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Rank 1
Thrifty user
Rank 1
January 8, 2024
Solved

December power move

  • January 8, 2024
  • 7 replies
  • 394 views

I can’t hit the target because my overall usage is low and evenly spread throughout the day, if I used lots of energy, I could swap things around, but as I don’t , my target equals on average using less than 0.7 kwh in the 3 hour period

    Best answer by waltyboy

    Hi @Thrifty user, it’s good to be seeing specific figures…we don’t always see that! But it’s the only way really to accurately compare usage and try to work out why some folk hit the target and some don’t.  
     

    I was interested to see that while you were away over Christmas, your house used around  0.15 kWh (on average) for the peak hour period?  OK, I realise that the four Christmas weekend/bank holiday days don’t actually count, but am I right in my understanding, at around 0.05 kWh per hour on average?
     

    And then when you’re home again, to hit the target, you could increase this key period 3-hour  consumption from 0.15 kWh to 0.7 kWh, i.e. permit yourself an increase from 0.05 per peak hour to something like 0.23 kWh, approximately a five-fold increase, comparing when you’re not at home to when you are.  This might well be achievable…giving an overall “at home” daily consumption of around 5.6 kWh?  
     

    This sounds do-able, admittedly your overall electricity consumption at less than than 6 kWh daily is admirably low, but there are users in this forum with similar, or even lower, consumption.  
     

    Id be really interested to know, without wishing to pry, just from one consumer to another,  what it is that boosts your “at home” peak hours usage five times compared to when you’re not at home? I understand heat and light requirements, none of us on here would advocate sitting in the dark and cold, no thank you very much!

     

    Well done on your impressively low usage…all the best…and stay warm, there’s some cold weather forecast as January proceeds….
     

     

    7 replies

    Blastoise186
    Super User
    Blastoise186Super User
    Super User
    January 8, 2024

    What kind of things are you running @Thrifty user ?

    Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way! Remember, I'm just like you - AI Powered Evil Geniuses aren't Staff!
    S
    Rank 2
    Sally123
    Rank 2
    January 8, 2024

    Hi Thrifty

    Scroll down below the reply box for some good suggestions on other threads on ways to get it down during challenge times. Mine is down to 0.03 max during the period

    T
    Rank 1
    Thrifty userAuthor
    Rank 1
    January 8, 2024

    Even if i left home and turned everything off bar the fridge freezer, I don't think a family home can run on 0.03kwh for a three period in winter. When I was away over Christmas I house used about 0.05 per hour.

    Also I’m happy to be careful with my energy use but I do also want to live a normal life and that requires heat and light.

    waltyboy
    Rank 8
    waltyboySolved
    Rank 8
    January 8, 2024

    Hi @Thrifty user, it’s good to be seeing specific figures…we don’t always see that! But it’s the only way really to accurately compare usage and try to work out why some folk hit the target and some don’t.  
     

    I was interested to see that while you were away over Christmas, your house used around  0.15 kWh (on average) for the peak hour period?  OK, I realise that the four Christmas weekend/bank holiday days don’t actually count, but am I right in my understanding, at around 0.05 kWh per hour on average?
     

    And then when you’re home again, to hit the target, you could increase this key period 3-hour  consumption from 0.15 kWh to 0.7 kWh, i.e. permit yourself an increase from 0.05 per peak hour to something like 0.23 kWh, approximately a five-fold increase, comparing when you’re not at home to when you are.  This might well be achievable…giving an overall “at home” daily consumption of around 5.6 kWh?  
     

    This sounds do-able, admittedly your overall electricity consumption at less than than 6 kWh daily is admirably low, but there are users in this forum with similar, or even lower, consumption.  
     

    Id be really interested to know, without wishing to pry, just from one consumer to another,  what it is that boosts your “at home” peak hours usage five times compared to when you’re not at home? I understand heat and light requirements, none of us on here would advocate sitting in the dark and cold, no thank you very much!

     

    Well done on your impressively low usage…all the best…and stay warm, there’s some cold weather forecast as January proceeds….
     

     

    Walt. 2013: 3.2kW PV East/West + Fronius IG, >26MWh (of which, to date mid-2025, 20MWh exported). 2023: 2.4kWh LiFePo4 battery. 2024: Tadö wireless smart stat v3; Electriq split unit 2.6kW AAHP (“air conditioner”).
      T
      Newcomer
      Trendy168
      Newcomer
      January 8, 2024

      Hi everyone, first time on here. I have never hit my target, even in September when I was only home for 14 days no TV no cooker no anything used apart from fridges and I  still didn’t hit so to be honest not bothering , I think if I shut off my entire supply I still would not hit, looking to change supplier as I am not confident with the readings I get on my energy use.

      Blastoise186
      Super User
      Blastoise186Super User
      Super User
      January 8, 2024

      Hi everyone, first time on here. I have never hit my target, even in September when I was only home for 14 days no TV no cooker no anything used apart from fridges and I  still didn’t hit so to be honest not bothering , I think if I shut off my entire supply I still would not hit, looking to change supplier as I am not confident with the readings I get on my energy use.

      Shutting down everything all day won’t reach the target. It’s OVO Power Move, not OVO Power Shutdown. To win, you need to move heavy usage to be outside the 4pm to 7pm slot, not just shut it all down and not use it at all.

      Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way! Remember, I'm just like you - AI Powered Evil Geniuses aren't Staff!
        waltyboy
        Rank 8
        waltyboy
        Rank 8
        January 8, 2024

        Hi @Trendy168, welcome to the forum!  
         

        You’re absolutely right, if you were away from home with everything switched off, you most definitely would NOT meet the January 11.5% Power Move target.

         

        Power Move is NOT about rewarding low usage.  Power Move IS about rewarding lower usage in three specific weekday hours: 4PM to 7PM.  “Lower” here means only 4-7 weekday consumption (i.e. electricity purchased from the Grid) when compared with the rest of our weekday consumption.

         

        High consumer or low consumer, Power Move doesn’t care.  It cares only about the proportion of your weekday consumption that you use in the 4-7 slot. 
         

        Lowering overall consumption is what most of us consumers aim for to a greater or lesser extent, but that’s not what Power Move in essence is about. Power Move rewards you when you move consumption away from the 4-7 weekday slot and into any other slot, preferably into any other weekday slot as this makes your 4-7 weekday slot look good (weekend slots are invisible for Power Move purposes).
         

        The 16 days you were away in September I’m afraid more or less guaranteed you would NOT meet the September target, as during those 16 days your consumption was absolutely flat across 4-7 compared with overall weekday consumption. 
         

        One thing to bear in mind, Power Move Incentive applies only during weekdays, not weekends or bank holidays. 
         

        The one sure way you can monitor your progress is to check your half-hourly weekday usage stats in your online OVO account regularly, especially at first when you’re getting a handle on things, preferably every day.  
         

        Can I ask why you have low confidence in your usage readings…do you mean your In Home Display (IHD) or are you trying to gauge your usage by checking your actual smart meter in the cupboard or wherever every now and again (difficult, nigh on impossible, not recommended!)?  The best way is to let the smart meter do the work sending its readings to OVO so you can check your OVO online account, where your half-hourly readings will be recorded every day (there’s usually about a day’s lag), and they’re kept there for you to check back on over the weeks and months so you can discern patterns of usage etc.
         

        People on here have loads of friendly advice and experience on meeting the Power Move monthly challenge…you’re in the right place to have a good look around at loads of ideas.  
         

        Very good luck to you…if you’re unsure about anything, get back to us, someone will know!

        Walt. 2013: 3.2kW PV East/West + Fronius IG, >26MWh (of which, to date mid-2025, 20MWh exported). 2023: 2.4kWh LiFePo4 battery. 2024: Tadö wireless smart stat v3; Electriq split unit 2.6kW AAHP (“air conditioner”).
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