Getting Paid for Your Solar Exports: A Guide to the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG)
💰 Why the tariff you pick matters
There is no set SEG rate. Each supplier chooses its own, and the rates published in May 2026 ran from 1p to 25p per kWh. The highest rates come with conditions, such as buying your electricity from that supplier or having it install your panels, so compare the whole deal rather than the headline export rate.
If you have solar panels or are planning to install them, this guide explains what the Smart Export Guarantee is, who can get it, what suppliers were paying when rates were last published, and what to check before you sign up.
What Is the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG)?
The Smart Export Guarantee started on 1 January 2020 and is regulated by Ofgem. Energy suppliers with at least 150,000 domestic electricity customers must offer SEG payments to eligible generators; smaller suppliers can choose to. It covers solar PV and some other small-scale generation (wind, hydro, micro-CHP and anaerobic digestion) up to 5MW, or 50kW for micro-CHP.
It is only available in Great Britain, not Northern Ireland. The old Feed-in Tariff closed to new applicants from 1 April 2019. Unlike it, SEG rates are:
- Not fixed by government - each supplier sets its own rate, and the only rule is that it must always be above zero
- Very varied - from 1p to 25p per kWh in Solar Energy UK's May 2026 table
- Your choice - your SEG supplier does not have to be the company that supplies your electricity, unless the tariff requires it
🔑 Key Point
In May 2026, tariffs open to anyone paid 1p to 6p per kWh. Tariffs paying 5.6p to 15.1p required you to buy your electricity from the same supplier, and the highest rates (15p to 25p) required that supplier to have installed your solar panels or battery.
SEG Rates as Published in May 2026
This table uses Solar Energy UK's Smart Export Guarantee league table, updated on 12 May 2026. Rates change often and tariffs can close, so check the supplier's own website before you decide. It is not a recommendation of any supplier.
| Supplier & Tariff | Export Rate (May 2026) | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| E | 1.0p | Open to anyone |
| UW Standard | 2.0p | Open to anyone |
| EDF Export Variable | 3.0p | Open to anyone |
| Utilita | 3.0p | Open to anyone |
| British Gas Export and Earn Flex | 3.02p | Open to anyone |
| OVO SEG | 4.0p | Open to anyone |
| Octopus SEG | 4.1p | Open to anyone |
| So Export Flex | 4.5p | Open to anyone |
| ScottishPower SmartGen | 6p | Open to anyone |
| E.ON Next Flex Export | 6p | Open to anyone |
| EDF Export Variable Value | 5.6p | Must buy electricity from this supplier |
| UW Bundle | 8p | Must buy electricity from this supplier |
| Outgoing Octopus | 12p | Must buy electricity from this supplier |
| ScottishPower SmartGen Premium | 12p | Must buy electricity from this supplier |
| OVO SEG Beyond Exclusive | 12p | Must buy electricity from this supplier |
| E.ON Next Export Exclusive | 13p | Must buy electricity from this supplier |
| EDF Export 12m | 15p | Must buy electricity from this supplier |
| Good Energy Solar Saving | 15p | Must buy electricity from this supplier |
| British Gas Export and Earn Plus | 15.1p | Must buy electricity from this supplier |
| ScottishPower SmartGen Premium Plus | 15p | Solar or battery must be installed by this supplier |
| E.ON Next Export Premium | 17.5p | Solar or battery must be installed by this supplier |
| EDF Export Exclusive | 18p | Solar or battery must be installed by this supplier |
| OVO SEG Install Exclusive | 20p | Solar or battery must be installed by this supplier |
| Good Energy Solar Savings Exclusive | 25p | Solar or battery must be installed by this supplier |
Source: Solar Energy UK, Smart Export Guarantee league table, updated 12 May 2026. Rates are per kWh exported and will change. Some tariffs, such as Octopus Flux, pay different rates at different times of day, so a single figure does not describe them.
How Much Could Solar Save You?
How much you export depends on your system and when you use electricity. If you are out all day, more of your solar power goes to the grid. If you are at home, or have a battery, you use more of it yourself.
Without SEG payments
Bill savings only
With SEG payments
Bill savings plus export payments
Energy Saving Trust estimates for a four-bedroom detached home in London, Manchester, Aberystwyth and Stirling, based on fuel prices as of July 2026. EST does not publish the export rate it assumes, so what you earn depends heavily on your tariff. Typical figures, last reviewed September 2026.
Using Your Own Electricity Is Usually Worth More
Every unit of solar power you use yourself is one you don't have to buy, and that is usually worth more than exporting it.
💡 Why This Happens
A battery lets you store daytime solar power for the evening. The Energy Saving Trust puts battery storage at around £5,000 to £8,000, so weigh that against the extra savings before you buy one.
How to Choose an SEG Tariff
Step 1: Compare the import price, not just the export rate
Many higher-paying tariffs need you to buy your electricity from the same supplier. Compare its unit rate and standing charge with your current deal, because dearer electricity can cancel out a better export rate.
Step 2: Treat installation-linked rates with care
The highest rates in May 2026 required the supplier to have installed your panels or battery. They only make sense if that supplier's installation quote is competitive with other MCS-certified installers.
Step 3: Consider an open tariff if you want flexibility
Tariffs open to anyone paid 1p to 6p in May 2026. They pay less, but you can keep your current electricity supplier.
What You Need to Get SEG Payments
- A certified installation - certified through the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) or a scheme accredited as equivalent, such as Flexi-Orb
- The right meter - one capable of providing half-hourly export readings (ask the SEG supplier whether your smart meter is suitable)
- A home in Great Britain - the SEG is not available in Northern Ireland
- An application to your chosen SEG supplier - you will usually need your MCS certificate and meter details
⏰ When to Choose Your SEG Tariff
You choose the SEG supplier, not your installer. Looking at tariffs before the installation is finished means you are ready to apply as soon as you have your certificate.
Can I Switch SEG Tariff Later?
Usually, yes. Read your current tariff's terms first, as some are fixed for a set period. If a tariff requires you to buy electricity from that supplier, moving to it means switching your electricity supply as well.
SEG and Batteries
- A battery lets you use more of your own solar power, which is usually worth more than exporting it
- GOV.UK says storage that can export electricity could also be used to benefit from the SEG
- Some of the highest-paying tariffs are tied to a solar or battery installation by that supplier
- Installed batteries are zero-rated for VAT until 31 March 2027, then 5%
Before You Sign Up: A Checklist
- 1. Check any installer on the MCS register before you sign
- 2. Check current rates on the supplier's own website (the table above dates from May 2026)
- 3. If a tariff needs you to buy electricity from that supplier, compare the import price too
- 4. Confirm your meter can provide half-hourly export readings
- 5. Read the terms: fixed or variable rate, how often you are paid, and what happens if you leave
UK Energy Partnership is run by Harber Glaves Trading Ltd. We are not a government body, Ofgem or an energy supplier, and we don't set or pay SEG rates. Check current tariffs with suppliers and the scheme rules with the official sources.
Official sources: Ofgem - Smart Export Guarantee · GOV.UK - SEG guidance
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