Which UK Supplier Pays the Best on Solar Export? (SEG)

Last reviewed: 19 May 2026

What is the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG)?

The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) was launched on 1 January 2020. The initiative was created to push businesses and households to move towards renewable energy. SEG took over from the Feed in Tariff.

The SEG manages your excess electricity which you don't need and circulates it back to the national grid, which allows for energy to be bought by an energy supplier, and sold to someone else, such as your neighbour who doesn't have solar.

Why did the government end the FiT Scheme?

The FiT scheme was a government programme that closed to new applicants on 31 March 2019. It was designed to promote the uptake of renewable generation like solar panels. Existing FiT participants still receive their generation and export payments for the remainder of their 20 to 25 year tariff term, so closure applied to new sign-ups only.

Those signed up to the FiT scheme receive quarterly payments from the government for the electricity their installation generated and exported back to the grid.

The key issues with the FiT scheme were that:

• FiT payments are funded by additional costs added to household and business energy bills, levied across all licensed suppliers and passed through to customers.
• It raised energy prices for all customers, including low-income households who couldn't afford the £4,000 to £10,000 cost on installation of panels and get the benefits.
• Lots of people felt it was a "regressive subsidy."

UK Solar Export Tariff Rates 2026

Compare all Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) rates from UK energy suppliers. Updated rates showing how much you can earn per kWh of electricity exported to the grid.

By the end of March 2025, 270,395 UK solar homes had joined an SEG tariff, a 63 per cent rise on the year before, with energy suppliers paying out a combined £56.97 million across SEG Year 5 (Ofgem, Smart Export Guarantee Annual Report Year 5, December 2025).

Solar Export Tariff Comparison, All UK Suppliers

Understanding UK Solar Export Tariff Rates in 2026

The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) scheme requires every licensed electricity supplier with 150,000 or more domestic customers to offer at least one export tariff to solar panel owners (Ofgem, SEG suppliers guidance). Smaller suppliers can join voluntarily. As of May 2026, British Gas leads the table with 15.1p per kWh on its Export and Earn Plus tariff, the highest paying export rate available, though it requires you to be an existing customer.

Four major suppliers are pegged at or just under 15p per kWh: British Gas, Good Energy, E.ON Next, and EDF Energy, all requiring existing customer relationships. For those seeking competitive rates without switching suppliers, Ecotricity offers 8.9p per kWh, Conrad Energy 8p per kWh on its behind-the-meter export proposition, and Purely Energy provides flexible rates between 7 to 10p per kWh, all open to all solar panel owners.

Scottish Power offers two tiers: SmartGen Premium at 12p per kWh and standard Smart Gen at 6p per kWh. Octopus Energy provides multiple options including Panel Power at 12p per kWh, Shape Shifters Export at 9p per kWh, and their basic SEG Tariff at 4.1p per kWh.

Other suppliers offering SEG tariffs include Pozitive Energy (trading as PE Solutions) at 5p per kWh, VoltX Power at 3.02p per kWh, Ruby Energy at 3p per kWh, and Utility Warehouse at 2p per kWh. These rates are typically available to all solar panel owners regardless of their energy supplier. Purely Energy can help you move to one of the above suppliers and help you get access to the best SEG export prices in the UK.

How is the Smart Export Guarantee rate calculated?

The Smart Export Guarantee is not a fixed government rate. Each licensed supplier sets its own export tariff, and those tariffs track the UK wholesale power curve. When wholesale power is high, suppliers can afford to pay you more for the electricity you export. When wholesale power is soft, export rates drift down to match.

That has a practical implication for businesses with rooftop solar or behind-the-meter generation. If the wholesale power curve is elevated right now, it can be a good time to forward sell your future export. A two-year fixed solar export contract locks in today's rate for the next two years of generation, and your supplier matches the volume with a buyer further down the chain. You take the price certainty, they take the volume risk.

The chart below is the live UK power forward curve as it sits today. If it is trading above its recent 12-month average, suppliers are likely to be quoting their best fixed export rates of the year.

For the live commodity terminal with day-ahead, seasons and full forward curve toggles, open /tools/market-data. And if you want to size the solar array your roof can take before signing any export deal, use our solar panel calculator.

How does Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) work?

Once your renewable system is in place, such as a solar panel or battery, the electricity you use is managed so that any excess can be put back into the grid.

You could also charge a large battery at night, such as your electric car, and sell the energy back to the grid during peak times. In turn, your energy supplier will pay you for the excess energy that gets put back.

Payments are based on an agreed tariff, and the rates vary among suppliers. This means your business not only benefits from generating its own clean energy but can also earn extra income from any unused electricity.

Steps to get started with SEG

1. To begin with, is there renewable energy already installed on site? This might be anything such as solar PV (up to 5 MW), wind, hydro, anaerobic digestion (AD), or micro-combined heat and power. SEG eligible technologies are listed in Ofgem's generators guidance. If you're still working out whether solar is viable for your site, our solar panel calculator sizes the array your roof can take and estimates the kWh you would export to the grid.

2. The second would be to install a smart meter capable of half-hourly export readings (SMETS2 or equivalent). The supplier needs accurate half-hourly export data to settle SEG payments.

3. You will be required to possess an MCS certificate for installations up to 5 MW. The certificate ensures that the energy installation company and its products are of acceptable quality and are safe. Sites above 5 MW use a separate Ofgem accreditation route.

4. Compare the different SEG tariffs offered by energy companies and select the best export rates per kWh for your business.

5. Finally, receive payment. Once all the setup is done, your supplier will approximate how much electricity you have supplied and pay accordingly.

Why does SEG matter for businesses?

With energy costs rising, generating and exporting renewable power has never been more valuable. The SEG provides businesses a chance to lower their energy bills while also helping the UK get one step closer to reaching its sustainability goals. Under DESNZ's Clean Power 2030 plan, the UK is targeting at least 95 per cent low-carbon electricity by 2030, which means SEG eligible export is going to keep mattering as more on-site solar comes online.

Benefits of the Smart Export Guarantee

• Helps contribute to lower greenhouse gases. Every time you send electricity back to the grid, you help build a greener future.
• Reduces energy costs. Make your business more cost-efficient by lowering energy consumption. By participating in the SEG, you can effectively recycle your energy.
• Earn money from excess energy. With rising energy bills, exporting surplus electricity provides extra income for your business, have a look above to select the best one.

If you have any questions or want help lowering energy costs, contact us at 0161 521 3400 or info@purelyenergy.co.uk. Alternatively, you can get a quick quote.

Written by Faith Labong at Purely Energy.