Good Energy vs Octopus: comparing commercial tariffs and features to help you choose for your business

Good Energy and Octopus Energy are two of the UK’s best-known renewable energy suppliers, but their business services follow different models.

Good Energy supplies businesses with 100% renewable electricity sourced through Power Purchase Agreements with more than 3,000 independent British generators. Its business contract range includes fixed, index-linked, flexible and Corporate Power Purchase Agreement options, while its Green Gas product contains 10% biomethane with the remaining emissions offset.

Octopus Energy for Business combines conventional energy supply with a wider selection of technology-led tariffs. Shape Shifters Trio and Agile reward companies that move electricity use away from peak periods, Summer Saver targets seasonal organisations, and a No Standing Charge Tariff is available for qualifying meters. Octopus also operates flat-rate and dynamic commercial export tariffs.

Good Energy may be the stronger choice where a company wants renewable-only electricity, direct support for independent British generators, green gas and transparent half-hourly renewable matching.

Octopus may be more attractive where the business has flexible equipment, electric vehicles, solar panels, batteries or multiple sites that can benefit from smart pricing and active energy management.

Neither supplier is automatically cheaper. The final cost depends on the individual meter, postcode, annual consumption, demand profile, credit assessment and contract structure.

Good Energy vs Octopus at a glance

Feature	Good Energy for Business	Octopus Energy for Business
Business electricity	Yes	Yes
Business gas	Yes	Yes
Small-business supply	Yes	Yes
Large-business supply	Yes	Yes
Standard national contract rates published	No	No
Fixed contract terms	Generally 12–24 months	Individually quoted; specialist smart tariffs are commonly 12 months
Renewable electricity	100% renewable across the supply portfolio	Supplier-wide mix is 86.4% renewable and 13.6% nuclear
Nuclear-backed electricity	No	Yes, within the supplier-wide mix
Fossil-fuel electricity	None in the disclosed Good Energy mix	None in the disclosed Octopus mix
Fixed business tariffs	Yes	Yes
Index-linked business tariff	Yes, for half-hourly meters	Agile provides half-hourly wholesale-linked pricing
Flexible procurement	Good Energy Flex from 5GWh	Bespoke large-commercial services
Time-of-use SME tariff	Hourly Matching Credit rewards matched use	Shape Shifters Trio and Agile
Seasonal business tariff	No prominent equivalent	Summer Saver
No-standing-charge option	No prominent equivalent	Available for qualifying meter bands
Half-hourly renewable matching	Good Energy Hourly Matching	Octopus Electric Match
Business matching incentive	Hourly Matching Credit	Lower smart-tariff prices and matched-generation products
Flat business export rate	Bespoke export and PPA rates	Panel Power at 12p/kWh
Dynamic business export	Bespoke/index-linked options	Shape Shifters: Export
Feed-in Tariff administration	Major FIT portfolio service	Available but less central to business proposition
Commercial solar	Installation, batteries, EV charging and export support	Smart exports, batteries and bespoke renewable projects
On-site wind funding	PPA and generator services	Wind Works
Business EV support	Charging can form part of commercial installations	Smart tariffs, charging, leasing and Electroverse
Green gas	10% biomethane, remaining emissions offset	Standard business gas; no equally prominent business green-gas product
Best suited to	Businesses prioritising renewable-only supply and generator support	Businesses prioritising smart tariffs, flexibility and exports

Which businesses can apply?

Both suppliers serve SMEs and larger commercial organisations.

Good Energy’s renewable supply service is available to businesses of different sizes and meter types. Fixed contracts can cover half-hourly and non-half-hourly sites, while its index-linked product is designed for half-hourly meters. Large users consuming at least 5GWh annually can consider Good Energy Flex.

Octopus supplies small businesses, charities, multi-site companies and larger half-hourly portfolios. Specialist products have additional eligibility requirements: Shape Shifters requires a working smart meter and an account paid by Direct Debit, while Electric Match is primarily aimed at businesses using at least 10GWh annually.

Example suitability by company type

Example business	Annual electricity use	Potentially suitable option
Independent shop	12,000kWh	Good Energy fixed tariff or Octopus fixed quote
Office	50,000kWh	Fixed renewable contract from either supplier
Seasonal attraction	100,000kWh	Octopus Summer Saver
Restaurant	120,000kWh	Good Energy fixed tariff or Octopus quotation
Workshop with flexible machinery	250,000kWh	Octopus Shape Shifters
Business wanting renewable-only supply	Any qualifying level	Good Energy
Company with batteries	500,000kWh	Octopus Agile and dynamic export
Multi-site renewable portfolio	Several GWh	Good Energy Hourly Matching or Octopus portfolio services
Large industrial user	5GWh	Good Energy Flex or Octopus bespoke supply
Business seeking granular matching	10GWh or more	Good Energy Hourly Matching or Octopus Electric Match
Renewable generator	Project-dependent	Good Energy PPA or Octopus commercial export arrangement
Site suitable for wind generation	High demand	Octopus Wind Works or a bespoke Good Energy PPA

Both suppliers can consider the company’s:

• meter configuration;
• annual consumption;
• half-hourly demand data;
• credit history;
• payment record;
• business activity;
• number of premises; and
• proposed contract start date.

Which supplier is cheaper?

Neither Good Energy nor Octopus publishes one universal business unit rate.

A quotation normally depends on:

• the electricity MPAN or gas MPRN;
• postcode and distribution region;
• annual consumption;
• meter profile;
• half-hourly usage pattern;
• electricity capacity;
• residual charging band;
• contract length;
• contract start date;
• payment method;
• number of sites;
• credit risk;
• renewable-product structure; and
• wholesale prices when the quotation is prepared.

The full projected cost should be calculated as:

• Annual consumption × unit rate
• daily standing charge × 365
• meter and data charges
• capacity charges
• network and policy costs
• environmental-product charges
• VAT and Climate Change Levy where applicable
  − export income and contractual credits

A lower unit rate does not guarantee a cheaper contract where the standing charge, capacity charge or pass-through costs are higher.

How unit-rate differences affect annual costs

Annual consumption	Value of 0.5p/kWh	Value of 1p/kWh	Value of 3p/kWh	Value of 5p/kWh
10,000kWh	£50	£100	£300	£500
25,000kWh	£125	£250	£750	£1,250
50,000kWh	£250	£500	£1,500	£2,500
100,000kWh	£500	£1,000	£3,000	£5,000
250,000kWh	£1,250	£2,500	£7,500	£12,500
1GWh	£5,000	£10,000	£30,000	£50,000
5GWh	£25,000	£50,000	£150,000	£250,000
10GWh	£50,000	£100,000	£300,000	£500,000

A difference of only 1p/kWh is worth £100,000 annually to a company consuming 10GWh.

How standing charges affect costs

Daily standing-charge difference	Annual difference per meter	Difference across ten meters
25p	£91.25	£912.50
50p	£182.50	£1,825
£1	£365	£3,650
£2	£730	£7,300
£5	£1,825	£18,250
£10	£3,650	£36,500

Standing charges are especially important for:

• seasonal properties;
• vacant premises;
• landlords;
• multi-site businesses;
• low-use meters; and
• companies retaining inactive supplies.

Good Energy fixed business tariffs

Good Energy offers fixed-price contracts lasting between 12 and 24 months to businesses with half-hourly and non-half-hourly meters.

The supplier describes these contracts as providing a set price throughout the fixed period and positions them for businesses wanting predictable costs and stable budgeting. All electricity is matched with renewable generation.

A Good Energy fixed contract may suit:

• shops;
• offices;
• schools;
• charities;
• surgeries;
• care providers;
• hotels;
• restaurants; and
• businesses whose operating hours cannot easily change.

The company should still review which components are fixed. Good Energy’s industrial and commercial terms allow costs not expressly described as fixed in the commercial agreement to be recovered from the customer.

Advantages of a Good Energy fixed tariff

A fixed contract can provide:

• predictable unit rates;
• protection from wholesale-price increases;
• more reliable budgeting;
• renewable-only electricity;
• no need to monitor half-hourly wholesale prices; and
• a straightforward Scope 2 market-based claim.

The main disadvantage is that the company may remain committed to its contract if market prices subsequently fall.

An early cancellation charge can reflect the difference between the wholesale price when the contract was fixed and the market price when the contract ends, multiplied by forecast consumption remaining in the agreement.

Good Energy index-linked pricing

Good Energy offers index-linked contracts to businesses with half-hourly meters.

Prices are calculated using day-ahead wholesale markets, while industry costs such as transmission, distribution and Climate Change Levy are passed through separately. The product has a 30-day notice period.

Index pricing may suit a business that:

• wants exposure to falling wholesale prices;
• accepts changing daily costs;
• has a half-hourly meter;
• can monitor market conditions;
• exports as well as imports electricity; or
• does not want to lock in a long fixed term.

Unlike Octopus Shape Shifters Agile, Good Energy’s index-linked proposition is presented mainly as a commercial energy procurement structure rather than an SME smart tariff designed around a consumer-facing app.

Good Energy Flex

Good Energy Flex is available to businesses consuming at least 5GWh of electricity annually.

It allows the organisation to purchase energy in:

• monthly tranches;
• quarterly tranches;
• seasonal tranches;
• fully fixed volumes; or
• a combination of fixed and index-linked volumes.

Customers receive market information from Good Energy’s trading desk and can spread procurement decisions over time. Contracts are available for 12 to 36 months and retain 100% renewable electricity backing.

For a business consuming 10GWh:

Average purchased unit price	Annual commodity cost
18p/kWh	£1.8 million
19p/kWh	£1.9 million
20p/kWh	£2 million
21p/kWh	£2.1 million
22p/kWh	£2.2 million

A 1p/kWh movement changes annual expenditure by £100,000.

Flexible purchasing spreads the risk of fixing the entire expected volume on one date, but it does not guarantee a saving.

Octopus conventional business tariffs

Octopus provides individually quoted fixed and flexible business tariffs.

On a conventional fixed Octopus tariff, the quoted unit rates and standing charge remain fixed for the contract period. Businesses can obtain prices by submitting their postcode and supply information through the supplier’s direct quotation process.

Octopus emphasises direct customer acquisition rather than relying on the usual broker-distribution model.

A fixed Octopus tariff may suit a business that likes the Octopus service but cannot benefit from a time-of-use product.

Octopus Shape Shifters

Shape Shifters is Octopus’s principal smart electricity tariff for SMEs.

A business normally requires:

• a working smart meter;
• payment by Direct Debit;
• an account without overdue debt; and
• compatible metering arrangements.

There are two versions.

Shape Shifters Trio

Trio divides the day into three periods:

Time period	Hours
Night	Midnight to 7am
Day	7am–4pm and 7pm–midnight
Peak	4pm–7pm

The three prices remain fixed, providing 21 hours each day at rates below the evening peak.

Trio may suit:

• EV fleets;
• laundries;
• workshops;
• cold stores;
• commercial kitchens;
• businesses with batteries;
• charging hubs; and
• manufacturers able to avoid the 4pm–7pm period.

Shape Shifters Agile

Agile changes its electricity price every half hour in line with wholesale costs.

The rates are published approximately one day in advance, enabling the business to plan its demand.

Agile may suit businesses with:

• automated energy controls;
• battery storage;
• flexible machinery;
• overnight EV charging;
• controllable heating and cooling;
• refrigeration;
• on-site generation; or
• staff able to respond to daily price changes.

Its prices can increase sharply during expensive wholesale periods, so it is unsuitable for companies that must consume heavily regardless of the time.

Potential value of moving demand

Suppose a business consumes 100,000kWh annually and can move 20% of its use away from high-price periods.

The flexible load is 20,000kWh.

Difference between higher and lower rates	Illustrative annual saving
3p/kWh	£600
5p/kWh	£1,000
10p/kWh	£2,000
15p/kWh	£3,000
20p/kWh	£4,000

These figures are mathematical illustrations rather than guaranteed Octopus savings.

A company should examine at least 12 months of half-hourly data before selecting a time-of-use tariff.

Good Energy Hourly Matching Credit

Good Energy introduced Hourly Matching Credit to reward businesses whose electricity use overlaps with renewable generation during the same half-hour.

It is a no-cost, opt-in programme. Where qualifying consumption and generation match, some third-party subsidy costs can be avoided and returned to the customer as credits.

The three business options are:

Product	Credit calculation	Payment structure	Budget certainty
HMC Variable	Based on actual matching performance	Quarterly	Lower
HMC Secure	Guaranteed p/kWh	Monthly payments plus end-of-term top-up	High
HMC Fix	Guaranteed p/kWh	Consistent monthly payments	High

Good Energy automatically calculates the credit rather than requiring the customer to trade electricity or monitor wholesale prices manually.

This makes Hourly Matching Credit different from Octopus Agile:

• Good Energy rewards alignment with eligible renewable generation;
• Octopus Agile changes the imported electricity rate according to wholesale prices;
• Good Energy can provide a guaranteed credit structure;
• Octopus potentially offers larger savings but greater volatility.

Good Energy’s half-hourly matching performance

Good Energy reported that 90.44% of its supplied electricity volume was matched with renewable generation in the corresponding half-hour during 2024/25.

Its overall fuel mix remained 100% renewable because any unmatched half-hourly demand was covered through annual REGO matching.

This creates two separate environmental measures:

1. Annual renewable matching: 100% of consumption is matched with renewable REGOs.
2. Time-based matching: 90.44% was matched with renewable generation during the corresponding half-hour.

The distinction matters because annual certificates do not necessarily show whether renewable power was being generated when the business used electricity.

Octopus Electric Match

Electric Match is Octopus’s more advanced renewable-matching service.

It is mainly aimed at businesses consuming at least 10GWh annually and using half-hourly meters. Customers can select participating generators and examine how renewable output matches their own consumption over time.

Octopus says Electric Match customers are currently achieving matching levels of approximately 60% to 80%, depending on weather and demand.

Electric Match can identify:

• the renewable generator;
• its location;
• the time electricity was produced;
• the customer’s demand;
• the proportion matched; and
• the resulting carbon-free electricity evidence.

The reported percentages are not directly comparable with Good Energy’s 90.44% figure:

• Good Energy’s percentage covers its wider supply volume;
• Octopus’s figure refers to Electric Match customers;
• the generator portfolios differ;
• customer demand shapes differ; and
• matching methods and commercial arrangements may not be identical.

Good Energy versus Octopus for hourly matching

Requirement	Good Energy	Octopus
Annual renewable backing	100%	Product-dependent
Published wider time-match figure	90.44% for 2024/25	Electric Match customers generally 60%–80%
Customer dashboard	Granular Energy platform for eligible customers	Electric Match dashboard
Direct financial reward	Hourly Matching Credit	Product pricing and matched-generation arrangements
Guaranteed matching credit	HMC Secure or Fix	No directly equivalent standard product
Large-user minimum	Product-dependent	Electric Match principally from 10GWh
Independent British generators	More than 3,000	Selected generator portfolio
Matching interval	Half-hourly	Half-hourly
Best for	Renewable-only supply with automatic credits	Bespoke selection and multi-site matching

Good Energy has the stronger whole-portfolio renewable claim.

Octopus provides a highly customisable matching proposition for qualifying large businesses.

Octopus Summer Saver

Summer Saver is intended for organisations that consume more than 70% of their annual electricity between April and September.

It applies:

• a cheaper summer unit rate; and
• a higher winter unit rate.

Octopus says qualifying consumption patterns could produce annual savings of up to 10%.

Potential users include:

• campsites;
• holiday parks;
• outdoor attractions;
• seasonal cafés;
• wedding venues;
• summer events businesses;
• visitor centres; and
• seaside hospitality companies.

A business using more winter electricity than expected could pay more than it would on a conventional tariff.

Good Energy does not prominently advertise an equivalent seasonal tariff.

Octopus No Standing Charge Tariff

Octopus offers a No Standing Charge Tariff to qualifying businesses in residual bands 2, 3 and 4.

The costs usually recovered through the daily charge are incorporated into the unit rate. Octopus says companies at the lower end of their assigned consumption band are more likely to benefit.

The tariff may suit:

• seasonal sites;
• low-use meters;
• properties closed for extended periods;
• multi-site businesses with lightly used supplies; or
• companies expecting consumption to fall.

Break-even example

Assume a conventional tariff has:

• a £2 daily standing charge; and
• a unit rate 2p/kWh below the no-standing-charge option.

The annual standing charge is:

£2 × 365 = £730

The break-even point is:

£730 ÷ £0.02 = 36,500kWh

Below 36,500kWh, avoiding the standing charge may save money.

Above 36,500kWh, the higher unit rate may cost more than the standing charge saved.

Good Energy does not prominently advertise an equivalent business product.

Published default and deemed rates

Neither supplier publishes a complete national table of ordinary new-customer contract prices.

Good Energy currently publishes deemed and out-of-contract charges for half-hourly meters of:

• 35p/kWh; and
• £25 per day.

These rates took effect on 1 April 2026. Distribution charges are billed separately, while Good Energy may reconcile transmission and Capacity Market charges annually.

The £25 daily charge alone equals:

£25 × 365 = £9,125 a year

Illustrative totals before distribution, metering, VAT, CCL and other charges are:

Annual electricity use	Unit charges	Base standing charge	Total
100,000kWh	£35,000	£9,125	£44,125
250,000kWh	£87,500	£9,125	£96,625
500,000kWh	£175,000	£9,125	£184,125
1GWh	£350,000	£9,125	£359,125

These figures do not represent a negotiated Good Energy contract.

Octopus has previously published half-hourly out-of-contract schedules, but no equivalent current national June 2026 table is prominently presented alongside its main business quotation service. A direct public price comparison is therefore not possible.

Comparing renewable electricity

Good Energy and Octopus both have unusually low-carbon fuel mixes, but they are not identical.

Good Energy fuel mix

Good Energy’s independently assured 2024/25 mix was:

Renewable source	Proportion
Wind	47%
Biogenic sources	33%
Solar	12%
Hydro	9%
Total renewable	100%
Gas	0%
Coal	0%
Nuclear	0%
Reported emissions	0g/kWh
Reported radioactive waste	0g/kWh

The rounded component figures total 101%, but the assured overall fuel mix is reported as 100% renewable. Good Energy holds REGOs obtained through PPAs with generators based in Great Britain.

Octopus fuel mix

Octopus’s 2024/25 fuel mix was:

Source	Proportion
Renewables	86.4%
Nuclear	13.6%
Gas	0%
Coal	0%
Other	0%
Reported emissions	0g/kWh
High-level radioactive waste	0.0010g/kWh

Octopus therefore had an entirely zero-carbon disclosed supply mix, but it was not renewable-only because nuclear generation accounted for 13.6%.

Which supplier has greener electricity?

Environmental priority	Likely stronger fit
100% renewable-only electricity	Good Energy
No nuclear generation	Good Energy
No gas or coal	Both
Zero reported carbon emissions	Both
Direct support for independent British generators	Good Energy
Larger technology-led renewable investment portfolio	Octopus
Wider supplier-owned renewable assets	Octopus
Published wider half-hourly matching percentage	Good Energy
Bespoke customer-selected matching	Octopus Electric Match
Automatic matching credits	Good Energy
Smart tariffs encouraging flexible demand	Octopus
Avoiding annual certificate-only sourcing	Good Energy has the stronger direct-PPA claim

Good Energy has the clearer renewable-only proposition.

Octopus offers the broader technology and smart-energy ecosystem but uses some nuclear power within its supplier-wide mix.

Good Energy’s generator model

Good Energy purchases power directly from more than 3,000 independent British renewable generators.

Its stated approach is to obtain the associated REGOs through the same PPAs rather than purchasing the electricity and certificates separately.

Generators include:

• wind farms;
• solar arrays;
• hydro schemes;
• anaerobic-digestion facilities;
• farms;
• community-energy projects; and
• smaller independent producers.

This may appeal to businesses wanting their electricity purchasing to support decentralised renewable generation rather than only large utility-owned assets.

Octopus’s renewable investment model

Octopus Energy Generation manages approximately 4GW of renewable capacity across more than 240 projects in multiple countries, with a stated asset value of around £6 billion.

Octopus also purchases electricity through PPAs with hundreds of UK renewable generators.

Its model combines:

• major investment funds;
• wind and solar ownership;
• PPAs;
• community projects;
• smart tariffs;
• batteries;
• electric vehicles; and
• digital energy-management technology.

Good Energy’s model is more closely associated with independent British generators.

Octopus’s model is larger, more international and more technology-driven.

Comparing business gas

Good Energy has a clearly defined Green Gas product.

It contains:

• 10% UK renewable biomethane; and
• 90% conventional gas whose emissions are offset using certified projects.

The 2024/25 assurance report confirms that Good Energy retired renewable-gas certificates for at least 10% of demand and carbon credits covering the calculated emissions from the remaining conventional gas.

Burning the gas at the customer’s premises still creates direct emissions. Good Energy’s assurance report states that the product retains the standard natural-gas emissions factor for reporting purposes despite its carbon-neutral promise.

Octopus provides ordinary business gas but does not currently promote an equally prominent standard commercial product with a defined biomethane percentage.

Good Energy therefore has the clearer proposition for businesses that still require gas but want:

• a biomethane component;
• renewable-gas certificates;
• carbon offsetting; and
• externally assured environmental claims.

Commercial solar installations

Good Energy offers commercial solar through Empower, part of Good Energy Solar.

Its services include:

• bespoke system design;
• rooftop solar;
• battery storage;
• EV charging;
• monitoring;
• annual maintenance;
• renewable import tariffs;
• export tariffs; and
• PPAs for larger generators.

Good Energy advertises typical commercial solar payback periods of approximately three to five years and a levelised generation cost around 7p/kWh, compared with illustrative grid supply prices of 20p–30p/kWh. These are supplier estimates rather than guaranteed results.

Octopus’s business proposition is especially strong where the company already has solar or batteries and wants to optimise import and export pricing.

For new projects, Octopus can also support bespoke renewable installations and longer-term on-site generation through services such as Wind Works.

Solar export payments

Good Energy does not currently publish one universal flat commercial export rate equivalent to Octopus Panel Power on its principal business pages.

Instead, it offers:

• bespoke commercial export tariffs;
• Power Purchase Agreements;
• enhanced rates for commercial solar-installation customers;
• Smart Export for Feed-in Tariff portfolios;
• Hourly Matching Credit; and
• generator account management.

Good Energy’s standard fixed-price PPAs can provide price certainty for up to three years, while longer terms may be negotiated.

Octopus Panel Power

Panel Power pays qualifying businesses:

12p per exported kWh

The business must normally:

• have solar panels;
• have installed capacity below 150kWp;
• have a working smart or compatible export meter;
• not receive Feed-in Tariff export payments; and
• buy its imported electricity from Octopus Energy for Business.

Illustrative income is:

Annual export	Octopus Panel Power income
5,000kWh	£600
10,000kWh	£1,200
25,000kWh	£3,000
50,000kWh	£6,000
100,000kWh	£12,000

Octopus also offers a basic business Smart Export Guarantee rate of 3p/kWh for eligible generators that do not use Panel Power.

Octopus Shape Shifters: Export

Shape Shifters: Export changes its payment every half hour according to day-ahead wholesale prices and region-specific grid charges.

It is designed for companies with:

• battery storage;
• solar panels;
• wind generation;
• controllable exports; or
• the ability to charge when prices are low and export later.

The product has no upper or lower limit on its half-hourly export price. It is restricted to eligible systems below 150kWp and requires an Octopus business import account.

A solar-only business may prefer the certainty of Panel Power.

A company with battery storage may achieve more through dynamic export by selling electricity during valuable periods.

Good Energy versus Octopus for generators

Generator requirement	Likely stronger fit
Simple published flat export rate	Octopus
Solar system below 150kWp	Octopus Panel Power
Dynamic battery export	Octopus
Existing Feed-in Tariff portfolio	Good Energy
Large generator requiring a PPA	Good Energy
Dedicated generator account manager	Good Energy
Fixed-price PPA for up to three years	Good Energy
Payment linked with half-hourly matching	Good Energy HMC
Commercial solar installation and export package	Good Energy
Import and export optimisation	Octopus
Generator portfolio services	Good Energy
Customer wanting a known rate before applying	Octopus

Good Energy has the broader generator-services proposition.

Octopus has the clearer off-the-shelf export tariffs for a smaller commercial solar or battery system.

Good Energy Feed-in Tariff services

Good Energy is a major voluntary administrator of business Feed-in Tariff portfolios.

Its Smart Export service replaces the traditional deemed assumption that 50% of generation is exported with actual export readings from compatible smart meters.

Good Energy’s analysis of 41,000 business FIT sites found a median export proportion of 66%, potentially increasing revenue for portfolios that export more than the deemed amount.

This may make Good Energy particularly suitable for:

• housing associations;
• property portfolios;
• public-sector solar estates;
• landlords;
• community-energy schemes; and
• organisations managing hundreds or thousands of FIT installations.

Commercial EV charging

Good Energy can incorporate EV chargers into commercial solar and battery projects.

Its business services have also included workplace charging for employees, customers and visitors, powered through renewable electricity supply.

Octopus has the broader current EV ecosystem.

The Octopus group offers:

• business EV leasing;
• salary-sacrifice schemes;
• charger installation;
• smart charging;
• Shape Shifters tariffs;
• battery integration; and
• Electroverse public charging access.

Octopus says Electroverse provides access to more than half of the UK’s public charging networks.

Which supplier is better for EVs?

EV requirement	Likely stronger fit
Workplace chargers with commercial solar	Good Energy
Renewable-only electricity for charging	Good Energy
Overnight time-of-use pricing	Octopus
Half-hourly dynamic charging	Octopus
Business vehicle leasing	Octopus
Salary-sacrifice EV scheme	Octopus
Public charging-network access	Octopus Electroverse
Battery and charger optimisation	Octopus
Solar, battery and charger installation package	Good Energy
Simple renewable supply for an existing charger	Good Energy

Octopus generally offers more options for operating vehicles and managing charging costs.

Good Energy may be attractive where the chargers form part of a wider on-site renewable installation.

Multi-site businesses

Good Energy provides renewable supply, dedicated account management and hourly-matching insights to larger businesses.

Its generator and FIT services can also support companies with substantial solar portfolios.

Octopus offers joint multi-site portfolios covering:

• switching;
• contract renewals;
• billing;
• one online login;
• central support;
• export payments; and
• smart-tariff services.

Electric Match can allocate renewable generation between different company sites.

Good Energy may suit a portfolio requiring renewable-only supply and generator account management.

Octopus may suit a portfolio wanting central digital management, smart tariffs and sharing of renewable generation between premises.

Customer service and account management

Good Energy

Good Energy business customers can receive:

• a dedicated account manager;
• online account management;
• billing and meter support;
• renewable reporting;
• export and FIT support;
• trading-desk access for flexible contracts; and
• commercial solar assistance.

Octopus

Octopus provides:

• direct quotations;
• telephone and email support;
• online account management;
• smart-tariff tools;
• export credits;
• multi-site services;
• renewable-matching dashboards; and
• specialist commercial teams.

Good Energy’s model is more relationship- and generator-focused.

Octopus’s model is more digital, automated and technology-led.

Contract renewal and termination

Good Energy fixed tariffs generally run for 12 to 24 months, while Flex agreements are available from 12 to 36 months.

Its index-linked contract has a 30-day notice period.

Octopus specialist SME tariffs such as Shape Shifters commonly operate over 12 months. Customers can switch between Trio and Agile or move to a fixed product without an exit fee under the current Shape Shifters arrangements.

Other Octopus fixed contracts may carry exit fees, so the individual supply summary must be checked.

If no replacement agreement is arranged, either supplier can apply:

• variable pricing;
• deemed charges;
• out-of-contract rates; or
• other default prices permitted by the agreement.

Contract risks to check

Business energy contracts are not protected by the household energy price cap.

They also generally have no automatic cooling-off period after acceptance.

Before choosing Good Energy or Octopus, check:

• unit rates;
• standing charges;
• contract length;
• start and end dates;
• fixed and pass-through costs;
• exit fees;
• meter requirements;
• electricity capacity;
• time-of-use periods;
• index-pricing formulas;
• trading authority;
• renewable certificates;
• nuclear content;
• gas environmental claims;
• export eligibility;
• broker commission;
• renewal arrangements; and
• post-contract prices.

Good Energy advantages and disadvantages

Octopus advantages and disadvantages

Which supplier is better for different businesses?

Business type or requirement	Likely better fit	Reason
Company wanting renewable-only electricity	Good Energy	100% renewable across its supply mix
Business excluding nuclear power	Good Energy	No nuclear allocation
Business wanting a simple fixed tariff	Compare both	Both provide fixed quotations
Business with flexible machinery	Octopus	Shape Shifters
EV fleet charging overnight	Octopus	Smart time-of-use pricing
Seasonal summer business	Octopus	Summer Saver
Low-use qualifying meter	Octopus may suit	No Standing Charge Tariff
Business wanting a fixed renewable tariff	Good Energy	Renewable-only fixed contracts
Large user wanting flexible procurement	Good Energy	Flex starts at 5GWh
Company wanting selected renewable generators	Octopus Electric Match	Bespoke matching
Company wanting whole-portfolio time matching	Good Energy	90.44% published figure
Business wanting direct matching credits	Good Energy	HMC Variable, Secure and Fix
Small solar exporter	Octopus	Published 12p/kWh rate
Solar and battery exporter	Octopus	Dynamic export
Large renewable generator	Good Energy	PPA and generator services
Business with a large FIT portfolio	Good Energy	Specialist administration and smart export
Company seeking commercial solar installation	Good Energy	Integrated installation and supply service
Site suitable for funded wind generation	Octopus	Wind Works
Business requiring green gas	Good Energy	10% biomethane and offsetting
Business wanting EV leasing	Octopus	Wider group service
Company supporting independent UK generators	Good Energy	Direct PPA network
Business wanting a large digital energy ecosystem	Octopus	Smart tariffs and connected technology

Final verdict: Good Energy vs Octopus

Good Energy and Octopus are both credible environmental choices, but the better supplier depends on what the business means by “green energy”.

Good Energy is likely to be the stronger choice where the company wants:

• electricity that is 100% renewable rather than merely zero carbon;
• no nuclear allocation;
• direct support for independent British generators;
• fixed renewable contracts;
• renewable flexible procurement;
• transparent half-hourly matching;
• automatic matching credits;
• green gas;
• commercial solar installation;
• FIT administration; or
• sophisticated generator and PPA services.

Octopus is likely to be the stronger choice where the business wants:

• a smart time-of-use tariff;
• half-hourly wholesale-linked pricing;
• a seasonal tariff;
• no daily standing charge;
• battery optimisation;
• dynamic export payments;
• a published 12p/kWh commercial solar rate;
• multi-site renewable allocation;
• funded on-site wind;
• EV leasing; or
• public charging-network access.

The environmental comparison can be summarised as follows:

• Good Energy: 100% renewable, no nuclear, no fossil generation and 90.44% half-hourly matching across its reported supply volume.
• Octopus: 86.4% renewable, 13.6% nuclear, no fossil generation and a wider selection of technology-led smart products.

Good Energy has the stronger renewable-only credentials.

Octopus has the stronger tariff-innovation and flexibility proposition.

A fair financial comparison should require both suppliers to quote for:

1. the same meter and postcode;
2. identical annual consumption;
3. the same contract start date;
4. equivalent contract duration;
5. all standing charges;
6. capacity and metering costs;
7. fixed and pass-through elements;
8. renewable and nuclear content;
9. time-of-use savings based on actual data;
10. hourly-matching credits;
11. export revenue;
12. exit fees; and
13. the complete expected annual cost.

For most businesses, the conclusion is:

• choose Good Energy for renewable-only supply, generator support, green gas and credible environmental reporting;
• choose Octopus for smart tariffs, flexible demand, batteries, EVs and off-the-shelf export products;
• compare Good Energy Hourly Matching Credit with Octopus Shape Shifters where the business can align demand with renewable generation;
• compare Good Energy’s bespoke export or PPA proposal with Octopus Panel Power and Shape Shifters: Export where on-site generation is important; and
• select the supplier offering the lowest realistic total cost after operational flexibility, matching credits and export income have been included.

FAQ