[JefferzUK]

So I signed up to the Energy Shift scheme on 31st October when it was announced. Since then I have heard zilch about it. Has anyone else had anything?

[Actual]

Originally Posted by JefferzUK

So I signed up to the Energy Shift scheme on 31st October when it was announced. Since then I have heard zilch about it. Has anyone else had anything?

For 2 of the Eon Energy Shift events I have "had" £19.21 which was much more than what I was promised and getting that did not involve lifestyle choices for me.

For another 3 Eon Energy Shift events I am also still chasing a total of £7.36 which was promised and even though I met the targets I was told that I failed.

I mustn't grumble because some customers have sat in the dark for a couple of hours and only "had" 23p.

[JefferzUK]

Originally Posted by Actual

For 2 of the Eon Energy Shift events I have "had" £19.21 which was much more than what I was promised and getting that did not involve lifestyle choices for me.

For another 3 Eon Energy Shift events I am also still chasing a total of £7.36 which was promised and even though I met the targets I was told that I failed.

I mustn't grumble because some customers have sat in the dark for a couple of hours and only "had" 23p.

Hmm, that's strange I was never contacted about any events. Even though I signed up on 31st October and was eligible. I wonder why they didn't tell me about the events when they were happening.

[retrotecchie]

@JefferzUK

Quite possibly because it was only a pilot scheme with a limited number of participants in the initial stages. Not everyone who signed up was selected, however you will likely be invited to participate when the system goes live to all comers.

[StillWaiting]

Pilot Scheme, will that complete and be available for all before it actually finishes (see below)

From the information I have gleaned so far. (I cannot guarantee the accuracy but pulls together a large number of snippets, if anyone has confirmed information please add)

a) The Current Scheme (Energy Shift, Demand Flexibility) runs from November 22 to March 23
b) There will be a total of 29 energy shift events.
c) The payment for each kW saved is reported to be around £3 (note this does depend how much payment is actually passed on by the supplier).

d) The calculation will be based on the average over a previous period (which is assumed to be the last 30 days, possibly).


Now we get to the interesting part.
I believe because I am not part of the scheme (although I should meet all the criteria) that EON notifies you that you have to drop your usage by x% in period y.

First question, what is the start usage that this is based on. x% of no idea gives arbitrary ruling whether you have achieved the reduction and random payment. Probably they want to be vague as you can find out your reported usage from various apps that are available (ie glowmarkt,com, this will also show if you have 30mins reporting set).

Some of the payments quoted are absurdly low (I've seen comments of 'I turned everything off and got 20p, if you assume full payment rate that is a reduction of 67W. Way to go, is it worth missing 1 cup of coffee for that)

Also there is no indication that there is a minimum that must be saved, only an amount paid per saved.

In summation, if your energy supplier
1) Only pays under certain condition, who gets the money from the actual savings you do make?
2) If you have no idea what the payment is based on then how do you know you are getting the full payment (and who gets the rest)
3) If you have no idea the rate of pay, so it could be less, who gets the difference.

I bet the energy suppliers don't post how much they receive in savings payments and how much they pass on to customers.

[retrotecchie]

@StillWaiting

As far I can figure out, this Winter, NOV-MAR is purely a pilot scheme, for all the energy companies and it is being run and operated and indeed paid for not by the individual companies but by National Grid themselves.

Once all the wrinkles have been ironed out then a 'permanent' system should, allegedly, be in place next winter and open to all who qualify.

As I have commented on several times, low uses who only save a fraction of a kilowatt in each period are not the 'target audience'. From the perspective of the National Grid, they really want 'heavy users' to reduce demand significantly.

We're talking those who get in from work at 5.30pm, plug their EV in to charge and at the same time, the entire family hit the game consoles and TVs and PCs while Mum or Dad then fire up all the electric cooking appliances to cook dinner.

That is to say, there is only any real benefit to be had for the generators and National grid where a couple of million people are saving kWh's of peak time use. That can be the difference between keeping baseload generation ticking over to cover demand, or having to bring 5 megawatts of spare capacity on stream at a cost of millions or even tens of millions. The only generation that can be switched on almost instantly to cover demand peaks is gas fired and currently that is the most costly form of generation.

If, on the other hand, they don't bring this near-online generation into play to cover demand and there is a potential to exceed capacity, i.e power failures, brownouts or other glitches in the system, the fines the National Grid would get from OFGEM would also run in to millions or tens of millions.

So, a few thousand 'guinea pigs' on the pilot scheme are needed to see what sort of reductions are made by folks, so that can then be extrapolated out to the whole UK domestic energy market in order to get a clearer picture of demand planning for winters to come.

But as I say, this is a National Grid operated scheme, and they calculate the numbers in whatever arcane method they use to determine payouts, not the energy suppliers themselves. Obviously, I'm sure they would get a cut but that is paid to them by National Grid and would possibly offset administrative costs mostly, with a small margin of bonus on top of that. Just my take on things, not to be taken as Gospel.

[Actual]

Originally Posted by StillWaiting

C) Only pays under certain condition, who gets the money from the actual savings you do make?
O) If you have no idea what the payment is based on then how do you know you are getting the full payment (and who gets the rest)
N) If you have no idea the rate of pay, so it could be less, who gets the difference.

Spells CON

[retrotecchie]

@Actual

Of course it's a con. Another method of trying to con people to change to smart meters because most of us have already got wise to their other methods of rolling them out and we've long stopped falling for their BS.

Trying to convince us of the true benefits to the consumer (there are none apart from certain very minor cases) - that hasn't worked very well.
Offering fractionally cheaper tariffs for smart meters - that's out of the window good and proper for the next year or so.

Apart from replacement of failed meters or in new builds, watch the rollout figures drop off for existing customers with conventional meters.

[StillWaiting]

@retrotecchie

Well in that case the National Grid need to temper their adverts which are misleading and imply it is available now.

Looking at the press, Octopus Energy started back in March 22, whilst EON (and British Gas) only seem to have managed to start talking about it over 6 months later in October/November.

You say they should be targeting heavy users which should see the biggest savings. Obviously these discussion groups only have people that are voicing concerns. With numerous people failing or gaining sub £1 payments, it is either going to be a failure because people can't reduce their usage, or the wrong people have been chosen to participate.

I would have expected the suppliers to be keen to get as many people active as they can, so they can apply their overhead costs and increase their profits.

[retrotecchie]

@StillWaiting

I would imagine from a suppliers point of view, that is indeed the case. Plus yet another attempt to mug folks off with smart meters in an effort to meet their quotas.