Best smart electricity tariffs for solar & battery storage (2026)
A time-of-use tariff can significantly cut your electricity bills — especially when combined with solar panels, a home battery, or an EV. Here's which UK tariffs work best for each setup, and how to maximise your savings.
Smart tariff comparison (2026)
Rates are approximate and change frequently. Always check the current rate directly with the supplier before switching.
| Tariff | Best for | Off-peak rate |
|---|---|---|
| Octopus Agile | Solar + battery, flexible users | Varies — can go negative |
| Octopus Go | EV owners, battery storage | ~7.5p/kWh (00:30–05:30) |
| Intelligent Octopus | EV owners with compatible charger | ~7.5p/kWh (smart scheduled) |
| E.ON Drive | EV owners (E.ON customers) | ~9p/kWh (overnight) |
| OVO Charge Anytime | EV owners (OVO customers) | ~10p/kWh (EV charging) |
How to maximise savings with a smart tariff
☀️Solar only (no battery)
Shift flexible loads to the cheapest overnight window: dishwasher, washing machine, tumble dryer, and EV charging. Use the cheap overnight electricity instead of grid electricity during peak solar generation periods. Octopus Go or E.ON Drive work well.
🔋Solar + battery storage
Program your battery to charge overnight on the cheap rate, then use stored electricity during peak times (4–8pm) when the grid rate is highest. Octopus Agile + battery automation can achieve near-zero net electricity cost in summer with a well-sized system.
🚗EV + solar + battery
Intelligent Octopus auto-schedules EV charging. Combine with solar export via Octopus SEG. Use battery for home load shifting. The combination of SEG income, cheap EV charging, and bill savings can make the full system pay back in under 7 years.
Don't forget the Smart Export Guarantee
If you have solar panels, you can earn money for every unit you export to the grid — regardless of your import tariff. Octopus SEG pays up to 24p/kWh. You can claim SEG from a different supplier than your import tariff.
SEG rates and eligibility guideSmart tariff FAQs
What is a time-of-use electricity tariff?
A time-of-use (TOU) tariff charges different rates for electricity depending on when you use it. Off-peak periods (typically overnight, often 00:00–06:00) cost much less than peak times (typically evenings 16:00–20:00). Smart tariffs like Octopus Agile take this further — prices change every 30 minutes based on the wholesale electricity market, and can even go negative (you get paid to use electricity) during periods of high grid supply.
What is the best tariff for solar panels?
For solar panel owners, the combination of a good SEG (Smart Export Guarantee) rate for exports plus an overnight tariff for cheap charging matters most. Octopus offers both — the Octopus SEG pays up to 24p/kWh for exports, and Intelligent Octopus or Octopus Go provide cheap overnight electricity at 7.5–9p/kWh. E.ON also offers competitive SEG rates (~5.57p). You don't have to use the same supplier for import and export.
Can I use a smart tariff without battery storage?
Yes. Solar panel owners without batteries can still benefit from a smart tariff by shifting flexible loads — running the dishwasher, washing machine, and EV overnight at cheap rates. A battery just maximises the benefit by storing cheap overnight electricity for peak-time use.
What is Octopus Agile and is it worth it for solar owners?
Octopus Agile is a half-hourly tariff where unit rates track the wholesale electricity market. Rates are announced at 4pm for the following day. On very windy or sunny days, grid prices can go negative — you're paid to use electricity. For solar owners with battery storage, Agile is powerful: charge the battery when prices are negative or very low overnight; discharge during peak expensive periods. The complexity is that rates are unpredictable — you need battery management software (Givenergy portal, Solis Cloud, etc.) or a smart charger to automate this.
Will a smart tariff automatically work with my solar system?
Not automatically — your battery inverter or EV charger needs to be configured to respond to tariff signals. Some battery systems (GivEnergy, Tesla Powerwall, Fox ESS) have built-in smart scheduling. Others need a third-party energy management system (e.g. Octopus Intelligent, myenergi Eddi/Zappi, Home Assistant with AppDaemon). Your installer should be able to advise on smart tariff integration at survey.
What is Intelligent Octopus and how does it work?
Intelligent Octopus is a tariff designed for EV owners with compatible chargers (Ohme, Zappi, or a supported car's built-in charger). It automatically schedules EV charging for the cheapest overnight periods (currently 7.5p/kWh for at least 6 hours overnight). It uses smart scheduling rather than requiring the homeowner to manually set charge times. Compatible chargers include Ohme Home Pro, Zappi, and several EV manufacturers' built-in apps.
Get solar or battery storage quotes from local installers
Ask your installer about smart tariff compatibility at survey — most MCS-certified companies are familiar with Octopus, GivEnergy and myenergi integrations.