Solar Export Tariff Comparison UK 2026
For a non-battery household in 2026, the best flat export rate you can take without switching import supplier is Good Energy at around 15p/kWh — Octopus Outgoing Fixed was cut from 15p to 12p/kWh on 1 March 2026. British Gas (~15.1p) and E.ON Next (~16.5p) pay a little more but require you to take your import from them too. For battery + Predbat households, Octopus Agile Outgoing’s half-hourly variable rates average around 9.4p/kWh over a year, but battery + Predbat households export preferentially into the daily peaks (which can hit 25–30p+), lifting the effective yield well above a flat rate. Commercial exporters with half-hourly meters get the equivalent on Octopus Shape Shifters Outgoing. Export rates change with around 30 days’ notice, so always confirm the live figure before committing.
The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) is a per-supplier choice, not a single national rate. Choosing the right export tariff can be worth several hundred pounds a year — on a typical 5kWp domestic with battery, the spread between worst and best SEG tariff is roughly £300–£400/year of pure income difference.
The full 2026 comparison
| Supplier / Tariff | Rate (p/kWh) | Type | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| E.ON Next (premium export) | ~16.5 | Flat | Highest headline rate — requires E.ON Next import |
| British Gas Export & Earn Plus | ~15.1 | Flat | Existing BG customers wanting one supplier |
| Good Energy Solar Savings | ~15.0 | Flat | Best flat rate without switching import supplier |
| Octopus Outgoing Fixed | 12.0 | Flat | Households without battery (cut from 15p, Mar 2026) |
| Octopus Agile Outgoing | Variable, up to ~25–30p peak | Half-hourly | Battery + Predbat households |
| Octopus Shape Shifters Outgoing | Variable, commercial half-hourly | Half-hourly | Commercial battery exporters |
| Scottish Power SmartGen+ | 8.0–12.0 (banded) | Flat (banded) | Heavy exporters |
| EDF Export+ | ~5.6 | Flat | Existing EDF customers |
| OVO SEG | ~4.0 | Flat | Below-market — avoid if better available |
| Statutory minimum SEG | >0p | Flat | No set floor — SEG only requires a rate above zero; some suppliers pay barely more |
Rates change. Always confirm the live rate at signup. The ranking above reflects publicly listed SEG tariffs as at May 2026.
How to choose
If you don’t have a battery, the strongest flat rate without changing import supplier is Good Energy at around 15p/kWh. If you’re willing to take import from the same company, British Gas (~15.1p) or E.ON Next’s premium export tariff (~16.5p) edge ahead. Octopus Outgoing Fixed now sits at 12p after the March 2026 cut, so it’s no longer the automatic pick for non-battery homes.
If you have a battery and Predbat, Octopus Agile Outgoing wins. The tariff’s raw half-hourly rates average only around 9.4p/kWh over a year, but the variable structure lets Predbat hold export until peak windows that can hit 25–30p/kWh, lifting the effective yield well above any flat rate.
If you have a battery but no Predbat, the choice is closer. A strong flat rate (around 15p on Good Energy) is the safer call — Agile Outgoing without optimisation can underperform if your manual schedule misses peak windows.
If you’re commercial, Octopus Shape Shifters Outgoing is the commercial equivalent of Agile Outgoing. Same half-hourly structure, same upside, requires HH-settled commercial meter. See our Shape Shifters article.
Picking the right export tariff for your install
Spectrum spec’s the system, fits the battery, and points you at the export tariff that maximises your earnings. No referral kickbacks.
Request a QuoteWhat changes if you can’t switch suppliers easily
Some homeowners are locked into a fixed-term electricity contract that makes switching to Octopus impractical for 6–12 months. The right approach: take the best SEG offer available from your current supplier, set a calendar reminder for your contract end, and switch to Octopus at that point. Don’t pay an exit fee just to access better SEG — the differential typically takes 18–24 months to recover an exit fee of £100–£200.
Why the good rates are around 15p — and how they’re funded
The suppliers paying the strongest rates re-sell your exported electricity into wholesale and balancing markets where average prices are typically higher. You earn around 15p; the supplier earns the spread between that and their wholesale re-sale price. It’s not a subsidy — it’s a market-making spread, which is why the best rates (British Gas, E.ON Next) are tied to taking your import from them too.
Suppliers that don’t actively trade their export volumes (EDF, OVO) pay closer to the statutory minimum, which is why the gap between the best and worst export tariff is so wide.
Export tariff vs the upfront incentives
Export income is recurring revenue. The upfront incentives — 0% VAT on a domestic install (to 31 March 2027) and AIA tax relief for businesses — are one-off effects at the point of purchase. Both shorten payback, and they stack: you can still pick the best export tariff every 12 months on top of whatever you saved upfront. Lock in the strongest export rate and treat the upfront savings as separate, not as alternatives.
Future-proofing for tariff changes
Octopus tariff names and rates have changed multiple times since 2019. The underlying structure (half-hourly settlement, variable wholesale-linked pricing) is here to stay because it’s now market-mandated. If your install is designed for time-of-use export (battery + Predbat-controlled inverter), you’ll be able to follow whatever new tariffs emerge without re-configuring kit.
FAQs
Who pays the best SEG rate in the UK?
For battery households, Octopus Agile Outgoing delivers the highest 12-month effective rate via Predbat-driven export arbitrage (peaks of 25–30p+/kWh). For non-battery households, the best flat rate without switching import supplier is Good Energy at around 15p/kWh; British Gas (~15.1p) and E.ON Next (~16.5p) pay slightly more if you bundle your import with them. Octopus Outgoing Fixed dropped to 12p in March 2026. Rates change, so confirm the live figure before signing up.
Do I have to be an Octopus customer to get Outgoing?
Yes — like most suppliers, Octopus requires you to be their domestic supply customer to access their SEG tariffs. The switch from your current supplier is free and takes ~21 days. Apply for Outgoing once your import-side switch is live.
Can I change SEG supplier later?
Yes — SEG is a 12-month contract on most suppliers. At renewal, you can switch to a different supplier and a different SEG tariff. Many Spectrum customers review SEG annually as part of their broader energy tariff check.
Is SEG income taxable?
For domestic households, no — SEG income from a private home is exempt under HMRC’s domestic renewable-generation rules. For businesses, SEG is taxable trading income. The dividing line is when generation moves from incidental domestic to commercial scale. HMRC publishes guidance on the test.
Does my export rate depend on what time the sun shines?
On flat SEG tariffs (Outgoing Fixed, EDF, BG, etc.) no — you’re paid the same rate per kWh regardless of when you export. On variable tariffs (Agile Outgoing) yes — you earn more for export during peak half-hours. Battery storage lets you shift export into peak windows even when solar is generating mid-day.
How is SEG export measured?
By your SMETS2 smart meter, which records half-hourly export readings sent automatically to your SEG supplier. The meter measures what flows out of your premises to the grid — self-consumed electricity isn’t counted (and shouldn’t be — you saved that by not importing).
Can I export to one supplier and import from another?
Mostly no in 2026. Most SEG tariffs require you to be the supplier’s import customer too. There are limited exceptions but the practical rule is: import and export are bundled with the same supplier. Switching one usually means switching the other.
Related reading
- SEG rates compared UK 2026
- Octopus Agile + Solar: 2026 guide to maximum savings
- What is Predbat? Solar battery optimisation explained
For the full Spectrum service overview see domestic solar overview.
Speak to Spectrum Energy Systems
MCS NIC200223. We’ll design your install for maximum export earning potential and walk you through the SEG tariff that fits your kit.
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