Smart Export Guarantee and UK Export Tariffs

Ofgem administers the SEG framework for Great Britain. It does not cover Northern Ireland, where households should check export arrangements with local suppliers. Eligibility, metering and application evidence must be completed before expecting payments.

Export value begins with measured surplus rather than array size. Obtain an annual generation forecast, estimate how much electricity will be used on site and treat the remainder as potential export. Orientation and household routine change that volume, while the supplier contract determines its price. Keep these inputs separate so a high advertised rate is not applied to electricity that the home consumes or a battery retains.

Energy Saving Trust says households typically receive around 12p for each exported unit, but this is a comparison figure rather than a guaranteed offer. Suppliers can change products, require import supply or set different rates for solar and battery export.

A high export rate can alter battery choices. Storing a unit means giving up its export payment, so compare the avoided import after losses with the export income sacrificed. Some tariffs also restrict simultaneous import charging and export.

What changes the answer

Eligibility

Confirm technology size, MCS evidence or equivalent, commissioning date and supplier requirements before choosing a tariff.

Export meter

Payments depend on measured export. Check smart-meter capability, export MPAN setup and reading frequency.

Rate structure

Compare fixed versus variable rates, contract length, exit terms and whether the supplier must also provide imports.

Battery exports

Ask whether grid-charged electricity may be exported and whether a separate battery rate or control agreement applies.

Payment timing

Review statement frequency, minimum payment thresholds and how missing data is corrected.

Whole-bill effect

A generous export rate may sit beside a less attractive import tariff. Model both sides of the bill.

Rules and responsibilities for this topic

Scheme geography

SEG operates in England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland uses different market arrangements.

Installation evidence

Suppliers normally request certification and commissioning documents; keep these with the DNO acceptance and paid invoice.

Metering

Export must be measured by an appropriate meter. Deemed export is not the normal basis for new SEG payments.

Compare export offers on usable terms

Start by confirming that the installation and meter meet the chosen supplier’s eligibility rules. Record whether the tariff is fixed or variable, whether rates change by time, and whether the supplier requires you to buy electricity from it as well. Check how often readings are collected and payments are made. A high rate is less useful if the household cannot satisfy its metering, technology or account conditions.

Estimate annual exported kilowatt-hours from the property-specific generation model and a realistic self-consumption assumption. Multiply that export by the available rate, then compare the result with savings from using the electricity in the home. If a battery is present, establish whether grid-charged exports are permitted and how the supplier identifies them. Avoid double-counting a unit as both avoided import and paid export.

Keep the MCS certificate or other accepted installation evidence, DNO paperwork, export meter identifier and commissioning documents ready for an application. Ask the supplier what happens when a fixed period ends and whether leaving creates a fee. Recheck rates periodically because the contract can change while the panels remain in service. The solar calculator can test a conservative export rate beside household self-use, making the trade-off visible without assuming every generated unit has the same value.

Check the switching process before leaving an existing export arrangement. Record the final reading, payment timetable and any notice period, then confirm when the new rate begins. Import and export contracts may move separately, so a household should not assume changing one automatically changes the other. Keep screenshots or tariff documents showing the rate and eligibility at application. If the supplier later alters a variable offer, those records help explain which period received which payment and prevent gaps from being mistaken for low generation.

Use a second export scenario

Suppose the array exports 2,000 kWh annually. At 12p/kWh, income is 2,000 × £0.12 = £240. If a different eligible offer pays 8p, the same export earns £160, a reduction of £80 a year. The calculation does not say which tariff will remain available; it shows why payback should be tested below the best advertised rate. Repeat it with the supplier’s actual terms and a lower export volume if future household demand, an electric vehicle or storage is likely to consume more generation on site.

Questions to ask the installer

1. What exact export rate applies today?
2. Must you supply my imported electricity too?
3. How is battery export classified and paid?
4. Who obtains the export MPAN?
5. How often are readings and payments processed?
6. Can the rate or eligibility rules change during the term?