I have an electric water boiling machine. I assume that’s a kettle? I don’t use it between 4 & 7. I use it twice a week to boil water for coffee - only exactly enough water for 1 cup! I also use it as needed to fill my warm water bottle, which is roughly 2-3 times per week (during winter only), after 11pm.

The tip about using during the week is good, I didn’t know it didn’t count weekends. I may sometimes randomly wash on the weekend, and I usually shower Friday night, so I’ll pay attention to do these things during the week instead.

What’s a heated throw? Is it more efficient than my heater? Is it cheap to buy?

After 11pm, evening tariff kicks in, which is much cheaper than daytime tariff.

In August, I had 120 kWh for the month, however that was before I turned off the boiler and started taking more extreme measures. In winter, unfortunately it’s much more. In October, I had 200 kWh. December is not looking good for me at all.. Unfortunately, I easily get cold. The heater is pretty much the main culprit I think. And any time I shower or use the washing machine, my usage spikes up for that day. £15 would help massively yes, since I usually pay £60-80.

What’s background energy use?

Thank you for your tips, I really appreciate it.

1. I don’t have a laptop, and I do make sure to charge my phone only at 11pm, only for as long as needed, which is once or twice a week for 10-20 minutes.
2. What’s a thermostat on the fridge? Is that to say how cold the fridge is? Are you saying I can safely reduce the fridge temperature without risking to spoil the food?
3. I only use my electric heater when it’s too cold not to, and I turn it off as soon as I start to feel comfortable. I try to have it on as little as possible during the 4-7 period, but unfortunately I still need it, I get cold easily.
4. Don’t have a television alas.
5. This I could consider. Is there no health risk with having a candle on next to you for an extended period of time? And a torch - like the little portable light? I do have a desk lamp that I use (instead of my main light), is there something more efficient than that?
6. I do use the bathroom & kitchen light from time to time. I’m pretty sure they’re all LED. I found the packaging, it says: Energizer LED GLS, 4.9v, 5kWh / 1000h. Is that good or nah?

When you say 30W, is that 30kWh used over the month? Sorry, I’m really bad with this sort of stuff. I believe it’s my heater, washing machine, and shower that use by far the most.

What is an EV?

I’m also electric only.

I suppose I should make sure to eat only after 7 when possible, that could help.

Don’t have a tumble dryer or dishwasher, and I only use the washing machine once every two weeks after 11pm.

I understand I’m not the ideal target for this offer, but £15 would be really nice, so I really want to try.

Are you turning off your fridge & freezer for 1 hour between 4-7? Is that safe to do?

Thank you kindly, I am getting help, I’m just trying to obtain this too. Maybe there are a variety of things I can still do to achieve the goal, so I’m reading all the comments and tips carefully!

Sounds like not-cooking between 4-7 is the main deal, I’ll be sure to keep an eye out. I usually do eat something warm 3-4 days a week in the evening, and I admittedly don’t pay much attention to the time. I know sometimes it’s later (due to work), but I could very easily see some days being at 5 or 6. Thank you for reminding me.

What are PV panels?
Should/could I get some kind of battery to help?

I'll be sure to wash & shower during the week.

My daily usage during winter is unfortunately higher.. about 6-10kWh. The heater is a big culprit I think. It’s much better during summer.

My weekend falls on Wednesday, during which I use 3-4kWh.

The items I use:
- Fridge/freezer at all times (can I get away with turning it off sometimes?)
- Washing machine once per two weeks after 11pm - I'll be sure to do this during the week
- Shower once a week after 11pm - I'll be sure to do this during the week
- My desk lamp as needed, and the bathroom and kitchen light as needed. I usually don't turn on the lights for short visits, or for tasks that don't require sight.
- The doorbell. It's a good idea to turn this off, but I don't think I can risk turning it off between 4 and 7. As unlikely as it is to get visitors, it can happen - even if it's just the postman asking for a neighbour.
- I charge my phone as needed, after 11pm, for however long it needs.
- The small electric heater, as needed. I have it right next to me, so it's okay. I think this is the main bad guy. Yes, unfortunately I turn it off and on throughout the day as needed, including 4-7. I really try to keep it off as long as possible, but I just get too cold even with all my blankets. Problem is I need my fingers for typing, and blankets don't really help there.
- My computer, which I use to work. I work from home, so I have to use it a lot. I turn it off when I can. But I can't turn it off during 4-7 if I'm working, which I often am.
- The electric water boiler (kettle?) 2-3 a week to heat water for coffee, and as needed for hot water bottle (3 times per week ish). Is a kettle really bad for energy?
- Microwave, oven, and electric hob for cooking in the evening. Oven once every two weeks, because as I understand it's the worst offender. I don't know what's better between a microwave vs electric hob? Should I get an air fryer? I’ll be sure to cook after 7 from now on!

I can consider the boiler trick, but I want to try and reduce first, using some things I've read so far!

Hi @AilitaV, gosh, thank you for all the replies you’ve made, you really have been examining everyone’s options really closely!

There have been lots of acronyms thrown around…EV is electric vehicle (usually a plug-in hybrid vehicle or a fully electric plug-in car). PV (photovoltaic) panels are often simply called “solar panels” (they generate electricity from daylight, rather than thermal panels which heat water). 
 

Power Move Plus is entirely different from Power Move (confusingly, it sounds the same!!) and is ultimately a UK government-led initiative to drive down national electricity consumption during one carefully carefully-chosen hour-long segment, usually such an hour falls during the 4-7  peak usage weekday time. There might only be a few Power Move Plus hours in any one month, or even in any one Winter. Different energy companies call such hour-long initiatives by different names, and these hours are only announced a few hours in advance when demand is anticipated to be particularly heavy during a period when renewable or clean energy is scarce. Winter in the UK!  If you would like information about it, search on the Internet for “Demand Flexibility Service”. 
 

Background usage means your electricity consumption that’s always going on, from a variety of devices like ‘fridges, routers, or mains smoke alarms, which you don’t normally knowingly switch on (or off). Your house uses the electricity without your knowing much about it, if you like! The best way to gauge background usage is to look at your usage that’s happened over a few hours while you’re asleep or away from the house, say between 2 and 5 in the morning. Background usage includes naughty “vampire” usage which, if you’re not careful, devices “steal” by being switched on, or on standby, when they have no business to be switched on! Like a charger that’s always plugged in, say, or a TV that’s always plugged in (although by law modern TVs are limited in how much they can consume on standby), although I see you don’t use a TV.
 

A heated throw is simply an electrically-heated fabric to wrap around oneself (“throw” was a term used widely used in the USA for the type of rug or material thrown over the back of, say, a chair or sofa for decorative or protective purposes, and it’s a term that’s recently become more and more popular in the UK). 
 

Power Move, on the other hand, is an OVO-specific incentive to encourage us users to shift (“move”) our electricity usage away from peak weekday hours 4-7. Other companies offer their own incentives and intitiatives. OVO’s £15 monthly reward is payable only when the user has succeeded in limiting their weekday 4-7 usage to a defined percentage of their overall weekday total usage. For December it’s 13.5%, for January to March it’ll be between 11.5% and 14.5% (the lower that one’s monthly weekday percentage is, the more of the £15 one earns). They haven’t tried this sliding scale idea of rewards up to a maximum of £15 before, and hitting 11.5% in Winter will be a challenge! 
 

To qualify for these incentives, you must have a smart meter (which you already have got, I know), and OVO must be able to “see” your readings every half hour of every day. Try to get into the habit (if you’re not already doing it?) of checking your usage stats in your OVO online account, preferably every day. There’s a time lag of around 24 hours. But looking every day will get you in the useful way of being able to calculate precisely how your weekday 4-7 slot usage is doing as the month progresses (as a percentage of your overall weekday usage). It shows your weekend and bank holiday half-hourly usage as well, of course, also useful to know. I notice you mention your own personal weekend falls on an OVO weekday, works well for you if your Wednesday usage is relatively higher than your “normal” non workday usage (i.e. Saturday/Sunday). But not during 4-7, of course!

I would not worry about obtaining a battery: it can’t be lead acid indoors anyway, but rather lithium which is expensive, it has to be powerful, it has to be re-charged, it needs special equipment which costs just as much as the battery, and has to be wired-in by a skilled person. Financially, as a means of attaining Power Move targets, don’t even think about it! Long term, if you ever consider getting solar panels then yes, definitely, but such investment costs thousands. 

Air fryers (and the microwave, which you already have) do use considerably less electricity to cook something than an electric oven does, but do require capital outlay between £50 I believe for a basic and 2-3 hundred pounds for a good one. People who have them absolutely swear by them. You have an electric hob, I see, which is expensive to run. That well known Swedish company do a cheap small table-top induction hob which might be cheaper to run than a conventional electric cooker hob (I’m not sure about that: if you’ve still got your cooker’s manual you could check), we’ve had our small one for years but we only use it in the summer. 
 

To be honest, I wouldn’t mess with turning your ‘fridges up or down, or switching them on and off. People have their own tricks and strategies, of course. I generally wouldn’t bother with switching off any background devices, it honestly does not make much difference at all to the Power Move initiative. Things like our doorbell transformer we don’t bother switching off now (but, one caveat: if you have an illuminated bell push, they can use a surprising amount of electricity).  After all, stuff that’s always switched on won’t use any more during the weekday 4-7 slot than it uses during any other 3 hour weekday slot and so won’t in general have any real bearing. So, don’t get confused between a natural desire to economise on overall consumption and the Power Move incentive: Power Move doesn’t care how wasteful or how economical we are, it looks only at the amount of usage during weekday 4-7 as compared with the rest of the weekday consumption. 
 

My suggestion about running the boiler for periods outside the 4-7 slot, by the way, I realised afterwards was a bit of a no-no, as it would incur additional gas or oil costs on top of the electricity pump and thermostats etc., so please forget about that one!
 

With a daily weekday winter consumption of around 6 kWh I believe that you can definitely benefit from the Power Move, as you’ve got lots of wiggle room there to ensure that you move as much of your weekday usage (your usage, I emphasise, not the “house’s” normal background usage) as possible out of the weekday 4-7 slot and into any other weekday slot. Also shift any weekend usage you possibly can into a weekday slot (not into the weekday 4-7 slot, of course!). Like hoovering maybe? And as you say, watch carefully any of your heavy usage which happens after 11PM, make sure it stays in a weekday slot wherever possible and doesn’t stray into an invisible weekend (or Bank Holiday) slot. Your heater is definitely one to watch but for goodness’ sake do not skimp on staying comfortably warm, no incentive is worth being cold, it would indeed be downright dangerous to run risks like that.  As you’re using it throughout the weekday, except when you’re asleep, your 4-7 usage of the heater might not impact all that much on the Power Move. It will certainly have some impact, but it may not be all that great. Remember, Power Move doesn’t care whether you’re a low user or a high user, all it looks at is the percentage of your overall weekday usage which occurs in that key 4-7 slot. It really does not matter, for Power Move purposes, whether you use 3kWh per day or 20 kWh per day, the peak hours weekday percentage is all it cares about. Averaged out over the month, of course, so the odd weekday “wicked” day here or there doesn’t matter provided other weekday days make up for such lapses by being “good” days! If you were away for an entire month using practically zero electricity, this would on its own provide absolutely no guarantee you’d hit the Power Move target, as Power Move would only look at the 4-7 slot weekday percentage.  
 

And it’s kWh usage of course, measured in kWh not pounds and pennies, that the Power Move incentive bases its calculations on. So, do get used to having regular look at your half-hourly usage figures in your OVO account, and it sounds to me, from what you say,  that you are well on the way to meeting the Power Move target. I was really curious about your using your electric water boiler only a few times a week? For only a few coffees per week and only a few hot water bottles per week, or have I misunderstood? Such discipline with coffee (and also tea I confess) would be beyond me!

As a rough guide, something which is rated on its label as 100 Watts will use 100 Wh every hour that it’s running, and thus 1 kWh every ten hours. A lot of devices (like your own electric heater, or an oven, or a ‘fridge or microwave or air fryer) will cut in and out and so will not always be “on”. So a ‘fridge for example which might use 100 Watts when the compressor is working might only use 50 Wh if it cuts out as much as it cuts in during any given hour. Kettles are huge gobblers of electricity, some of them are rated at 3 kW.  Althiugh generally they’re only on for a few minutes at a time, several times a day that does mount up. A 1.8 kW oven, of course, although it eventually cuts out and in when it’s warmed up, takes an awful lot of electricity, maybe 20 minutes’ worth (600 Wh) to actually heat up in the first place. Which is where microwaves and air fryers come into their own as they don’t have this massive requirement to heat up before they start working, When you do use your oven, do you use the residual heat while it’s cooling down to heat up your washing up water? You could use a large covered casserole dish or something if you’re worried about steaming up the oven or causing condensation if the kitchen is cool. 
 

Your bulb is very good: 5 kWh per 1000 hours is a rather awkward way for the manufacturer to say 5 Wh! You’re using what an oldie like me might call a 5 Watt bulb, whereas a few years ago we were all using 40 or 60 Watt, or even 100 Watt incandescent jobbies. Amazing savings. 
 

Very good luck with it all, let us know how you get on over the next few weekdays…and remember you can relax a bit from midnight this Friday right through to midnight on Tuesday, 4 successive days which won’t count for Power Move.  Of course, any electric consumption you can possibly shift out of those 4 days into a “regular” weekday next Wednesday or today Wednesday, or tomorrow or Friday is worth doing.  Turkey-roasting, for example! 
 

HI AilitaV

like you I use very little electric. I found on days when I had only really had the fridge freezer and computer on I needed to boost my out of peak time use a little. I found boiling 2 full kettles to fill hot water bottles works for me. I use 50% less energy than other households and get my £15 discount. During 4 to 7 I only use battery power. Hope this helps

Sorry, you’ve misunderstood what I’m doing!!!  Probably, because I’m not making it very clear!!.  For a Power Move Plus event between 5pm and pm, what I’m doing is making the fridge (and freezer) colder between 4pm and 5pm, so that it doesn’t run between 5pm and 6pm, as the temperature rises slowly back to normal.  So the temperature in the fridge is 4 degrees at 4pm falls slowly to say 2 degrees at 5pm, rising back to 4 degrees by about 6pm (and then staying there).

So doing this the temperature in the fridge is NEVER above 4 degrees, but doesn’t use any (or much) electricity to do so between 5pm and 6pm.   From what I’ve read this is perfectly safe, but may slightly degrade the quality of the food in the long term.   As the food in the fridge is only there for a week, or so, then an occasionally bleep down to 2 degrees won’t affect the food significantly.  Similarly, with the freezer, but the relevant temperature is -18 degrees, but food quality is more of an issue. 

I am pretty sure this completely safe, especially for the food in the fridge, but now that the events are getting more common, I’m considering stopping doing it for the freezer, cos the food is there for much longer, and the quality may begin to suffer (as well, as it being quite fiddly to change the thermostat in it).

Somebody else asked how you change the temperature in a fridge, or freezer.   Both of mine have a dial next to the light, which is normally set to position 3.   The thermostats work in a slightly non-obvious way;  a HIGHER number on the scale represents a LOWER temperature!!!  So I am turning the fridge up to 7 on the scale just for the hour before the event, and back to 3 for the rest of the time.   This way the fridge is NEVER turned off, and the temperature never rises above 4 degrees, but (hopefully) doesn’t use significant amounts of electricity during the even.

I have a fridge/freezer thermometer (they’re not expensive), and have checked that my fridge temperature is never above 4 degrees, and my freezer never above -18, (which are the safe and recommend temperature),suggest you do the same.  If the normal temperatures are above these figures, then it’s not safe, and food will definitely spoil quicker than it needs to do, and if the normal temperatures are below these figures, then you might be wasting electricity.

This approach does use slightly more electricity overall, but shifts (most of) the use to the period before the Power Move Plus event.  I estimate that it might be using  5% more power just for the hour; depending  on the efficiency of your fridge that might be as much as 5Wh,  i.e. exchanging 100Wh in the event for 105Wh outside.  So, spending an extra 1 to 2p, to potentially save 30p, or 60p for a £6 event, if we ever get one.

As, I said, I’m probably going to stop doing the freezer, because the events are getting more common, and I am slightly concerned about the long term quality of my frozen food.

The similar approach on the CH, of turning up the temperature for the hour before the Power Move Event, definitely works, and I can see absolutely no downside to it.  Although, it might cost an extra 5p worth of gas as well to save the 30p.  

Unfortunately, this approach doesn’t work so well for normal Power Move periods, because my fridge is old and cannot hold it’s temperature for more than an hour or so. 

As for the CH, I can easily achieve 3 hours without using it.  First, pre-heating the house, closing all the curtains, letting the room temperature drop a little from normal, and then even turning the gas fire on for a few minutes in the only room I’m actually in.

Hope that covers everything!!!

     Rgds,

              Steve

Hi AilitaA
Don’t make life so difficult for yourself. The only time you need to restrict your electric use is between 4 and 7. Like another person said, make a hot drink and hot water bottle at 3.30, use a battery powered light. At 7.15 make another hot drink and congratulate yourself

Hey @AilitaV 

I hope everyone’s comments have been helpful, there’s a lot to go through - so thank you to everyone for chipping in!

Like many have said, restricting yourself that much is not the aim of Power Move, and you should continue to make use outside of the Power Move timeframe, and simply restrict what you use during that 4-7pm.

I’ve taken this quote directly from the Power Move homepage, “Power Move is about rewarding you for using energy in a way that’s better for the planet. That doesn’t mean using any less energy. Instead, we challenge you to use energy at greener times of the day – in return for credit on your energy bill”.

There’s also some really helpful topics with hints and tips on ways to help meet the target, or the impact of having no other usage can have on ability to meet the target:

What is Power Move Plus?

This winter, OVO is offering customers even more chances to save - it’s called Power Move Plus. We’re taking part in the Electricity Systems Operator (ESO)’s Demand Flexibility Service to help customers reduce their bills this winter and reduce demand on the grid at peak times.

You can also find out more on our FAQs topic below:

I hope all of this has been helpful so far, and if you’ve got any other questions, just let us know.

Hey @AilitaV,

I can see other Community Members and Abby_OVO have given some helpful advice here. Just wanted to add some useful information about support that’s available.

 Our Winter Support Package might be helpful to you.

If you or anyone in your household is vulnerable, or just needs a little extra assistance at a difficult time in your lives, our Priority Services Register is a free support service you might find useful.

 

Warm Home Discount Scheme

You might be eligible for £140 credit towards your energy bills through the Warm Home Discount Scheme. Unfortunately, applications have closed for this winter. They’ll reopen later in the year for next winter. You can apply if:

• You’re on a lower income

• You’re getting the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit

Find out more about the Warm Home Discount here.

There’s lots more information about financial support OVO offers as well as Charities and other organisations on our . Find out more here. 

Hi @AilitaV, forgot to expand on my “wiggle room” comment above! It doesn’t mean a room where you wiggle around to stay warm!  What I meant was, that if you’re using say 6 kWh per day, that equates to an average weekday hourly usage of around 250 Watt, which gives you some leeway to be comfortable, even with your electric heater (which I assume is something like a 2 kWh fan heater?). 
 

So, staying warm and using your computer and your lighting as normal like @Abby_OVO and others emphasise, have a look at your in home display at 4PM and again at  7PM and check that you haven’t used more than 0.75 kWh. OK, there’s a time lag, so the times you’re checking are probably more like the three hours between 3.30 and 6.30,  but it’s close enough to give you an idea of whether your weekday usage 4-7 is working out to be within the 13.5% target of your overall weekday usage. You can always go into your OVO account and check the exact 4-7 usage…again, there’s a time lag, but it’s the general pattern that you want to spot. 12.5% of 6 kWh being 0.75 kWh, which would be well under the required 13.5%, provided your overall average weekday daily usage is around the 5.5 to 6 kWh level. 

Do this over the next few days and you’ll have a pretty good idea of things.   And remember, if you’re not using tinned carrots and potatoes and things for Sunday lunch, parboil your fresh vegetables on Friday if you can, especially if you’re relying on your electric hob rather than the microwave. 
 

Oh yes, and I assume you've checked to see that you’re actually registered for the Power Move initiative…you’re not automatically joined, so check your OVO account pages if you haven’t already done so. 
 

All the very best, let us know how you go on…. 

Yep, guessing after finally being invited to join in with power move plus I’m very unlikely to achieve the target of 0.1kWh 

How to win at PM+:
  

  
 Turn everything off and go down the pub.

pActually, I went to do my weekly shop at Aldi. That worked just as well.]

Hey @Sally123,

This topic may have some helpful hints and tips for low users to hit their targets:

Hi Emmanuelle

I turned everything (including the fridge freezer ) off but the internet modem and still only got down to 0.1 which was my target number, so guessing I am not someone who OVO wants to achieve Power Move Plus

I’m similar, every one of my PM+ targets has been 0.1 kWh.

Even if I cut all power off at the consumer unit I could only get rewarded for saving 0.1 kWh, that’s pennies so not worth the trouble.

On the other hand I’ve fairly easily met every one of the Power Move percentage targets since I’ve been on it, and got £15 each month.
It’s my low useage during the Power Move hours that results in such low targets in PM+/DFS events, (which have tended to be shorter but still within the Power Move hours).

Horses for courses as they say, pick which course (PM or PM+) is best suited to your particular ‘normal’ usage pattern and you can be a winner.
 

Me too Nukecad

Hey @Sally123,

Maybe the Power Move challenges would be more suitable for a user like yourself, you can find out more in this topic:

Yep as I said earlier I meet power move every month. OVO obviously dont like us achieving both

What sort of percentage are you reaching? If it’s just below the threshold, there’s not much you can do. If like some of us you’re well below it (see my mid-January progress report below), you can increase the potential PM+ reward by using a bit more in the 4-7PM slot.