Off-Peak Tariffs and Battery Storage: Getting the Most from Cheap Overnight Power

Time-of-use tariffs reward you for using electricity when it's cheap. Paired with a home battery, they can transform your energy bills — here's how to make the most of them.

What time-of-use tariffs are

Time-of-use (TOU) tariffs charge different rates at different times of day, with cheap overnight windows and higher daytime and evening prices. Tariffs such as Economy 7 and newer smart options like Octopus Go and Cosy are designed for households that can shift their usage — or store cheap power for later. The bigger the gap between off-peak and peak rates, the more there is to gain.

Why a battery is the key

On its own, a TOU tariff only helps if you can move your usage to the cheap window — running the dishwasher at 2am, for example. A home battery removes that hassle entirely. It charges automatically when power is cheapest and powers your home through the expensive hours, so you benefit from off-peak rates around the clock without changing how you live. Our guide to the best time-of-use tariffs for battery storage goes deeper.

Smart scheduling

Modern batteries and hybrid inverters can be scheduled to match your tariff and even respond to forecasts. You can prioritise charging during the cheapest half-hours, hold charge for peak periods, and top up from the grid only when it makes financial sense. We set this up for you at commissioning and show you how to adjust it.

Even better with solar

If you have — or add — solar panels, the battery stores your own free generation first and tops up with cheap grid power only when solar falls short, such as in winter. That combination delivers the lowest possible bills across the whole year. Model both scenarios with our savings calculator.

Make your tariff work harder

If you're already on a smart tariff but not storing the cheap power, you're leaving savings on the table. Talk to our team about a battery sized to your usage and tariff.