Smart Export Guarantee: Best SEG Rates in 2026 and How to Claim

What Is the Smart Export Guarantee?

The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) is a UK government scheme that requires energy suppliers with more than 150,000 customers to pay solar panel owners for every unit of electricity they export to the grid. It replaced the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) scheme for new installations from January 2020.

Unlike the old FiT, there is no fixed government rate — each energy supplier sets their own SEG tariff, which means it pays to shop around. You can switch your SEG provider at any time without affecting your solar installation or main energy supplier.

To be eligible, you need a MCS certified solar panel installation and a smart meter that can record your export readings.

Current SEG Rates in 2026

SEG rates vary significantly between suppliers. As of March 2025, 270,395 installations have signed up for SEG nationally. The average rate earned across all tariffs is approximately 13p/kWh, though top tariffs offer up to 25p/kWh. Some suppliers offer fixed rates, while others (like Octopus Flux and Agile) offer variable rates that fluctuate with wholesale electricity prices.

• Good Energy: 25p fixed for 12 months — best fixed rate available
• Octopus Intelligent Flux: ~25p/32p peak — variable time-of-use rate
• EDF: 18p fixed
• British Gas: 15.1p fixed
• E.ON: 13p fixed
• Fuse Energy: ~13p fixed
• Octopus Outgoing: 12p fixed — simple and reliable
• ScottishPower: ~6p fixed
• OVO Energy: ~4–5p fixed

A typical 4.6kW solar system exports around 1,500–2,000 kWh per year. At the average rate of 13p/kWh, this earns approximately £171 per year. With the best tariffs and a battery for strategic export, income can be considerably higher. While SEG payments alone do not make solar financially transformative, they add meaningfully to the overall return alongside self-consumption savings.

How to Register for SEG

The process is straightforward:

1. Get your MCS certificate — We provide this as part of every solar installation. You cannot register without it.
2. Get a smart meter — If you do not have one, contact your energy supplier to arrange installation. It must be a SMETS2 smart meter that records export readings.
3. Apply to your chosen SEG provider — Visit their website, complete the application, and upload your MCS certificate.
4. Start receiving payments — Typically paid quarterly based on smart meter export readings.

As your MCS certified installer, we provide all the documentation you need to register. See our grants guide for all solar incentives available.

How a Battery Affects Your SEG Earnings

Adding a home battery reduces your SEG payments — but this is a good thing. Instead of exporting electricity at up to 25p/kWh (though average rates are lower), your battery stores it and you use it in the evening at 24.67p/kWh equivalent savings. The maths strongly favours self-consumption over export.

With a battery, your export to the grid drops significantly, but your total savings increase. The reduction in SEG earnings (say, from £80/year to £25/year) is more than offset by the additional self-consumption savings (typically £300–£500/year extra).

Maximising Your Total Solar Savings

To get the most from your solar panels:

• Use high-consumption appliances (dishwasher, washing machine, tumble dryer) during the day to maximise self-consumption
• Add a battery to store surplus energy for evening use
• If you have a smart EV charger like a Zappi, set it to charge from solar during the day
• If you have a heat pump, use smart controls to run it during solar generation hours
• Register for the best available SEG tariff — check comparison sites annually as rates change

We install solar panels, batteries, heat pumps, and EV chargers across St Austell, Newquay, Bodmin, and across Cornwall. Book a free roof survey to find out how much your home could generate and save.