Export payments for solar: how the SEG works
Since the Feed-in Tariff closed to new households, the only ongoing payment linked to home solar is for electricity you export. It comes from energy suppliers, at rates they set, under rules Ofgem oversees. Here is who must pay, what you need, and why it shouldn't be counted as a grant.
The short answer
Yes, in Great Britain, with conditions. Larger suppliers must offer an export tariff above zero for electricity exported from a certified, metered installation. Rates vary by supplier and tariff, and there is no single SEG rate. It is income after installation, not money towards the panels.
Facts checked at source on 2 and 3 November 2026 · Solar PV Panels Grants is an independent explainer from SEO-DONS LTD, not a scheme
What the SEG requires of suppliers
The SEG has applied since 1 January 2020. Licensed electricity suppliers above a size threshold must offer at least one tariff that pays small-scale generators for the electricity they export to the grid. The House of Commons Library gives the threshold as 150,000 domestic customers; smaller suppliers can choose to offer a tariff voluntarily. The rate must be above zero at all times, but beyond that, suppliers set it.
That one rule explains most of what households see in the market. Rates differ widely between suppliers, between fixed and variable tariffs, and between tariffs that require you to buy your electricity from the same supplier and those that don't. Some tariffs pay a flat rate per unit; others vary with the time of day. None of them is "the SEG rate", and any page or quote presenting one figure as the rate is simplifying.
The SEG is a Great Britain scheme. It doesn't apply in Northern Ireland.
The conditions on your side
Ofgem's guidance for generators sets out what the household side needs.
- Metered exports. Exports must be measured by a meter capable of recording half-hourly readings, which in practice means a smart meter, and the supply needs an export MPAN, the reference number for the export.
- Certification. For solar installations up to 50kW, the installation and the installer must be certified under MCS, or an equivalent scheme.
- An application to a supplier. You choose a tariff and apply to the supplier offering it. It doesn't have to be the supplier you buy from.
Keep the MCS certificate from the installation safe. Suppliers ask for it, and it is also how you show the installation was done to the standard the SEG relies on. You can check an installer's certification on the MCS website.
The SEG compared with the old Feed-in Tariff
| Feed-in Tariff (closed 2019) | SEG (from 2020) | |
|---|---|---|
| Paid for | Generation, plus exports | Exports only |
| Rate set by | Government, fixed for the term | Each supplier, above zero |
| Export measurement | Often estimated ("deemed") | Metered |
| Open to new installations | No | Yes, in Great Britain |
| A grant? | No | No |
Exports versus using your own power
For most homes with solar, export payments are the smaller part of the benefit. Electricity you use as it is generated displaces electricity you would otherwise buy, and the price you pay for a unit of electricity is usually higher than export tariffs pay for one. So the more of your generation you use yourself, the more each unit is worth to you.
That is why the shape of your day matters more than the export rate. A household that is out during daylight will export more of what its panels make. One that runs appliances in the day, or has a battery to store surplus for the evening, uses more of it. Neither is wrong; they simply lean on different parts of the arithmetic.
When comparing quotes, ask how any savings figure splits between self-use and exports, and which import price and export rate it assumes. A figure without its assumptions can't be checked.
What the SEG is not
It isn't a grant. It pays nothing towards the cost of panels, and calling it government funding is misleading.
It isn't one fixed rate. Suppliers set their own, and change them. Check current tariffs with suppliers directly.
It isn't automatic. You apply for a tariff; exports aren't paid until you do, and the meter set-up is in place.
It isn't the Feed-in Tariff. Households that joined the Feed-in Tariff before it closed keep their existing arrangements, which are separate from the SEG.
Where export payments fit in paying for solar
Exports are one of three real pieces in the money story for a household without a grant.
The price: lowered by 0% VAT on installed solar until 31 March 2027.
The payment: from savings or the Warm Homes Loan Scheme.
The return: lower bills from using your own generation, plus SEG income for exports.
The guide paying for solar without a grant sets these side by side.
Checks before choosing an export tariff
- Does the tariff require you to buy your electricity from the same supplier? If so, compare the import price too.
- Is the rate fixed for a term, or variable? Variable rates can change with notice.
- Does the rate vary by time of day? If so, think about when your panels actually export.
- Is a battery covered? Some tariffs have rules about exports from batteries; ask before assuming.
- What evidence does the supplier need? Usually the MCS certificate and meter details.
Ofgem's generator guidance is the reference for the rules. For a dispute with a supplier about export payments, the supplier's complaints process comes first, then the Energy Ombudsman.
Export payment questions
Is the SEG a grant?
No. It is a payment for electricity you export to the grid, made by an energy supplier at a rate it sets. It pays nothing towards the cost of the panels.
Which suppliers have to offer an export rate?
Larger licensed suppliers must offer at least one SEG tariff; the House of Commons Library gives the threshold as 150,000 domestic customers. Smaller suppliers can choose to offer one.
What do I need to be paid for exports?
An export meter that can record half-hourly readings, usually a smart meter, with an export MPAN; and, for solar up to 50kW, an MCS-certified installation by an MCS-certified installer, or equivalent.
Does the SEG apply in Northern Ireland?
No. It applies in Great Britain only.
Do I have to sell exports to my own supplier?
No. You can choose an export tariff from a supplier other than the one you buy electricity from, subject to that supplier’s terms.
Where these facts come from
- GOV.UK — Smart Export Guarantee — checked 3 November 2026
- Ofgem — SEG generator guidance (PDF) — checked 2 November 2026
- House of Commons Library — briefing CBP-9585 on home energy support (PDF) — checked 2 November 2026
- MCS — find a certified installer — checked 3 November 2026
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