Octopus Energy brought Intelligent Octopus Flux to market in July 2023, a bundled import and export tariff for households with solar panels and an eligible battery1. It followed Octopus Flux, which the supplier launched in March 2023 as its first time-of-use import and export tariff2.
The tariff is variable and changes its rates every three months to reflect Ofgem's price cap1. Import and export prices are higher during the 4pm to 7pm peak period than at any other time, and the two always stay level with each other, so a household receives the same amount per kilowatt-hour for exported electricity as it pays for imported electricity1. Off-peak electricity is described as 10% cheaper than on Octopus's standard variable tariff1. There is no exit fee1.
Octopus runs the battery on the customer's behalf, charging it at off-peak times and discharging it to the grid and the home during the 4pm to 7pm peak, using weather forecasts to estimate daily solar output1. Eligibility requires receiving grid electricity from Octopus, owning solar panels and an eligible battery, and owning an Apple or Android smartphone or tablet1. Only batteries from a limited number of qualifying manufacturers can be used2.
Reported figures for the tariff:
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Peak export rate (4pm-7pm) | 32.17p/kWh2 |
| Other times export rate | 24.13p/kWh2 |
| Average earnings from exporting | £893.23 per year2 |
| Average total bill reduction vs normal tariff | £1,067 per year1 |
| Saving from importing less grid electricity | £173.31 per year1 |
The earnings figure is modelled on a home with a 4.9 kilowatt-peak system and a 5.2kWh battery, annual consumption of 3,400kWh and solar irradiance of 850kWh per kWp, exporting 65% of its solar-generated electricity1. Regional peak rates given for Intelligent Octopus Flux range from 28.94p/kWh in Manchester to 31.27p/kWh in London, with Birmingham at 29.03p, Bristol at 29.43p, Cardiff at 29.82p and Edinburgh at 29.17p1.
"Intelligent Octopus Flux came on the market in July 2023"
Octopus offers five export tariffs in total: Octopus SEG, Outgoing Octopus, Outgoing Agile, Octopus Flux and Intelligent Octopus Flux, all falling under the Smart Export Guarantee2. Ofgem's figures show 191,631 households registered with one of Octopus's export tariffs between April 2024 and March 2025, which was 71% of all SEG registrations2. Octopus is the largest UK supplier, with 7.7 million domestic customers2.
Why it matters for households
A tariff that pays the same rate for exported electricity as it charges for imported electricity removes the usual gap between buying and selling power, which is the core economics of most solar and battery import tariffs. For a home with a battery, the value comes from moving energy in time: charging when power is cheap and discharging when it is expensive, rather than only from what the panels generate. That is the pattern described in stacking a home battery with smart and time-of-use tariffs.
The trade-off is control. Octopus operates the battery, so the household's stored electricity is managed by the supplier rather than by the occupant1. Eligibility also depends on the battery's manufacturer, which means a home with an otherwise suitable system may not qualify2. Households without solar panels cannot use this tariff, though a battery can still be paired with other arrangements, as set out in can I have a home battery without solar panels.
The reported £1,067 annual reduction is a modelled average for a specific system size and usage pattern, not a guarantee, and the tariff's rates change every three months1. The wider context of supplier tariffs and billing is covered in Octopus Energy: tariffs, unit rates and billing.
What happens next
Intelligent Octopus Flux changes its rates every three months in line with Ofgem's price cap1. No further dated steps have been reported.
Sources2 cited
- Intelligent Octopus Flux: explained 2026, sunsave.energy
- Octopus Energy export tariffs: All 5 explained 2026, sunsave.energy