Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) UK 2026: Best Rates Compared
SEG rates in August 2026 sit in three tiers. Suppliers pay 17.5–25p/kWh for 12 months on systems they installed themselves (Good Energy 25p, So Energy and OVO 20p, EDF 18p, E.ON Next 17.5p). Ordinary bundled tariffs pay 12–15p. Standalone tariffs with no supplier switch pay 3–6p. A battery with Predbat on Octopus Agile Outgoing beats them all.
The Smart Export Guarantee replaced the Feed-in Tariff in January 2020. Unlike FiT, SEG is set by each supplier — not a fixed government rate — which means rates vary widely. The top rates now pay roughly eight times the bottom ones, so picking the right SEG supplier can be worth several hundred pounds a year on a typical solar export volume.
SEG rates ranked — August 2026
| Supplier & Tariff | Rate (p/kWh) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Good Energy Solar Savings Exclusive | 25.0 | Good Energy install + supply. 12 months, then the standard 12p tariff. |
| So Energy So Bright Export | 20.0 | So Energy install + supply. 12 months, then So Export Flex at 4.5p. |
| OVO SEG Install Exclusive | Up to 20.0 | OVO install + supply. 15p solar only, 20p with a battery. |
| EDF Export Exclusive | 18.0 | Solar or battery bought from EDF (from 2 March 2026) + EDF import. 12 months. |
| E.ON Next Export Premium | 17.5 | E.ON-installed system + E.ON Next import. 12 months, one term only. |
| Octopus Prime Outgoing | 16.0 / 9.0 | 16p in the 4–7pm peak, 9p the rest of the day. Octopus import required. |
| EDF Export 12m | 15.0 | Best flat rate on an independent install. Requires EDF import. 12-month fix. |
| E.ON Next Export Exclusive | 13.0 | E.ON Next import customers, any installer. |
| Octopus Outgoing Fixed | 12.0 | Octopus import customers. Cut from 15p on 1 March 2026. |
| British Gas Export Premium / Good Energy standard / SP SmartGen Premium / OVO Beyond | 12.0 | The going rate for ordinary bundled tariffs across the big suppliers. |
| Octopus Agile Outgoing | Variable, 25–30p+ in peak half-hours | Half-hourly. Highest earner combined with battery + Predbat. |
| Standalone tariffs (no supplier switch) | 3.0–6.0 | E.ON Next Flex 6p, SP SmartGen 6p, So Export Flex 4.5p, OVO 4p, EDF and British Gas 3p. |
Rates change. Always confirm the live rate at signup. The ranking above reflects publicly listed SEG tariffs as at 9 August 2026, checked against supplier pages and the main comparison sites.
How to choose between flat and variable
If you have a battery + Agile-compatible inverter setup, Octopus Agile Outgoing wins on lifetime earnings. Predbat shifts your export into peak Agile half-hours where prices regularly top 25p/kWh. We have customers reporting 12-month average export rates of 18–22p/kWh on Agile Outgoing — well above any flat rate.
If you don’t have a battery, flat tariffs win because there’s nothing to shift. The strongest rate on an independent install is EDF’s Export 12m at 15p/kWh, with E.ON Next at 13p and Octopus, British Gas, Scottish Power and Good Energy all at 12p — each requires your import supply. Without a battery you export in the middle of the day when wholesale prices are lowest, so variable tariffs tend to penalise you.
What about the 20–25p rates you’ll see advertised? Those are install-locked: Good Energy, So Energy, OVO, EDF and E.ON pay their top rates only on systems they fitted themselves, usually for 12 months before dropping you to a standard rate as low as 4.5p. The supplier funds the headline through the install price, so compare the whole package — a competitively priced independent install on 12–15p usually wins over the system’s lifetime. If you specifically want Agile Outgoing, you’ll need Octopus for import; a supplier switch is free and takes a couple of weeks.
What you need to qualify for SEG
- MCS-certified solar PV install (or installer-equivalent under Microgeneration certification)
- SMETS2 smart meter capable of half-hourly readings
- Application within 12 months of commissioning
- System size under 5MW (residential is far below this)
Spectrum issues the MCS certificate at commissioning, which is what suppliers ask for at SEG signup. The whole signup is online and takes about 30 minutes once your meter is sending half-hourly readings (24–48 hours after install completion).
Pair the right system with the right SEG tariff
We design the system, then point you at the right export tariff for your shape of generation and consumption. No hidden agenda — we don’t earn referral on SEG signups.
Request a QuoteWhy some suppliers pay so much more
A few reasons:
- Suppliers re-sell your export. An active supplier sells your exported units into wholesale and balancing markets where prices regularly exceed the SEG rate they pay. They keep the spread; you get a strong rate.
- SEG is a customer-acquisition tool. A high export rate attracts solar households who tend to be sticky multi-product customers (time-of-use tariffs, EV tariffs), which is why the best headline rates (British Gas, E.ON Next) are tied to taking your import from them too.
- Some suppliers don’t compete on export at all. EDF and OVO pay barely above zero because they aren’t treating SEG as a competitive offer — which is why the gap between best and worst is so wide.
SEG contribution to payback
For a typical 5kWp UK domestic install exporting ~2,000 kWh/year (assuming a battery storing daytime surplus for evening use):
| SEG rate | Annual export income |
|---|---|
| 3p (standalone EDF / British Gas) | £60 |
| 12p (Octopus Outgoing Fixed and most bundled tariffs) | £240 |
| 15p (EDF Export 12m — best independent-install flat rate) | £300 |
| 20p effective (Agile + Predbat) | £400 |
| 25p (Good Energy install-locked, first 12 months only) | £500 |
The spread between a lazy standalone tariff and a well-chosen one is roughly £340/year — enough to take 6–9 months off payback on a typical system. Moving from a 3p standalone rate to EDF’s 15p alone is worth £240/year. SEG choice isn’t a small lever.
SEG vs the old Feed-in Tariff
FiT closed to new applications on 1 April 2019. Existing FiT customers continue receiving payments until their 20-year term ends. SEG is the replacement — cheaper for the government, more variable for installers, and requires more shopping around. If you installed under FiT, don’t move to SEG — FiT’s legacy generation tariffs are far more generous.
What happens when you change suppliers
If you switch domestic electricity supplier mid-year, you need to re-apply for SEG with the new supplier. The new supplier can offer a different rate. If you’re on Octopus Outgoing Fixed and switching to EDF for import-side reasons, your SEG income would drop materially — worth modelling before switching.
FAQs
Who pays the best SEG rate in the UK?
Good Energy’s Solar Savings Exclusive pays the top flat rate at 25p/kWh, but only for 12 months on systems Good Energy installed. On an independent install the best flat rate is EDF’s Export 12m at 15p. Battery households with Predbat beat both on Octopus Agile Outgoing. Rates change, so check before signing up.
Do I have to be with the same supplier for SEG and import?
For any worthwhile rate, yes. Every 12p+ tariff in August 2026 requires your import supply, and the top 17.5–25p rates additionally require that supplier to have fitted your system. Standalone tariffs with no switch exist but pay 3–6p. If you change supplier, you re-apply for SEG with the new one.
How is SEG export measured?
By your SMETS2 smart meter recording half-hourly export readings. The meter records what flows out of your premises to the grid — not what your solar generates. So self-consumed electricity isn’t counted (and shouldn’t be — you saved that by not importing). Export-only readings are sent to your SEG supplier automatically.
Can I claim SEG on a battery-only retrofit?
SEG covers low-carbon generation exports — solar PV, wind, micro-hydro, micro-CHP, anaerobic digestion. A battery isn’t a generator, so battery-only retrofits don’t qualify for SEG income. Battery-only retrofits earn through import-side arbitrage on Octopus Agile, not export.
Are SEG payments taxable?
For domestic households, no — SEG income from a private home is treated as exempt under HMRC’s domestic renewable-generation rules. For businesses, SEG is taxable trading income. The threshold is when generation moves from incidental domestic to commercial scale — HMRC’s guidance covers the test in detail.
Do I need an MCS install to qualify for SEG?
Yes — suppliers require MCS or equivalent certification before paying SEG. This is one of the practical reasons to use an MCS-certified installer rather than going outside the scheme. Spectrum’s MCS NIC200223 satisfies the SEG requirement out of the box.
Should I export everything or self-consume first?
Always self-consume first. Even on a strong 15p flat rate you earn less than the roughly 26p/kWh it costs to import the same unit under the July–September 2026 price cap. Cover home consumption first, then export the surplus. On Octopus Agile, Predbat handles that ordering automatically.
Related reading
- UK solar export tariff comparison 2026
- Octopus Agile + Solar: 2026 guide to maximum savings
- Best solar battery for Octopus Agile in 2026
For the full Spectrum service overview see domestic solar overview.
Speak to Spectrum Energy Systems
MCS NIC200223. We’ll design the right export-friendly system, then point you at the best SEG tariff for it.
Request a Quote