What is Octopus Flux and how does it work with solar?

Octopus Flux is a time-of-use tariff specifically designed for homes with solar and battery storage. It offers cheap import rates overnight (midnight–5am), a standard rate during the day, and premium export rates at peak times (4–7pm). With a battery like GivEnergy or Sigenergy, you charge cheaply overnight, use solar during the day, and export surplus at the premium peak rate — maximising income and minimising costs.

What is the difference between Octopus Go and Octopus Agile?

Octopus Go has a fixed cheap rate for 4 hours overnight (typically 7–11p/kWh), predictable and easy to plan battery charging around. Octopus Agile has half-hourly variable rates tracking the wholesale market — sometimes negative rates mean you are paid to import electricity. Agile suits more technical users with automation; Go is simpler and better for most solar+battery households.

Can I use Octopus Flux without battery storage?

Octopus Flux requires a compatible battery system and solar panels — it is designed for households that can both import and export. Without battery storage, you can still benefit from Octopus Go (cheap overnight charging for an EV) or the Intelligent Octopus Go tariff if you have an EV charger. The full Flux benefits require a properly configured solar + battery system.

Battery storage system configured for time of use tariff optimisation

Battery Optimisation · Tariff Guide

Time of Use Tariffs
Octopus Flux, Go & Agile

The right tariff turns your solar battery into an active money-making asset — not just storage. Here's how each Octopus tariff works with solar and batteries.

Why Your Tariff Matters as Much as Your Panels

Solar panels generate electricity when the sun shines. Battery storage lets you use that electricity when you need it. But the right time-of-use tariff adds a third dimension: it lets you actively optimise when you import from the grid and when you export back to it — turning price differentials into real income.

For a typical 4kW solar + 9.5kWh battery household, switching from a standard flat-rate tariff to a well-configured time-of-use tariff can add £300–£600 per year in additional savings on top of the solar self-consumption savings.

£300–£600

Additional annual saving

On top of solar self-consumption savings, from tariff optimisation alone

7–11p

Typical overnight import rate

vs 24–28p standard rate — charge your battery for a fraction of daytime cost

15–25p

Typical peak export rate

For battery discharge/export during evening peak on Flux tariff

The Main Time-of-Use Tariffs Compared

Tariff	Import Rate	Export Rate	Best For
Octopus Flux	7–12p (overnight)	15–24p (peak 4–7pm)	Solar + battery households
Octopus Go	7–11p (4hrs overnight)	Standard SEG	EV charging, battery top-up
Octopus Agile	Variable (sometimes negative)	Variable	Advanced users with automation
Intelligent Octopus Go	7–11p (flexible window)	Standard SEG	EV + Ohme/Hypervolt charger
Standard variable	24–28p flat	SEG rate only	No battery — worst for solar

Rates approximate — check Octopus Energy directly for current unit rates. Rates vary by region.

Octopus Flux: The Solar + Battery Tariff

Octopus Flux is specifically designed for homes with solar panels and battery storage. It has three distinct rate periods throughout the day:

Flux Low (midnight–5am)

~7–12p/kWh import

Charge your battery from the grid at the cheapest possible rate

Standard (5am–4pm and 7pm–midnight)

~24p/kWh

Use solar generation during daylight, battery for morning/evening

Flux Peak (4pm–7pm)

~15–24p/kWh EXPORT

Export stored battery electricity at premium rates during evening peak

Flux + GivEnergy configuration: GivEnergy's app allows scheduling overnight charging (midnight–5am) and peak export (4–7pm) automatically. The system charges from the grid when it's cheap, uses solar during the day, and discharges at peak export time. This "grid services" behaviour turns your battery into active income — not just storage.

Compatible Battery Systems

Not all batteries can be fully automated with time-of-use tariffs. Energy Concerns installs the following systems that support full tariff optimisation:

GivEnergy

All-in-One 9.5kWh

Full Flux/Agile/Go support via GivEnergy app. Automated charge/discharge scheduling.

Sigenergy

SigenStor

Advanced grid services capability. Modular design from 5–25kWh. Full tariff automation.

Tesla

Powerwall 3

Tesla app supports time-based control and Powerwall+ includes built-in inverter.

Annual Savings Modelling

The table below models combined solar + battery + tariff savings for a typical East Midlands household (4–5 person, 4,500 kWh/year usage):

Scenario	Annual Saving	SEG/Export Income
Solar only, standard tariff	£600–£800	£100–£150
Solar + battery, standard tariff	£900–£1,100	£100–£150
Solar + battery, Octopus Go	£1,100–£1,300	£150–£200
Solar + battery, Octopus Flux	£1,300–£1,600	£250–£450

Modelled at 2024–25 electricity rates. Actual savings vary by household usage patterns, system size, and tariff terms.

Get a Battery Optimised for Your Tariff

Energy Concerns designs solar and battery systems with tariff optimisation in mind. We advise on the right battery size, inverter configuration, and compatible tariff for your household — and can configure your GivEnergy or Sigenergy system for automated time-of-use operation from day one.

Battery Storage Details 0116 497 6782

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Time of Use TariffsOctopus Flux, Go & Agile