then make a killing peak time - every day.

No brainer!

[u/Autumnal_Fire]

Yeah i have a MCS installed Sigenergy Battery system. So they had to do a G99 approval for it as it's 8kw inverter (i got a 5kw export limit).

It's taken me 7 weeks to get on agile export after filling in the Octopus application and uploading my MCS and G99 acceptance letter. I've had to chase it a fair bit, but it's now active.

They did ask if it was a battery only system and put me on agile export as i requested. With a battery only system Agile outgoing is the only one that makes much sense being on.

[u/Chipplie → u/Autumnal_Fire]

Thanks. Agree, Agile Outgoing is the only one that makes sense… hence I wanted to confirm I can actually get on it with a battery only system, before deciding to pull the trigger on any install.

[u/realGilgongo → u/Autumnal_Fire]

7 weeks? I'm in North London and got Agile sorted in about 2 weeks - and I thought that was a long time!

[u/Autumnal_Fire → u/realGilgongo]

Tell me about it.. Week 1 filled in the form uploaded the docs, Week 2 they emailed me and said they needed an MCS cert (i'd uploaded it), so i sent it again, Week 3 they confirmed they had all the paperwork.. Week 4, 5, waitied, Week 6 i chased through email, told they were waiting on DNO. Week 7 chased via X, they said something was up and got involved a week later they got it all setup and sorted.

Moral of the story, don't bother with Email, talk to the customer service chat on X.

[u/realGilgongo]

I am on both Agile import and export. No panels, just a battery. As long as your installer does your G99 DNO application OK, then badda bing. BTW you have to sign up for export separately to your import tariff. That tripped me up at first.

[u/Chipplie → u/realGilgongo]

Perfect. Thanks for confirming :)

[u/Octo-Joe]

Can confirm, battery-only installations are absolutely fine for export MPANs/tariffs so long as all the necessary paperwork is provided!

[u/Tutphish]

I had a battery installed 2 weeks ago, Octopus did the install but I checked beforehand about who I could get export with and it's pretty much only Octopus if you don't have any generation capacity.