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Phlash
Rank 2
Phlash
May 26, 2026
Solved

Free electricity offer with solar panels

Last forum entry about “free” electricity is 10 months old. Just entered new scheme this week and wondering where the benefit is? We have solar panels and a small battery. There is still 20% left in battery when the current solar bonanza kicks in for the new day. Surely I am just using PV to generate electricity which then goes round an unvirtuous circle to earn about £0.45 for a one hour slot. What am I missing here?

Nukecad
NukecadBest Answer
Super User
May 26, 2026

Hi ​@Phlash 

The Free hours offers work by giving you up to 1-kWh for free during each of your chosen hours.

If you use more than 1-kWh  from the grid during the hour then you will get credited for just 1-kWh.

If you use less than1-kWh from the grid then you get credited for what you did use.

So if you don’t use anything from the grid during the chosen hours - because you are running on solar/battery then you won’t get any credit.

 

The terms and conditions can be found here: https://www.ovoenergy.com/terms/beyond-terms-and-conditions

 

PS. There is one exclusion in there that intrigues me:

Excluded consumption - Free electricity applies for home appliance energy use only. Energy consumed by a home EV charger, in-home battery or heat pump will be charged at your standard unit rates.

How will they know what you used it for? (unless you are also using Charge Anytime for an EV)

 

 

I said, Hey - Watts going on.
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3 replies

Peter E
Super User
Peter ESuper User
Super User
May 26, 2026

Hi ​@Phlash 

 

It depends if you have a suitable load and you can control where you take your load from. As I'm not an OVO customer I don't know the exact scheme conditions but ​@Nukecad may be able to clarify. 

 

If you were able to direct the load from the grid into your battery then it will be free. But if the PV would have filled the battery anyway then it may look as if you have gained nothing in the process but if you were to sell the PV output as a SEG (because the battery is full and you are still generating more than you use) then you have gained.

 

However, if you don't carefully control what you take from the grid then it could end up costing you more than what you could have saved. To be honest, the scheme works best with simple arrangements of just applying an additional load like washing machine etc rather than having to manipulate the extra technology you may have to make it work. The question only you can answer is ‘Is it worth the hassle and how much could you lose if you got it wrong?’

 

I'm fully expecting other answers to appear on here on how you you can manage this successfully with the extra tech but it probably hinges on how well you can control your system and when to stop importing from the grid.

 

Peter 

 

Reducing my yearly fossil fuel usage with an EV (-900 litres petrol saving about £950/year), A2AHP (-8,700 kWh gas, cost neutral) and Timed Immersion heater (-1,500 kWh gas, £20/year more expensive but reducing as the gas price goes up)
    Nukecad
    Super User
    NukecadSuper UserBest Answer
    Super User
    May 26, 2026

    Hi ​@Phlash 

    The Free hours offers work by giving you up to 1-kWh for free during each of your chosen hours.

    If you use more than 1-kWh  from the grid during the hour then you will get credited for just 1-kWh.

    If you use less than1-kWh from the grid then you get credited for what you did use.

    So if you don’t use anything from the grid during the chosen hours - because you are running on solar/battery then you won’t get any credit.

     

    The terms and conditions can be found here: https://www.ovoenergy.com/terms/beyond-terms-and-conditions

     

    PS. There is one exclusion in there that intrigues me:

    Excluded consumption - Free electricity applies for home appliance energy use only. Energy consumed by a home EV charger, in-home battery or heat pump will be charged at your standard unit rates.

    How will they know what you used it for? (unless you are also using Charge Anytime for an EV)

     

     

    I said, Hey - Watts going on.
      Peter E
      Super User
      Peter ESuper User
      Super User
      May 26, 2026

      PS. There is one exclusion in there that intrigues me:

      Excluded consumption - Free electricity applies for home appliance energy use only. Energy consumed by a home EV charger, in-home battery or heat pump will be charged at your standard unit rates.

      How will they know what you used it for? (unless you are also using Charge Anytime for an EV)

       

       

      Possibly because OVO used to monitor heat pump usage (before they scrapped that Add On) and monitor home battery (did they do that?) and have forgotten that they don’t monitor either of those. It’s the perennial problem that you write a lot of this stuff a long time ago and it never gets revised because there is never enough staff to check what you wrote before to make sure it’s still relevant.

       

      No. Apart from Charge Anytime you can use the free energy for anything unless you happen self-impose the restrictions on yourself which, of course, you should. TBH It’s not going to significantly change anybody’s bank balance. Either way.

       

      Peter

      Reducing my yearly fossil fuel usage with an EV (-900 litres petrol saving about £950/year), A2AHP (-8,700 kWh gas, cost neutral) and Timed Immersion heater (-1,500 kWh gas, £20/year more expensive but reducing as the gas price goes up)
        Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement

        OVO Energy Ltd, Floor 5, Crescent, Temple Back, Redcliffe, BS1 6EZ, (Company no. 06890795) registered in England and Wales.

        OVO (S) Gas Limited is registered in England and Wales (Company No. 02716495) at Floor 5, Crescent, Temple Back, Redcliffe, BS1 6EZ.

        OVO (S) Gas Limited is part of OVO Group Ltd