Getting reports that trendy energy retailer @octopus_energy is offering consumers "free energy" if they reduce their consumption today, 4-6, to help cope with "high demand" (aka low supply).

"If you can reduce your electricity use between 4:30pm – 6:30pm today to half of your normal amount or less, any energy you do use will be completely free."

They claim it's because "National Grid will be paying fossil fuel generators as much as 10 times the normal price for electricity to meet high demand."

This is the bright green future we were promised...

@aDissentient

Octopus say: "This sounds bonkers. Is it for real?
Absolutely. We believe in making the most of renewable energy when it’s plentiful, and using less when it’s not. "

Octopus think you should organise your life around the shortcomings of green energy policy.

Rationing.

They say this scheme is "designed to reduce demand when there’s going to be a glut of fossil fuel powered energy on the grid".

No, it's not because there's a "glut" of "fossil fuel powered energy", Octopus. Be honest...

So how will they know how much you use?

"We can get half-hourly readings from your smart meter automatically"

In the future, you will not be asked. The law will allow one-time trendy boutique retailers to make grid-balancing decisions in your home.

"This is a trial in what energy nerds call ‘demand side response’ — which is basically a consumer-led effort to shift energy consumption into times when the grid is greener, and out of the busiest (and dirtiest) times every day. "

"National Grid issued an 'electricity margin notice' (EMN) after 8pm last night..."

This is shenanigans. It's not a healthy system. It's an increasingly unstable and corrupt system, wrapped in trendy green virtue tech.

Here are Boris and Rishi at Octopus, discussing apps that enable rationing. https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson/status/1313155177483063297

"Thousands of jobs..."

... in making apps to deliver rationing.

This is what greens mean by "climate emergency" and getting on a "war footing".

This is the analogue version of a "green energy" app.

It also echoes this disaster...

David Cameron was so impressed by Greenpeace rooftop, that when he formed his "greenest government ever", he gave people with rooftops nearly 50p per kwH.

Now Rishi, claims that "dynamic pricing" will "help" people cut their bills.

Same nonsense. It makes energy more expensive.

Here's that "greenest government ever" pledge made to a room full of green blob wonks.