Solar & Home Energy · 8 min read · Beginner

Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) & Solar Export Tariffs Explained

Understand how eligible small generators can be paid for exported electricity in Great Britain, why export rates vary and what to compare before choosing a tariff.

Key points & steps

The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) is the framework under which participating electricity suppliers pay eligible small-scale generators for electricity exported to the grid in Great Britain.
SEG suppliers set their own tariff rate, contract length and other commercial terms, so there is no single nationwide export price. Ofgem requires a SEG tariff rate to remain above zero for eligible arrangements.
Export payments are based on export metering. A suitable smart/export meter and the supplier’s application process are therefore part of receiving payments.
Your SEG/export supplier does not necessarily need to be the same company that supplies the electricity you import, so compare export contracts separately where the available terms allow it.
Check whether a tariff is fixed or variable, whether it requires you to buy electricity from the same supplier, and whether there are equipment, metering or installation eligibility conditions.
If you have battery storage, check how the export tariff treats electricity that has been imported from the grid and later re-exported. Supplier and scheme conditions can matter where generation and storage are co-located.
Do not assume the highest headline export rate always gives the lowest annual bill. Compare the value of using solar in the home, storing it, exporting it and buying electricity back later at your actual import tariff.
Review export tariffs periodically because supplier lists, rates and contract terms can change; use current Ofgem information and supplier terms rather than an old comparison article.

Practical tips

Get Your Project Right should never hard-code one “SEG rate” as if it applies to everyone; the calculator’s export-rate field is deliberately editable.
An export tariff is separate from the physical DNO permission/notification needed to connect generation to the local network.
Keep MCS/installation certificates, commissioning information and meter details because suppliers may request evidence during an export application.

What you may need

Generation-system details
Export-capable meter information
Current Ofgem SEG supplier list
Supplier tariff terms
Import tariff for comparison

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