Has anybody managed to get a feed in tariff from Octopus without an MCS Cert?

[cbk]

Hi,  I have a DIY install for PV that I was happy to use a non MCS accredited installer to save cost as the SEG tariff was so low.  However I read in Aug that Octopus Energy were going to offer 15p as a fixed outgoing tariff AND would accept just the EREC G99 declaration, as submitted to the DNO by the installer,  to allow you to join up.  Ive been trying now for several weeks to actually join up but get rejected and it seems there has been a change of policy at Octopus and only MCS or Flexi Orb certified installs are being accepted.    They are suggesting as an alternaitive that I can add my name to a list for a £250 admion fee for future consideration withou any commitment as to when.

Has anybody else managed to join an outgoing tariff without MCS certification?   Is there a way to get a system retrospecitively certified by an MCS registered installer?

Any ideas much appreciated.

[Dillsue]

Someone posted on here a few weeks ago that they'd been accepted with a non MCS system, but there's a few hoops to jump through based on the requirements they sent me. They're running it as a trial at the moment and are asking for the following-

 

Building control approval for the additional load on the roof

Electrical installation certificate from a part P spark.

Letter/email from your DNO confirming they accept your export to the grid 

£250 admin fee

 

You may get an MCS contractor to sign off your installation but they'd likely want a hefty fee to do so and they'd likely have to check through your install to make sure it's as if they had done the work. MCS may not allow it so you'd be asking a stranger for a big favour??

[JohnMo]

Radio silence here. Can supply all the above, but not sure I want to pay £250 or give away, nearly 1700kWh of electric for the privilege.

[Crofter]

I've seen people on Facebook groups saying that they've managed to do this, but it looks like it is a pretty small trial in limited areas.

[cbk]

That seems to make sense.  The original announcement was more marketing than a real commitment to offer a new option to join an export tariff.  Seems I will have to find an alternative route to get an MCS or Flexi Orb certificate .

[Ferdinand]

The pressure point would be to guarantee that a self-install is safe for grid isolation in powercuts for engineer safety, surely?

[JohnMo]

  On 12/11/2023 at 17:20, Ferdinand said:

The pressure point would be to guarantee that a self-install is safe for grid isolation in powercuts for engineer safety, surely?

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So a G98, 99 certificate, from DNO which you should have anyway!

[Ferdinand]

  On 12/11/2023 at 17:26, JohnMo said:

So a G98, 99 certificate, from DNO which you should have anyway!

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I admit I only look up the details when I have to.

 

Mine is a FIT install from ~2015, and I am now on the 15p fixed Octopus export tariff, having spent a year on the agile export and clocked it at 11-12p/

 

But it was a 'process' to get it done originally, and I had to get some documentation from places that felt like hunting for King Tut.

[Dillsue]

  On 12/11/2023 at 17:35, Ferdinand said:

But it was a 'process' to get it done originally, and I had to get some documentation from places that felt like hunting for King Tut.

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What was the issue??

 

We've just applied for Octopus export and it was straight forward- connection confirmation email from our DNO and the MCS cert number. Smart meter went in a few weeks ago so as I understand it Octopus have to request an export MPAN from our DNO and then we're good to go.

 

 

[Crofter]

  On 12/11/2023 at 19:18, Dillsue said:

What was the issue??

 

We've just applied for Octopus export and it was straight forward- connection confirmation email from our DNO and the MCS cert number. Smart meter went in a few weeks ago so as I understand it Octopus have to request an export MPAN from our DNO and then we're good to go.

 

 

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The issue is that Octopus have been talking about paying for export without needing MCS accreditation.

[Dillsue]

  On 13/11/2023 at 00:31, Crofter said:

The issue is that Octopus have been talking about paying for export without needing MCS accreditation.

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Talk has turned to action and they're running a trial. 

 

Ferdinand was saying he had some issues with documentation which I'm interested to know about as they may pop up for me

[Ferdinand]

  On 12/11/2023 at 19:18, Dillsue said:

What was the issue??

 

We've just applied for Octopus export and it was straight forward- connection confirmation email from our DNO and the MCS cert number. Smart meter went in a few weeks ago so as I understand it Octopus have to request an export MPAN from our DNO and then we're good to go.

 

 

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It was a FIT install.

 

To do with at that time some original regulatory documentation needed which had not been supplied, and the installer had left the market.

[Dillsue]

  On 14/11/2023 at 08:45, Ferdinand said:

 

It was a FIT install.

 

To do with at that time some original regulatory documentation needed which had not been supplied, and the installer had left the market.

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Ah, OK. Not sure if it's always been the case but when I applied to Octopus for export payments last week they didnt need the MCS cert but just the number. I guess they've got access to the MCS database cos they verified the number within seconds.

[cbk]

  On 13/11/2023 at 00:31, Crofter said:

The issue is that Octopus have been talking about paying for export without needing MCS accreditation.

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I’ve been trying to sign up now for several weeks and after initially saying all they needed was the G99 declaration ( which I sent) they now insist on an MCS cert as well.  My installer has left the market and can’t issue a certificate so I’m stuck. 

[Dillsue]

  On 15/11/2023 at 10:20, cbk said:

I’ve been trying to sign up now for several weeks and after initially saying all they needed was the G99 declaration ( which I sent) they now insist on an MCS cert as well.  My installer has left the market and can’t issue a certificate so I’m stuck. 

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If you want to get on one of their export tariffs then you'll need an MCS cert/number together with confirmation from your DNO that they approve your export connection, unless you registered your interest and got an invite to join the non MCS trial that they are currently running. That's how things stood last week.

 

If you're installer was MCS accredited when they did your install and you can show you paid them, I'd be fairly sure you'll be able to get an MCs cert from MCS themselves. Might take a bit of coaxing out of them but if the cert is due then you should get it, eventually.

[cbk]

I tried the MCS guys and it turns out that my installer was not up to date with registration fees at the time of my install so no luck there. DNO has confirmed they will issue me an approval for export connection.  So my best option seems to be to sign up to the Octopus list znd hope they invite me to join trial.

I get the feeling that MCS are putting pressure on Octopus to shut down the trial. 

[SteamyTea]

  On 17/11/2023 at 18:10, cbk said:

I get the feeling that MCS are putting pressure on Octopus to shut down the trial. 

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Octopus don't need pressure to stop something.

Just look at all the great deals they have offered, most do not exist anymore.

They are like a software company, they rush out the latest version, then let customers test it.

Or to put it another way, let customers pay for the mistakes.

 

 

Edited November 17, 2023 by SteamyTea

[JamesPa]

  On 17/11/2023 at 19:20, SteamyTea said:

Octopus don't need pressure to stop something.

Just look at all the great deals they have offered, most do not exist anymore.

They are like a software company, they rush out the latest version, then let customers test it.

Or to put it another way, let customers pay for the mistakes.

 

 

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If you think about it, most of the products that energy retailers sell are made in the software of the billing system.  They don't manufacture energy, and they don't deliver it, all they do is buy it and sell it on without ever touching it.

 

I'm fairness to Octopus they do manufacture and install heat pumps, but their main business is essentially software.

Edited November 18, 2023 by JamesPa

[Dillsue]

  On 17/11/2023 at 18:10, cbk said:

I tried the MCS guys and it turns out that my installer was not up to date with registration fees at the time of my install so no luck there.

  On 10/11/2023 at 12:28, cbk said:

Hi,  I have a DIY install for PV that I was happy to use a non MCS accredited installer to save cost as the SEG tariff was so low. 

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??? Don't really understand where you're coming from

[Dillsue]

  On 18/11/2023 at 09:36, JamesPa said:

If you think about it, most of the products that energy retailers sell are made in the software of the billing system.  They don't manufacture energy, and they don't deliver it, all they do is buy it and sell it on without ever touching it.

 

I'm fairness to Octopus they do manufacture and install heat pumps, but their main business is essentially software.

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I believe Greg Jackson is a former software engineer and well into his tech so I guess their systems have been developed to be flexible and easily reconfigured to chop and change products whenever they want

[SteamyTea]

  On 18/11/2023 at 09:36, JamesPa said:

but their main business is essentially software.

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  On 18/11/2023 at 09:44, Dillsue said:

I believe Greg Jackson is a former software engineer and well into his tech so I guess their systems have been developed to be flexible and easily reconfigured to chop and change products whenever they want

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