---
title: "Best Time-of-Use Tariffs 2026 | Octopus Flux vs Agile"
url: https://www.greentechrenewables.co.uk/battery-storage/time-of-use-tariffs
description: "Time of use tariffs add £150-£300 annual savings to battery storage. Compare Octopus Flux, Go, Agile, and Intelligent for solar battery households."
lang: en-GB
---

2026 Tariff Guide

# Time of Use Tariffs for Battery Storage: Maximise Your Savings

Time of use tariffs add **£150-£300 annual savings** for battery storage owners by enabling arbitrage—charging at cheap overnight rates (7-12p/kWh) and using stored energy during expensive peak periods (24-34p/kWh). **Octopus Flux** is the best tariff for solar + battery households, paying 24p/kWh for peak exports. Octopus Go suits EV owners, while Agile benefits those comfortable with variable pricing.

Get Free Quote: https://www.greentechrenewables.co.uk/free-quote
View Savings Breakdown: https://www.greentechrenewables.co.uk/battery-storage/savings

## How Time of Use Tariffs Work

Standard electricity tariffs charge the same rate 24/7 (typically 22-24p/kWh). Time of use tariffs vary rates by time of day.

| Time Period | Standard Tariff | Time of Use Tariff |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Night (02:00-05:00) | 24p/kWh | 7-12p/kWh |
| Day (05:00-16:00) | 24p/kWh | 20-28p/kWh |
| Peak (16:00-19:00) | 24p/kWh | 28-40p/kWh |
| Evening (19:00-02:00) | 24p/kWh | 20-28p/kWh |

### Charge Cheap

Charge battery when electricity is cheap (overnight at 7-12p/kWh)

### Discharge Peak

Use stored energy when electricity is expensive (peak hours at 28-40p/kWh)

### Export Premium

Export solar surplus at premium peak rates (up to 24p/kWh on Flux)

## Best Time of Use Tariffs Compared

### Octopus Flux

Best for Solar + Battery

Recommended

Designed specifically for solar and battery households.

| Feature | Details |
| --- | --- |
| Cheap import | 10p/kWh (02:00-05:00) |
| Standard import | 24p/kWh (05:00-16:00, 19:00-02:00) |
| Peak import | 34p/kWh (16:00-19:00) |
| Cheap export | 4.5p/kWh (02:00-05:00) |
| Standard export | 12p/kWh (05:00-16:00, 19:00-02:00) |
| Peak export | 24p/kWh (16:00-19:00) |

Annual savings vs standard tariff: £200-£350 (with 5kWh battery)

Why Flux is best:

- Premium 24p/kWh export during peak (others pay 4-12p)
- Cheap overnight charging (10p vs 24p)
- Designed around solar generation patterns

Requirements:

- • Octopus Energy customer
- • Smart meter (SMETS2)
- • Compatible battery system

### Octopus Go

Best for EV + Battery

Designed for EV charging but works well with home batteries.

| Feature | Details |
| --- | --- |
| Cheap import | 9p/kWh (00:30-04:30) |
| Standard import | 28p/kWh (all other times) |
| Export rate | Variable SEG (4-12p/kWh) |

Annual savings vs standard tariff: £150-£250 (with 5kWh battery)

Best for:

- • EV owners wanting cheap overnight charging
- • Battery arbitrage (charge at 9p, avoid 28p peak)
- • Simpler rate structure than Flux

Limitations:

- • No premium export rate
- • Shorter cheap window (4 hours vs 3 hours on Flux)

### Octopus Intelligent Go

Best for EV + Battery + Smart Charging

Enhanced version of Go with intelligent EV charging features.

| Feature | Details |
| --- | --- |
| Cheap import | 7p/kWh (23:30-05:30) |
| Standard import | 28p/kWh (all other times) |
| Smart charging | Car charges when cheapest |
| Export rate | Variable SEG |

Annual savings vs standard tariff: £200-£300 (with battery + EV)

**Requires:** Compatible EV or charger, Octopus app integration

### Octopus Agile

Variable Pricing

Prices change every 30 minutes based on wholesale costs.

| Feature | Details |
| --- | --- |
| Import rates | -15p to 100p/kWh (varies) |
| Typical overnight | 5-12p/kWh |
| Typical day | 15-25p/kWh |
| Typical peak | 25-40p/kWh |
| Export (Agile Outgoing) | Tracks wholesale (avg 8-12p) |

Annual savings vs standard tariff: £100-£400 (highly variable)

Best for:

- • Risk-tolerant households
- • Those with large batteries who can avoid peaks
- • Tech-savvy users who monitor prices

Risks:

- • Prices can spike during high demand
- • Requires attention or automation
- • More complex to manage

### Economy 7

Basic Time of Use

Traditional split-rate tariff available from most suppliers.

| Feature | Details |
| --- | --- |
| Night rate | 12-15p/kWh (7 hours overnight) |
| Day rate | 26-30p/kWh |
| Export | Standard SEG (4-5p) |

Annual savings vs standard tariff: £80-£150 (with battery)

Pros:

- • Available from most suppliers
- • Simple structure
- • No smart meter required (though recommended)

Cons:

- • Lower savings than Octopus tariffs
- • No premium export rates
- • Higher day rates than some alternatives

## How to Maximise Savings with Each Tariff

### Octopus Flux Strategy

| Time | Action | Rate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 02:00-05:00 | Charge battery from grid | 10p import |
| 05:00-16:00 | Use solar, store surplus | Free (solar) |
| 16:00-19:00 | Export from battery | 24p export |
| 16:00-19:00 | Use stored solar (avoid import) | Avoid 34p |
| 19:00-02:00 | Use remaining battery | Avoid 24p |

#### Daily savings example (5kWh battery):

| Action | Calculation | Value |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Charge 5kWh overnight | 5 × 10p | -50p cost |
| Export 3kWh at peak | 3 × 24p | +72p income |
| Avoid 2kWh peak import | 2 × 34p | +68p saved |
| Net daily benefit | | 90p |

Annual benefit from Flux arbitrage: ~£330

### Octopus Go Strategy

| Time | Action | Rate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 00:30-04:30 | Charge battery + EV | 9p import |
| 04:30-00:30 | Use battery, avoid grid | Avoid 28p |

| Action | Calculation | Value |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Charge 5kWh overnight | 5 × 9p | -45p cost |
| Avoid 5kWh day import | 5 × 28p | +£1.40 saved |
| Net daily benefit | | 95p |

Annual benefit: ~£250 (battery only, more with EV)

### Agile Strategy

| Condition | Action |
| --- | --- |
| Price below 10p | Charge battery |
| Price above 25p | Discharge battery |
| Price negative | Charge everything possible |
| Price above 35p | Avoid all grid use |

Requires automation or careful manual management. **GivEnergy batteries have built-in Agile optimisation.**

## Battery Settings for Time of Use Tariffs

### GivEnergy Tariff Integration

GivEnergy batteries automatically optimise for popular tariffs.

Setup process:

1. Open GivEnergy app
2. Navigate to Settings > Tariff
3. Select your tariff (Flux, Go, Agile, etc.)
4. System auto-configures charge/discharge windows

Manual override options:

- Force charge during cheap periods
- Pause export if needed
- Set minimum battery reserve

GivEnergy battery review → (https://www.greentechrenewables.co.uk/battery-storage/givenergy-review)

### Other Battery Brands

| Brand | Tariff Integration |
| --- | --- |
| Tesla Powerwall | Manual scheduling, some automation |
| Pylontech | Depends on inverter (Solis has modes) |
| Sigenergy | App-based scheduling |

Check your battery/inverter supports time-of-use scheduling before choosing a tariff.

## Choosing the Right Tariff

### Decision Matrix

| Your Situation | Best Tariff | Why |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Solar + battery (no EV) | Flux | Premium export + cheap import |
| Solar + battery + EV | Flux or Intelligent Go | Depends on EV charging needs |
| EV + battery (no solar) | Go or Intelligent Go | Cheap overnight for both |
| Battery only (no solar, no EV) | Go or Economy 7 | Simple arbitrage |
| Large battery, risk-tolerant | Agile | Maximum potential savings |
| Want simplicity | Economy 7 | Predictable, widely available |

### Switching Tariffs

You can switch between Octopus tariffs relatively easily:

- No exit fees on most Octopus tariffs
- Switch takes effect within days
- Try different tariffs to find what works

Recommendation: Start with Flux if you have solar + battery. It's designed for your setup and offers the best export rates.

## Annual Savings Comparison

### 5kWh Battery with 10-Panel Solar

| Tariff | Self-Consumption | Arbitrage | Total |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Standard variable | £350 | £0 | £350 |
| Economy 7 | £350 | £80 | £430 |
| Octopus Go | £350 | £150 | £500 |
| Octopus Flux | £350 | £200 | £550 |
| Octopus Agile | £350 | £150-£250 | £500-£600 |

### Impact on Battery Payback

| Configuration | Standard Tariff | With Flux |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Battery cost (retrofit) | £3,500 | £3,500 |
| Annual savings | £350 | £550 |
| Payback period | 10 years | 6.4 years |

Time of use tariffs reduce battery payback by 30-40%.

## Potential Downsides

### Complexity

Time of use tariffs require:

- Smart meter
- Understanding of rate windows
- Battery configuration (usually one-time)
- Monitoring (optional but helpful)

### Peak Rate Risk

If your battery runs flat before peak ends, you pay premium rates:

- Flux peak: 34p/kWh (vs 24p standard)
- Go peak: 28p/kWh

Ensure battery capacity matches your peak usage, or set minimum reserve levels.

### Lifestyle Constraints

Some households find rate windows restrictive:

- Doing laundry at 2am to use cheap rates
- Avoiding cooking during peak times
- Monitoring app for price alerts (Agile)

**With battery storage, these constraints are minimal**—the battery handles optimisation automatically.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Do I need a smart meter?

### Can I switch back to a standard tariff?

### Does my battery work automatically with these tariffs?

### What if I don't have solar?

### Are these tariffs available everywhere?

## Ready to Maximise Your Battery Savings?

Get a personalised quote for solar and battery storage optimised for time of use tariffs.

Get Free Quote (https://www.greentechrenewables.co.uk/free-quote)

## Related Pages

Battery Storage Savings: https://www.greentechrenewables.co.uk/battery-storage/savings
Battery Storage Cost UK: https://www.greentechrenewables.co.uk/battery-storage/cost-uk
GivEnergy Review: https://www.greentechrenewables.co.uk/battery-storage/givenergy-review
What Size Battery: https://www.greentechrenewables.co.uk/battery-storage/what-size-battery
Is Battery Worth It: https://www.greentechrenewables.co.uk/battery-storage/worth-it
Smart Export Guarantee: https://www.greentechrenewables.co.uk/grants/smart-export-guarantee
SEG Best Rates: https://www.greentechrenewables.co.uk/grants/seg-best-rates
Solar Panel Savings: https://www.greentechrenewables.co.uk/solar-energy/solar-panel-savings
Get Free Quote: https://www.greentechrenewables.co.uk/free-quote

## Accreditations

Image: Our Accreditations: HIES Consumer Code, TSI Approved Code, TrustMark Government Endorsed Quality, Green Deal Approved, MCS Certified, NAPIT (https://www.greentechrenewables.co.uk/assets/solar-accreditations-CbjEg9cO.png)

Public Liability Insurance – Tradesman Saver

£5,000,000 – GREE55TR01

Employers Liability Insurance – Tradesman Saver

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Professional Indemnity – Tradesman Saver

£250,000 – GREE55TR01

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