Ways I can take part in Power Move Flex events even when I'm away from home

You must remember this is a trial. They are trying to find out what works and what doesn't work. Some of the options will not work for you and that’s fine. If the option is bad for most people then they will have learnt that it’s not a good option.

Bruce

Very short notice and it appears another way to entice us to adjusting our usage to their convenience when we are their customers  

Asking us to do laundry or cooking while most people are working is too disruptive unless we like clean damp laundry sat in washing machines or food cooling in pots etc  

I probably won’t take part in further events if timed like this  

Hey ​@Fi1976,
 

Power Move Flex is currently a trial, we're working to understand things such as what notice periods customers need. This is all to help inform the future of energy, and what needs to happen for customers to be able to help support the grid in times of high or low demand

If customers then tell us, or the data tells us that later notice periods don't work, this key learning to shape the future of energy flexibility. 

Your feedback has been passed onto the team 😊

Edit* There will be events at different days and times throughout the whole trial

I think the short notice is part of the trial - finding out how much notice people need in order to make a difference. 

I had the email yesterday. I’m just not sure I would actually get the credit. 
Would have mowed the lawn, (the incentive to get it done!) had i been sure about what was on offer. Worried they will claim it is ‘extra usage’ and not my usual usage. 
Wondering how they define usual??

Thank you for replying. I hope my feedback helps with info required. I thought I was doing something wrong..appreciated.

Tthank you Duncan, appreciate this

Hey ​@Deanna Troi,

Normal usage baseline - 

• For working days (Mon - Fri excluding bank holidays) – your baseline is calculated using the half hourly electricity usage data taken from your smart meter over the last 10 working days before an event. You’ll need to have at least 5 working days worth of data for a target to be calculated. 
• For non-working days (Saturday, Sunday & bank holidays) – your baseline is calculated using the half hourly electricity usage data taken from your smart meter over the last 4 non-working days. You’ll need to have at least 4 non-working days worth of data for a target to be calculated. 

Your incentive will be on every event notification email. The goal isn't to use more or less, just to shift when you would do electricity using tasks into or out of specified time periods.

Thank you so much, I do try with power move as much I can so appreciate you feeding back. I have solar so tend to set my timers to suit this but in winter the options are not the same so would appreciate being advised in advance when best to power up. 

That is your choice but my conversation was not in anyway against the incentive....it was to ask how I can make it work better.

I manage my laundry fine setting it in morning to start to be hung when I wake up. As for food cooling in a pot I am uncertain what you mean as surely no one would cook food and leave it for a full day in a pot....raises me health concerns which as individuals we have a responsibility for.

Well l got an email the other day. to let me know about these events. l am okay as l am off this week and next and can join in these events. maybe when at work l won’t be able to do this. as times would be difficult.

Very vague isn’t it. I only mow the lawn occasionally.

If they said you will definitely get a minimum reward i might put myself out to arrange my day thus . 
The you may or may not bit is aggravating for a low user like me who already avoids the peak 5-7pm.  Feels like it is aimed at people with a high usage generally?

Hi Everyone.

I have done quite well inPowerMove as you guys, butI wasa bit confused when Ireceived my challenge email at1:20 pm  this afternoon to power up between 3-4 pm.

For a person who is working full-time, and in the office like me, how can I set timers on my washing machine/dishwasher etc to achieve this?

Hey ​@mareeya 

Great question! That would depend on the model of washing machine/dishwasher you have, they’ll all be different, but if you want to share a photo we can try to help find a manual online or if you search for the model online, you should be able to find a manual if you haven’t got paper one at home.

Let us know and we’ll see what we can do to help.😊

I’ve also linked below to the newest topic on Power Move Flex with the most up to date information about the summer trial:

HI ​@Abby_OVO 

I think what is meant is similar to what my originalbquestion was. If I leave for work at 8 but email comes in to power up at 1.20pm between 3-4pm timers can't be set as not at home to do this until after 5. 

If notice was given then timers could be set and power move would achieve so much more with it aim as more people could be active and participate. 

Hope this make sense as too how my thoughts are with how power move flex could be more achievable for all.

Well if you had an internet connected washing machine you could turn it on remotely from the office.

Just a pity that it would be empty unless you leave it loaded every day just-in-case; or have an internet connect robot to put the washing in too.  😄

The other BIG thing? Even failure to meet a PMF event counts towards the CrowdFlex project data.

The whole idea is to test whether you can respond to such events - that’s why the data is so useful!

I am also finding it impossible. Mostly because I rarely read my emails. I read them once or twice a week so have missed all the events this week.  It would be good if there was the option to have a text message sent. I receive so many emails it would drive me insane to have a notification each time one landed in my inbox and I am reluctant to check them daily. I guess this isn’t the challenge for me.

Word on the street is that different notification methods are potentially being used for different groups. Not everyone is being notified the same way.

You may find you get switched to another method in future runs.

This is valuable feedback ​@Tasa, I’ll let the team know.

Sorry to throw a really big spanner in the works, but the advice from the Fire Brigade, electrical manufacturers, and Which is not to run domestic electrical devices when nobody is in (or awake), because of the risk of a malfunction causing a fire (or water leak)!!!

Luckily for me, as I’m retired, I can take advantage of these Power Up events, and let them dictate when I run my dishwasher, and washing machine.  To take full advantage, I have to start the dishwasher about 90 minutes before each event!!!  This is because, on the eco-wash setting, the manual tells me that the second rinse temperature is greater than the wash temperature (the first rinse is unheated)!!!  Also, luckily for me, as I live alone, and  I have enough space, I can let the dishes, and clothes build up until the next power up event when I also have a full load to go, so I’m not doing extra washes.  This would not be practical for a large family.

Doing all this I’m getting the princely sum of about 20p per week -- it hardly seems worth doing, but if I’m doing my bit for the planet, I’ll do what I i can (easily!!!).

I’m waiting for the power down events, presumably later in the year.  Last time, I managed to reduce my power demand by something like 95%, by not running the washers during the event (obviously!!), by jigging the fridge and CH thermostats to run them up before the event, and by using candles, torches, and my laptop on its battery!!!

Now that was worth doing, cos, as far as I remember, I could get well over a £1 an event!!!

Morning ​@MGSteve and thanks for this valuable feedback!

​@MGSteve Safety is always worth highlighting but I can't think of any safety issues running an immersion heater which is quite a good load to run if you have one. When I had my new gas boiler put in it needed a new tank so I specified a 3kW immersion heater (they are quite cheap) and a programmable controller. 20 mins at 3kW = 1kWh. If only Queen's song had been titled ‘I want to get free’

Peter 

I agree an immersion heater by itself is unlikely to cause much risk; if it fails then the worst that it is  likely is a blown fuse.   But, washing machines and dish washers have floats, solenoids,  filters, and plastic pipes, which call all fail with release of water.  And, tumbler dryer filters could block causing a fire.  Hence the advice!!!