New user / what utility provider / smart meter help

Hi all

Apologies now for the copious amounts of questions.

I have a PV system that is on an old FIT tariff (50% deemed and £0.27 per kWh export). Just purchased an EV and have added a 9.5kw GE battery and inverter.

My utility provider is EDF on a variable rate BUT my electricity meter is an old type that runs backwards.

I need to change over to a smart meter. First question is, does this also replace my export meter for the PV. Or do I still supply meter readings for the export?

I’ve had a thought, and also reading briefly on the forum. If I change to an EV tariff which has cheaper rate at off peak, I can export this back at a higher rate? Is this separate to the PV generation? Hence the query about the smart meter replacing the PV export meter. So in theory I could get a double whammy?

What recommendation for the best provider? I see a lot about Octopus Agile or Octopus Go?

Any help would be great

If you move to a smart meter then you lose the FIT tariff.

The smart meter will record import and export.

I had an old type meter when my PV was installed in 2012. The meter ran backwards when solar was above house load; after the first summer like this my meter was changed to a smart meter. I retained the FIT though, still on deemed export today. The smart meter does log import and export but seems the export figure isn’t used as deemed FIT.
I never had an export MPAN though, and still don’t - from what I’ve read if I try to get an export MPAN to open up more tariffs (on flat rate now) then I will lose the FIT deemed export and transfer to SEG. I don’t export much (only when solar has filled the battery) so makes no sense for me to change anything until my FIT scheme ends.

JJ28 on an old FIT tariff (50% deemed and £0.27 per kWh export)

My understanding was that there were two components to the payment: a generation payment, which covered all generation, and an export payment, which can be based on an assumption of 50% of generation if it's not measured. Is that 27p just the export bit? AFAIK you'd get to keep the generation component even if you switch to measured export.

It also seems that some companies insist on moving to measured export when you can measure it, others allow you to choose. Though ofgem says you will switch to measured:
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/environmental-and-social-schemes/feed-tariffs-fit/feed-tariffs-fit-generators#:~:text=I'm%20planning%20on%20getting,payments%20will%20not%20be%20affected.

Vestas You DONT loose the FIT rate at all.
FIT generation stays separate you can even leave it with your existing provider. You can keep 50% deemed usage with a smart meter as one option (we’ve done that for years) OR you can exchange 50% deemed use at a very low unit rate for one of the export tariffs.

Further details we’re with Octopus for power and FIT generation with BG. We’re in the process of changing the 50% deemed export to Octopus fixed and they gave us a choice of moving the generation too. We chose not to because they said it would make it take longer. You still take manual readings for generation.
You just have to work out whether it’s worth loosing 50% deemed on your usage profile.

Judith You do if you get an export MPAN.

My experience:
Moved into a house with an old style meter, solar & FIT generation and "deemed export".
The import for Gas and Electric was handled by Octopus when I moved in.
The FIT generation was handled by OVO.

I got Octopus to update the import meters to smart meters.
Got an electrician to setup an 3kw AC coupled & 9.5kwh GE system.
I got the FIT generation and export updated to my name. This took over a year of phone calls and hassle with OVO!.

Because my experience of OVO was so poor, I decided to get Octopus to handle the FIT.
Octopus now pay me for the FIT generation. The "deemed export" which is where they take 50% of your generated electricty and assume it get exported has been changed to being the 5p SEG stuff, and the smart meter is used to keep track of what I really have exported.
So I have lost out slightly - but I don't have to deal with OVO.

I've also bought an EV, GiveEnergy didn't do a charger at that point so I got a rival charger.
This means I can use Intelligent Octopus.
So I'm charging my battery for 7p/kwh at night, and being paid for the FIT generation. I'm also paid for anything that I export. I should update that to the 15p/kwh export rate but I haven't bothered yet.

Thanks all for your replies. Spoke to Octopus today, and moving across to them, but they have confirmed (as per your advice) that I can keep my FIT Generation, and if I move to one of their export tariffs, I will loose the deemed export, but get their rates.

Now onto setting up HomeAssistant