The short answer: The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) makes electricity suppliers with 150,000 or more domestic customers pay you for the solar power you export to the grid. There’s no fixed rate: each supplier sets its own, and Ofgem says it must always be above zero. You can choose any SEG supplier, not just the one that supplies your electricity. For a home solar system you’ll need an MCS certificate and an export meter that reads half-hourly, usually a smart meter. It applies in Great Britain.
Last verified: 30 October 2026 against Ofgem’s SEG pages, the guidance for generators and the 2026/27 supplier list.
How the Smart Export Guarantee works
- Your solar panels make electricity. You use what you can in your home.
- The rest goes to the grid. Your export meter records how much, in kWh.
- Your SEG supplier pays you for each kWh exported, at the rate in your SEG contract. Ofgem says you’re entitled to be paid on actual meter readings.
The SEG started on 1 January 2020. It follows the Feed-in Tariff, which closed to new applicants on 31 March 2019, but Ofgem says it “works very differently”. Unlike the FIT, the SEG pays only for what you export, not for what you generate and use yourself.
Who can get SEG payments?
| Requirement | What Ofgem says |
|---|---|
| Technology | Solar PV, wind, micro combined heat and power (micro-CHP), hydro or anaerobic digestion |
| Size | Up to 5MW (micro-CHP up to 50kW). A home system is far smaller than this |
| Location | Great Britain (not Northern Ireland) |
| Certification | Solar, wind and micro-CHP up to 50kW: an MCS certificate or equivalent |
| Meter | An export meter that takes half-hourly readings and has an export MPAN |
| Feed-in Tariff | You can’t also get FIT export payments for the same system |
That’s why using an MCS-certified installer matters: their certificate is your evidence for the SEG, and it’s also required for the Warm Homes Loan for solar.
Which suppliers must offer an SEG tariff (2026/27)
Ofgem lists these mandatory SEG licensees for 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. They must offer an SEG tariff to every eligible generator:
| Mandatory SEG licensees (Ofgem list) |
|---|
| British Gas Trading Limited |
| E (Gas and Electricity) Ltd |
| E.ON Next Energy Limited |
| EDF Energy Customers Limited |
| Electricity Plus Supply Limited (trading as Utility Warehouse) |
| Foxglove Energy Supply Limited |
| Fuse Energy Supply Limited |
| Octopus Energy Limited |
| OVO Electricity Ltd |
| ScottishPower Energy Retail Limited |
| So Energy Trading Limited |
| Utilita Energy Limited |
Voluntary SEG licensees for 2026/27 are Pozitive Energy, Ruby Electricity, Smart Pay Energy and Voltx Power. Other suppliers can still offer export payments outside the SEG.
How much do SEG tariffs pay?
Each supplier sets its own rate, contract length and payment terms. Rates change often, so always check the supplier’s own page before you sign up. As a guide only:
| Type of tariff | Typical rate (Uswitch, rates at 15 July 2026) | Catch |
|---|---|---|
| Open to anyone | About 2p to 6p per kWh | Lower rate, but you can keep your current electricity supplier |
| For the supplier’s own electricity customers | About 12p to 20p per kWh | You must buy your electricity from them too |
Uswitch is a secondary source; we haven’t checked every supplier’s rate ourselves. Some suppliers also pay more if they installed your panels or battery.
When comparing, look at the whole deal: the export rate, the price you pay for the electricity you still buy, any fixed term or exit fee, and how often you’re paid.
How to apply for the Smart Export Guarantee
- Make sure you have an export-capable meter. A smart meter can usually read export. Ask your supplier if you’re not sure.
- Find your MCS certificate from your installer.
- Compare SEG tariffs from the suppliers above.
- Apply on the supplier’s website. Each sets out its own process and what evidence it needs.
- Get paid on your actual export readings, at the frequency in your contract.
Batteries and the SEG
A home battery lets you store solar power and use more of it yourself, which is often worth more than exporting it. Ofgem says that where your export meter also records electricity from a battery charged from another source, such as the grid, your SEG supplier doesn’t have to pay for that export but can: it may pay for none or all of it, ask for extra meters, or estimate the eligible share. Ask your supplier before you sign up if you have, or plan to add, a battery. The Warm Homes Loan lends up to £15,000 for a battery.
Paying for solar
- What solar panels cost in 2026
- Solar panel grants, including free routes for lower-income homes
- Solar panel loans: up to £15,000, some interest-free
- 0% VAT on installed solar until 31 March 2027
Smart Export Guarantee: common questions
What is the Smart Export Guarantee?
A government-backed scheme, run by Ofgem since 1 January 2020, that requires some electricity suppliers to pay small-scale low-carbon generators, such as homes with solar panels, for electricity they export to the grid. It replaced export payments under the Feed-in Tariff for new installations.
How much does the Smart Export Guarantee pay?
There is no set rate. Ofgem says each SEG licensee decides the rate, contract length and terms, but the rate “must always be above zero”. As a guide, Uswitch’s comparison (rates correct at 15 July 2026) showed tariffs open to anyone at about 2p to 6p per kWh, and rates of about 12p to 20p for customers who also buy their electricity from the same supplier. Check current rates with each supplier.
Which suppliers have to offer an SEG tariff?
Suppliers with at least 150,000 domestic electricity customers must. For 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027, Ofgem lists 12 mandatory SEG licensees, including British Gas, E.ON Next, EDF, Octopus, OVO, ScottishPower, So Energy and Utilita, plus some smaller suppliers who joined voluntarily.
Do I need an MCS certificate for the SEG?
For solar, wind and micro-CHP up to 50kW, Ofgem says you will be asked for an MCS certificate or proof of an equivalent standard. Systems over 50kW (up to 5MW) still need the installation certified, but not the installer.
Do I need a smart meter for the SEG?
You need an export meter that can take half-hourly readings and has an export MPAN. A smart meter can usually do this. Ofgem says to speak to your SEG licensee about whether your existing meter is suitable.
Do I have to use my energy supplier for the SEG?
No. Ofgem says your SEG licensee “does not need to be the same company as your current energy supplier”. But some of the highest export rates are only for customers who also buy their electricity from that supplier.
Can I get the SEG and the Feed-in Tariff?
Not both for exports. Ofgem says you must not be getting Feed-in Tariff export payments if you claim SEG payments. If you only get FIT generation payments, you can have an SEG tariff.
Does the SEG pay for battery exports?
The SEG only has to pay for export from an eligible source such as solar. If your export meter also records electricity from a battery charged from the grid, Ofgem says your SEG supplier doesn’t have to pay for that export but can: it may pay for none or all of it, ask you to fit extra meters, or estimate the eligible share.
Is the SEG available in Northern Ireland?
No. Ofgem says installations must be located in Great Britain.