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

Octopus Energy and ScottishPower both supply electricity and gas to UK businesses, but their strongest products are designed around different priorities.

Octopus Energy for Business focuses heavily on smart tariffs, flexible electricity consumption, solar exports, batteries, multi-site management and detailed renewable-energy matching. Its Shape Shifters tariffs reward businesses that can move electricity use away from peak periods, while Summer Saver is designed for highly seasonal companies.

ScottishPower takes a more conventional fixed-contract approach. Its business tariffs are available for one, two or three years and divide the price into a fixed wholesale-energy component and variable industry costs reviewed every quarter. Its current business electricity proposition is backed by 100% renewable electricity generated by ScottishPower’s UK renewable assets.

Octopus may be the stronger choice for a business with flexible machinery, electric vehicles, batteries or solar panels. ScottishPower may suit a company wanting a more conventional contract combined with renewable electricity, commercial solar, EV charging or low-carbon heating.

Neither company is universally cheaper. Business energy prices depend on the premises, meter, postcode, consumption profile, credit history and contract dates.

Octopus vs ScottishPower at a glance

Feature	Octopus Energy for Business	ScottishPower Business
Business electricity	Yes	Yes
Business gas	Yes	Yes
SME supply	Yes	Yes
Multi-site supply	Yes	Yes
Standard national contract prices published	No	No
Online quotation	Yes	Yes
Fixed contracts	Available by quotation	One, two or three years
Smart time-of-use tariff	Shape Shifters Trio and Agile	No directly comparable permanent business product
Seasonal electricity tariff	Summer Saver	No prominent business equivalent
No-standing-charge tariff	Available for qualifying meter bands	No prominent equivalent
Fixed wholesale-energy component	Available on fixed products	Yes
Industry costs fixed	Product-dependent	No; reviewed quarterly
Standard business electricity credentials	Zero carbon	100% renewable-backed
Supplier-wide renewable share	86.4%	7% in the 2024/25 total fuel mix
Supplier-wide nuclear share	13.6%	4%
Supplier-wide gas and coal	0%	84% combined
Published carbon intensity	0g CO₂/kWh	Product-dependent
Time-matched renewable service	Electric Match	Annual REGO matching
Direct renewable generation	Wind Works and renewable PPAs	ScottishPower-owned UK renewables
Solar export tariff	Panel Power at 12p/kWh	SmartGen at 6p, 12p or 15p/kWh
Dynamic export	Shape Shifters: Export	No directly comparable published business tariff
Commercial solar installation	Bespoke renewable infrastructure	Nationwide solar and battery installation
EV charging	Smart import tariffs and wider Octopus EV services	Workplace, fleet, public and shared charging
Public charger hosting	Not a main standard business offer	Fully funded option for suitable sites
Heat solutions	Less prominent for businesses	Bespoke commercial heating, cooling and hot water
Direct sales model	Yes	Direct and intermediary routes
Best suited to	Flexible, technology-led and exporting businesses	Companies wanting a conventional renewable contract and installed green technology

Which businesses can apply?

Both suppliers can serve small and medium-sized businesses.

Octopus also provides multi-site and more advanced commercial arrangements, including Electric Match and funded renewable generation.

ScottishPower’s business service is suitable for companies including:

• shops;
• offices;
• restaurants;
• hotels;
• care providers;
• schools;
• charities;
• landlords;
• workshops;
• warehouses;
• manufacturers; and
• multi-site organisations.

The supplier may still assess:

• meter configuration;
• annual consumption;
• creditworthiness;
• previous payment history;
• property use;
• business type; and
• the proposed contract start date.

A supplier is not obliged to offer every applicant a contract.

Example suitability by company type

Example business	Annual electricity use	Potentially suitable option
Small shop	12,000kWh	Standard fixed quote from either supplier
Office	50,000kWh	Octopus fixed tariff or ScottishPower For Business
Seasonal attraction	100,000kWh	Octopus Summer Saver may be relevant
Restaurant	120,000kWh	Compare fixed and time-of-use quotations
EV fleet depot	500,000kWh	Octopus Shape Shifters or ScottishPower fleet charging
Business with batteries	500,000kWh	Octopus Agile and dynamic export
Hotel group	1GWh	Multi-site quotation from either supplier
Business wanting rooftop solar	Varies	ScottishPower turnkey installation or Octopus export services
Company with several generating sites	Several GWh	Octopus Electric Match
Site suitable for a wind turbine	High on-site demand	Octopus Wind Works

Which supplier is cheaper?

There is no single Octopus-versus-ScottishPower business unit rate.

Both suppliers produce quotations using information such as:

• electricity MPAN;
• gas MPRN;
• postcode;
• distribution region;
• annual consumption;
• meter profile;
• half-hourly demand data;
• residual charging band;
• agreed electricity capacity;
• number of sites;
• payment method;
• credit risk;
• contract start date;
• contract duration; and
• wholesale prices when the quotation is prepared.

A meaningful comparison should calculate:

• Annual consumption × unit rate
• daily standing charge × 365
• capacity charges
• metering and data costs
• network and policy charges
• VAT and Climate Change Levy where applicable
  − export income and other credits

The cheapest unit rate does not always produce the lowest annual cost.

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
10GWh	£50,000	£100,000	£300,000	£500,000

A business using 1GWh annually saves £10,000 for every 1p/kWh reduction in its average rate.

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

Standing charges can be particularly important for:

• low-use premises;
• seasonal sites;
• landlords;
• empty properties;
• businesses with several small meters; and
• organisations retaining inactive supplies.

Octopus standard business tariffs

Octopus provides postcode- and meter-specific business quotations rather than publishing one national price table.

Its main business proposition includes:

• fixed electricity tariffs;
• flexible tariffs;
• business gas;
• multi-site portfolios;
• smart-meter products;
• time-of-use electricity;
• commercial export tariffs; and
• bespoke renewable-energy services.

Octopus states that it sells business energy directly rather than relying on brokers for its standard customer-acquisition route.

Its position is that a direct sale avoids incorporating third-party broker commission into the business tariff.

A company can still use an independent consultant to assess the market, but the Octopus quotation should be obtained directly for a fair comparison.

Octopus Shape Shifters

Shape Shifters is Octopus’s most distinctive SME electricity product.

It is a 12-month business electricity tariff requiring:

• a working smart meter;
• Direct Debit;
• an account that is up to date; and
• compatible meter arrangements.

There are two versions.

Shape Shifters Trio

Trio divides electricity use into three time bands:

• night;
• daytime; and
• the 4pm to 7pm peak period.

The time-band rates remain fixed during the tariff.

Octopus states that customers receive 21 hours of lower-priced electricity each day compared with the peak period.

The tariff may suit:

• electric vehicle depots;
• laundries;
• cold-storage facilities;
• workshops;
• commercial kitchens;
• companies with battery storage;
• businesses able to pre-heat or pre-cool buildings; and
• manufacturers that can reschedule machinery.

The business does not need to monitor a different price every half hour. It simply needs to understand the three daily time bands.

Shape Shifters Agile

Agile links the unit rate to wholesale electricity prices.

Prices change every half hour and are shown in advance for the following day.

Octopus applies a maximum rate of £1 per kWh.

Agile has greater saving potential than Trio when wholesale prices are low, but it also creates greater risk.

A business using electricity heavily during an expensive period could pay considerably more than it would on a conventional fixed tariff.

Agile may suit companies with:

• automated energy-management systems;
• battery storage;
• flexible industrial equipment;
• controllable refrigeration;
• overnight EV charging;
• on-site generation; or
• staff able to monitor day-ahead prices.

Potential value of shifting demand

Suppose a business consumes 100,000kWh annually and can move 20% of its consumption away from expensive periods.

It would shift 20,000kWh.

Price difference between peak and off-peak use	Illustrative annual saving
3p/kWh	£600
5p/kWh	£1,000
10p/kWh	£2,000
15p/kWh	£3,000
20p/kWh	£4,000

These are mathematical illustrations rather than promised Octopus savings.

A business must compare its actual half-hourly consumption with the available regional rates.

Octopus Summer Saver

Summer Saver is intended for businesses that consume most of their electricity between April and September.

It offers:

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

Octopus says a business using more than 70% of its annual electricity between April and September could save up to 10% over the year.

Potential users include:

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

The tariff could become more expensive where winter consumption is higher than expected.

The company should examine at least 12 months of meter data before selecting it.

Octopus No Standing Charge Tariff

Octopus has also published a business tariff with no daily standing charge for qualifying electricity meters in bands 2, 3 and 4.

The network and policy costs normally recovered through the standing charge are incorporated into the unit rate.

This may suit:

• seasonal premises;
• low-use meters;
• sites that are closed for long periods;
• businesses with multiple lightly used supplies; or
• premises where consumption is expected to fall.

It is not automatically cheaper.

Break-even example

Suppose the conventional tariff has:

• a standing charge of £2 per day; and
• a unit rate 2p/kWh below the no-standing-charge tariff.

The annual standing charge is:

£2 × 365 = £730

The break-even consumption is:

£730 ÷ £0.02 = 36,500kWh

Below 36,500kWh, the no-standing-charge option may cost less.

Above 36,500kWh, the higher unit rate may outweigh the avoided standing charge.

The calculation must use the rates in the actual quotation.

ScottishPower For Business tariffs

ScottishPower offers one-, two- and three-year business contracts.

Its tariff price is divided into two components.

Fixed energy component

The wholesale energy element is fixed for the contract term.

This protects the customer from changes in the market price ScottishPower pays to obtain the electricity or gas.

Variable industry-cost component

Network, regulatory, policy and other industry costs can change during the fixed term.

ScottishPower reviews these charges every quarter.

Adjustments can take effect on:

• 1 January;
• 1 April;
• 1 July; and
• 1 October.

The variable elements can include:

• distribution charges;
• transmission charges;
• balancing costs;
• Capacity Market charges;
• Renewables Obligation costs;
• Contracts for Difference;
• smart-meter industry costs;
• electricity system levies;
• gas transportation costs; and
• new government or regulatory charges.

This means a ScottishPower tariff can be fixed for a defined term without the complete unit rate and standing charge remaining unchanged.

How ScottishPower’s structure affects budgeting

ScottishPower provides protection against wholesale energy-price increases, but the customer retains some exposure to non-energy costs.

This can make the opening quotation more competitive than a contract under which the supplier accepts every future industry-cost risk.

The disadvantage is that the business cannot know its exact total rate for the full contract term.

A company should ask ScottishPower to show:

• the fixed energy cost;
• the current variable industry costs;
• the date of the next review;
• which indices are used;
• historical quarterly adjustments; and
• which additional costs can be introduced during the contract.

Octopus fixed pricing versus ScottishPower pricing

The key comparison is not simply “fixed versus variable”.

Price element	Octopus fixed tariff	ScottishPower For Business
Wholesale energy	Fixed for applicable fixed product	Fixed
Standing charge	Set in quotation, subject to terms	Can contain variable industry components
Network charges	Treatment depends on Octopus product	Reviewed quarterly
Policy costs	Treatment depends on contract	Reviewed quarterly
Half-hourly wholesale exposure	Available through Agile	Not a standard SME feature
Budget certainty	Product-dependent	Partial rather than complete
Ability to benefit from daily low prices	Smart tariffs only	Limited
Need to monitor prices	Agile customers	No

A business prioritising maximum certainty should ask both suppliers for a written schedule identifying every charge that can change.

Published pricing information

Neither supplier publishes one universal table of current negotiated business prices.

Octopus allows a business to check available rates using its postcode and meter details.

ScottishPower publishes regional information showing changes in the industry-cost component, but these tables do not show the customer’s complete contracted tariff.

ScottishPower’s terms page still links to older Standard Variable and deemed schedules carrying a January 2025 effective date. Those figures should not be treated as confirmed current June 2026 prices without direct verification.

The only fair price comparison is therefore a pair of quotes prepared:

• on the same day;
• for the same meter;
• using the same annual consumption;
• with matching start dates; and
• over equivalent contract lengths.

Comparing renewable electricity

Both suppliers provide zero-carbon electricity, but the composition is different.

Octopus fuel mix

Octopus’s disclosed fuel mix for 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 was:

Electricity source	Octopus
Renewables	86.4%
Nuclear	13.6%
Natural gas	0%
Coal	0%
Other fuels	0%
Reported carbon emissions	0g/kWh
High-level radioactive waste	0.0010g/kWh

Octopus’s overall electricity mix was therefore entirely zero carbon but not renewable-only.

A company with a policy excluding nuclear energy should not assume that Octopus’s standard supplier-wide mix meets a 100% renewable requirement.

ScottishPower supplier-wide fuel mix

ScottishPower’s published total fuel mix for 2024/25 was:

Electricity source	ScottishPower
Renewables	7%
Natural gas	70%
Coal	14%
Nuclear	4%
Other fuels	5%

Its non-green tariffs were reported separately as:

Electricity source	ScottishPower non-green tariffs
Renewables	3%
Natural gas	73%
Coal	14%
Nuclear	4%
Other fuels	6%

These historic supplier-wide figures should not be confused with ScottishPower’s current Renewable For Business product.

ScottishPower Renewable For Business

ScottishPower’s current business electricity product matches every unit consumed with electricity from ScottishPower’s own UK renewable generation.

The matching uses Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin.

The supplier describes the product as:

• 100% renewable-backed;
• generated by ScottishPower’s UK renewable assets;
• supported by REGOs;
• suitable for Scope 2 market-based reporting; and
• available alongside one-, two- or three-year contracts.

The physical electricity arriving at the business still travels through the national grid and cannot be separated by generation source.

The environmental claim is based on matching consumption with renewable generation and certificates.

Which supplier has greener electricity?

The conclusion depends on what the business measures.

Environmental priority	Likely stronger fit
Higher supplier-wide renewable percentage	Octopus
Zero gas and coal in supplier-wide mix	Octopus
100% renewable product excluding nuclear	ScottishPower
Electricity matched with supplier-owned UK renewables	ScottishPower
Time-matched or location-matched generation	Octopus Electric Match
Lower reported supplier-wide operational emissions	Octopus
Avoiding nuclear-backed electricity	ScottishPower Renewable For Business
Broad investment in renewable projects	Both
Smart demand shifting towards greener periods	Octopus
Simple annual REGO evidence	ScottishPower

Octopus has the greener supplier-wide mix.

ScottishPower has the simpler renewable-only product claim for a company wanting electricity matched entirely with wind and other renewable generation owned by its group.

Octopus Electric Match

Electric Match provides more granular renewable traceability than a conventional annual REGO tariff.

A business can select a group of generators and receive certification showing the electricity matched with its consumption.

The matching can identify:

• the generator;
• the generation location;
• the time electricity was generated; and
• the corresponding business consumption.

Electric Match can be added alongside an Octopus business tariff or incorporated into a bespoke commercial contract.

It can also allow electricity generated at one company site to be allocated to consumption at another.

This may appeal to:

• farms;
• manufacturers;
• property portfolios;
• companies with solar at several locations;
• businesses pursuing 24/7 carbon-free electricity; and
• organisations requiring granular Scope 2 reporting.

ScottishPower’s standard renewable product uses annual certificate matching rather than an equivalent publicly promoted half-hourly matching service.

Octopus Wind Works

Wind Works allows Octopus to fund, build and operate one or more wind turbines at a customer’s premises.

The business buys electricity generated on site, potentially at a lower long-term rate than grid imports.

Octopus can combine wind with other technologies where appropriate.

A Wind Works agreement should be checked carefully for:

• contract duration;
• electricity-price indexation;
• minimum purchasing commitments;
• equipment ownership;
• land rights;
• access rights;
• planning permission;
• maintenance;
• insurance;
• treatment when the site is sold; and
• early termination liability.

Wind Works may be particularly relevant to:

• farms;
• industrial estates;
• quarries;
• logistics sites;
• rural manufacturers;
• food producers; and
• businesses with sufficient land and grid capacity.

Comparing business gas

Both suppliers provide ordinary business gas.

Neither currently promotes a standard SME gas product with the same clear certificate-backed renewable-gas structure offered by some competing suppliers.

A company seeking lower-carbon gas should ask each supplier:

• whether biomethane certificates are available;
• what proportion of use can be matched;
• whether carbon credits are included;
• which verification standard is used;
• whether a premium applies; and
• what evidence is provided for environmental reporting.

The physical gas burned at the premises will still create direct Scope 1 emissions unless the company replaces the gas equipment with an electric or other non-combustion alternative.

ScottishPower may have an advantage where the business wants to combine supply with a commercial heat-pump or low-carbon heating project.

Solar export tariffs

Both suppliers provide attractive export options, but the best tariff depends on the equipment and customer relationship.

Octopus Panel Power

Panel Power pays a flat:

12p per exported kWh

It is available to qualifying businesses that:

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

Panel Power operates alongside the existing Octopus import tariff.

Octopus Shape Shifters: Export

Shape Shifters: Export changes its payment rate every half hour according to wholesale-market conditions.

It is designed particularly for businesses with:

• solar panels;
• battery storage;
• controllable exports; or
• the ability to store electricity and export during peak periods.

A solar-only business without a battery may find the fixed 12p Panel Power payment simpler.

A company with battery storage may earn more through dynamic export by selling electricity when prices peak, commonly between 4pm and 7pm.

ScottishPower SmartGen tariffs

ScottishPower currently publishes three export rates for eligible generators, including businesses.

ScottishPower export tariff	Published rate	Main condition
SmartGen	6p/kWh	Eligible generator
SmartGen Premium	12p/kWh	ScottishPower supplies imported electricity
SmartGen Premium Plus	15p/kWh	ScottishPower supplies the site and installed the panels or battery

The business must have:

• eligible low-carbon generation;
• a meter recording exports every half hour;
• installation certification;
• grid-connection evidence; and
• the required ownership or permission documents.

Export-income comparison

Annual export	Octopus Panel Power at 12p	ScottishPower at 6p	ScottishPower at 12p	ScottishPower at 15p
5,000kWh	£600	£300	£600	£750
10,000kWh	£1,200	£600	£1,200	£1,500
25,000kWh	£3,000	£1,500	£3,000	£3,750
50,000kWh	£6,000	£3,000	£6,000	£7,500
100,000kWh	£12,000	£6,000	£12,000	£15,000

ScottishPower offers the higher flat published rate where it both supplies the property and installed the qualifying equipment.

Octopus provides a strong 12p flat rate without requiring Octopus to have installed the solar system, although it must supply the imported electricity.

Octopus also has the more advanced dynamic export option.

Commercial solar installation

ScottishPower has the clearer standard turnkey commercial solar proposition.

Its service can include:

• initial assessment;
• site survey;
• system design;
• rooftop panels;
• ground or car-park installations;
• battery storage;
• Distribution Network Operator applications;
• installation;
• export registration; and
• monitoring.

ScottishPower’s typical package includes:

• a 24-month installer warranty;
• a 12-year panel manufacturer warranty;
• an inverter warranty beginning from five years; and
• a 25-year performance warranty.

It estimates a typical solar-panel lifespan of 25 to 30 years.

Octopus has strong renewable infrastructure and export products, but ScottishPower publishes a more conventional end-to-end solar-installation journey for an ordinary SME.

Which is better for solar?

Solar requirement	Likely stronger fit
Turnkey SME installation	ScottishPower
Nationwide installation service	ScottishPower
Flat export rate without supplier installation	Octopus
Highest qualifying flat export rate	ScottishPower Premium Plus
Dynamic battery export	Octopus
Sharing generation between business sites	Octopus Electric Match
On-site wind and solar combination	Octopus Wind Works
Solar, battery and supplier in one package	ScottishPower
Detailed performance warranties	ScottishPower
Advanced generator matching	Octopus

Electric vehicle charging

Both companies can support business electrification, but the public propositions differ.

Octopus

Octopus’s strongest business-EV feature is the Shape Shifters tariff.

A company can reduce charging costs by moving vehicle charging away from 4pm to 7pm or by following half-hourly Agile prices.

Octopus also operates wider EV leasing, charging and public-network services through the Octopus group.

Its Electroverse service provides access to a substantial proportion of UK public charging points.

Octopus may therefore suit a business prioritising:

• lower-cost charging periods;
• automated smart charging;
• vehicle leasing;
• public-network access;
• batteries; or
• tariff optimisation.

ScottishPower

ScottishPower provides a more clearly packaged installation service covering:

• workplace chargers;
• fleet-depot charging;
• employee home charging;
• public charging;
• shared charging;
• fast chargers;
• rapid chargers;
• ultra-rapid chargers;
• access and payment controls; and
• maintenance.

Its business chargers include a three-year maintenance plan and warranty.

ScottishPower also offers fully funded public charging at suitable commercial locations.

Under this arrangement, ScottishPower can:

• lease the space;
• install the chargers;
• own the equipment;
• operate and maintain the chargers; and
• share charging revenue with the site host.

Which is better for EV charging?

EV requirement	Likely stronger fit
Lowest-cost smart charging periods	Octopus
Battery and EV tariff optimisation	Octopus
Vehicle leasing	Octopus group
Public charging-network access	Octopus Electroverse
Turnkey workplace installation	ScottishPower
Fleet depot, home and public package	ScottishPower
Fully funded public chargers	ScottishPower
Shared landlord or communal charging	ScottishPower
Charger maintenance package	ScottishPower
Business already using Shape Shifters	Octopus

Multi-site businesses

Octopus allows multiple business premises to be combined within one portfolio.

Its multi-site proposition includes:

• switching several sites;
• joint contract renewals;
• one online login;
• collective billing;
• expert support;
• central account management; and
• zero-carbon electricity across the portfolio.

Electric Match can add more detailed renewable allocation between different premises.

ScottishPower also supports multi-site companies through online account management and bespoke quotations.

Its green-technology teams can deliver solar or charging installations across suitable sites.

Octopus has the more clearly developed multi-site energy-management proposition, particularly where the company wants collective billing or to allocate self-generated electricity between properties.

Account management

Octopus

Octopus business customers receive:

• online account access;
• meter and billing information;
• tariff management;
• direct customer service;
• smart-tariff price tools;
• multi-site portfolio management; and
• export credits.

Agile customers can view the following day’s half-hourly prices online.

ScottishPower

ScottishPower customers can:

• monitor consumption;
• enter meter readings;
• view bills;
• make payments;
• manage account details;
• use its mobile app; and
• access energy-efficiency guidance developed with the Carbon Trust.

ScottishPower’s proposition is more conventional, while Octopus provides more advanced live pricing and flexibility tools.

Contract renewal and termination

Octopus applies exit fees to some 12-month, 24-month and No Standing Charge business tariffs.

The exact amount should be shown in the supply summary provided during sign-up.

Shape Shifters is a 12-month tariff and requires a working smart meter and Direct Debit.

ScottishPower normally contacts fixed-term business customers around 60 days before the contract ends.

A customer on a Standard Variable or deemed tariff can move onto a one-, two- or three-year contract, subject to acceptance and available prices.

Both suppliers can move a customer onto variable, deemed or out-of-contract rates when:

• a fixed term expires;
• the customer occupies new premises;
• no replacement contract has been agreed; or
• a switch has not completed.

Contract risks to check

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

They also generally have no automatic cooling-off period, including contracts agreed by telephone.

Before accepting an Octopus or ScottishPower quotation, check:

• tariff name;
• contract length;
• start and end dates;
• unit rates;
• standing charges;
• fixed and variable components;
• quarterly cost adjustments;
• time-of-use periods;
• Agile price cap;
• meter requirements;
• capacity charges;
• early termination fees;
• payment method;
• broker commission;
• renewable evidence;
• solar export terms;
• renewal process; and
• post-contract prices.

A ScottishPower contract described as fixed can still include quarterly industry-cost changes.

An Octopus smart tariff can have fixed contractual duration while applying variable half-hourly unit rates.

Octopus advantages and disadvantages

ScottishPower advantages and disadvantages

Which supplier is better for different businesses?

Business type or requirement	Likely better fit	Reason
Ordinary small shop	Compare fixed quotes	Price and contract terms will decide
Business wanting predictable time bands	Octopus Trio	Three fixed daily rates
Business with highly flexible demand	Octopus Agile	Half-hourly wholesale-linked prices
EV fleet charging overnight	Octopus	Strong tariff optimisation
Company wanting installed depot chargers	ScottishPower	Turnkey infrastructure service
Seasonal summer business	Octopus	Summer Saver
Low-use seasonal meter	Octopus may suit	No Standing Charge Tariff
Business excluding nuclear power	ScottishPower	Renewable-only backing
Business wanting the greener supplier-wide mix	Octopus	86.4% renewable and no fossil generation
Business wanting energy from supplier-owned renewables	ScottishPower	Own UK generation and REGOs
Company requiring granular renewable matching	Octopus	Electric Match
Multi-site company with its own solar	Octopus	Generation can be shared between sites
Business wanting turnkey solar	ScottishPower	End-to-end installation
Solar-only exporter below 150kWp	Octopus	Panel Power at 12p/kWh
ScottishPower-installed solar customer	ScottishPower	Export rate can reach 15p/kWh
Business with solar and batteries	Octopus	Dynamic export
Site suitable for wind generation	Octopus	Wind Works
Commercial property wanting public chargers	ScottishPower	Fully funded hosting
Landlord requiring shared charging	ScottishPower	Dedicated shared service
Business seeking low-carbon heating	ScottishPower	Commercial heat solutions
Company wanting direct-only energy sales	Octopus	No standard broker route

Final verdict: Octopus vs ScottishPower

Octopus and ScottishPower are both credible business energy suppliers, but they suit different types of company.

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

• smart time-of-use pricing;
• a tariff linked with half-hourly wholesale markets;
• cheaper off-peak EV charging;
• battery optimisation;
• dynamic exports;
• a seasonal tariff;
• no daily standing charge;
• detailed renewable traceability;
• multi-site energy sharing; or
• funded on-site wind generation.

ScottishPower is likely to be stronger where the company wants:

• a conventional one-, two- or three-year contract;
• renewable-only electricity;
• electricity matched with ScottishPower’s UK renewable assets;
• nationwide commercial solar installation;
• an export payment potentially reaching 15p/kWh;
• workplace or fleet charging;
• fully funded public chargers; or
• a commercial low-carbon heating project.

The principal pricing distinction is risk allocation.

Octopus offers more opportunities to actively respond to electricity-market prices. This can create savings for flexible companies but can also expose them to expensive periods.

ScottishPower fixes the wholesale energy component, but passes through changes in selected network, policy and regulatory costs every quarter. This provides more stability than an Agile tariff, but less certainty than a genuinely all-inclusive fixed contract.

Businesses should obtain quotations from both suppliers and compare:

1. projected annual cost;
2. unit rates;
3. standing charges;
4. fixed and variable components;
5. contract length;
6. exit fees;
7. meter requirements;
8. renewable and nuclear content;
9. half-hourly consumption;
10. solar export revenue;
11. infrastructure costs;
12. customer-service arrangements; and
13. prices applying after the contract ends.

For most businesses, the conclusion is:

• choose Octopus for smart tariffs, flexibility, batteries, exports and granular renewable matching;
• choose ScottishPower for a more conventional renewable contract and turnkey green technology;
• compare Octopus Panel Power with ScottishPower SmartGen Premium where solar exports are important;
• compare Shape Shifters with ScottishPower’s fixed-energy structure using actual half-hourly data; and
• select the supplier offering the lowest realistic total annual cost rather than the lowest advertised unit rate.

FAQ