Solar Export Tariff Comparison UK 2026
The best export rates in August 2026 are tied to who fitted your system: Good Energy pays 25p/kWh, So Energy and OVO up to 20p, EDF 18p and E.ON Next 17.5p, but only on their own installs and mostly for 12 months. On an independent install the ceiling is around 15p. Battery households still earn most on Octopus Agile Outgoing.
An export tariff is the rate your electricity supplier pays you for each kilowatt-hour of solar your system sends to the grid. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good Energy Solar Savings Exclusive | 25.0 | Flat, 12 months | Good Energy install + supply; drops to standard Solar Savings (12p) after year one |
| So Energy So Bright Export | 20.0 | Flat, 12 months | So Energy install + supply; drops to So Export Flex (4.5p) after year one |
| OVO SEG Install Exclusive | Up to 20.0 | Flat | OVO install + supply (15p if solar only, 20p with battery) |
| EDF Export Exclusive | 18.0 | Flat, 12 months | Solar or battery bought from EDF (from 2 Mar 2026) + EDF import |
| E.ON Next Export Premium | 17.5 | Flat, 12 months | E.ON-installed system + E.ON Next import; one term only |
| Octopus Prime Outgoing | 16.0 peak (4–7pm) / 9.0 off-peak | Time-of-use | Octopus import; batteries that can shift export into the evening peak |
| EDF Export 12m | 15.0 | Flat, 12 months | Best rate on an independent install — requires EDF import |
| E.ON Next Export Exclusive | 13.0 | Flat, 12 months | E.ON Next import customers (any installer) |
| Octopus Outgoing Fixed | 12.0 | Flat | Octopus import customers (cut from 15p, Mar 2026) |
| British Gas Export Premium | 12.0 | Flat | British Gas import customers |
| Good Energy Solar Savings (standard) | 12.0 | Flat (variable) | Good Energy’s standard tariff — cut from 15p during 2026 |
| Scottish Power SmartGen Premium | 12.0 | Flat | Scottish Power import customers |
| Octopus Agile Outgoing | Half-hourly, ~10p average, 25–30p+ peaks | Half-hourly | Battery + Predbat households |
| Octopus Shape Shifters Outgoing | Variable, commercial half-hourly | Half-hourly | Commercial battery exporters |
| Standalone SEG tariffs (no import switch) | 3.0–6.0 | Flat | E.ON Next Flex 6p · SP SmartGen 6p · So Export Flex 4.5p · OVO 4p · EDF and BG 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
If you don’t have a battery, the strongest rate on an independent install is EDF’s Export 12m at 15p/kWh, which needs EDF as your import supplier. The 17.5–25p headline rates from Good Energy, So Energy, OVO, EDF and E.ON only apply to systems those suppliers installed themselves, usually for the first 12 months before dropping to a much lower standard rate. Octopus Outgoing Fixed sits at 12p after the March 2026 cut, level with British Gas, Scottish Power and Good Energy’s standard tariff.
A note on those install-locked rates: a 25p tariff sounds generous until you price the install behind it. The supplier recovers that headline rate through the system price, and after 12 months you land back on 4.5–12p. Over the life of the system, a competitively priced independent install on a 12–15p tariff usually comes out ahead — run the numbers on both before signing anything.
If you have a battery and Predbat, Octopus Agile Outgoing wins. The tariff’s raw half-hourly rates average only around 10p/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 (15p on EDF Export 12m) or Octopus Prime Outgoing — 16p in the 4–7pm peak, 9p the rest of the day — is the safer call. Agile Outgoing without automation can underperform if your manual schedule misses the 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 highest rates are locked to the supplier’s own installs
During 2026 the big suppliers moved into selling solar installs themselves, and the 17.5–25p rates are the marketing hook for that. The supplier funds the headline export rate out of the install margin and the 12-month time limit, then drops you onto a standard rate afterwards. It’s a customer-acquisition offer, not a subsidy.
The ordinary bundled rates (12–15p) work differently: the supplier re-sells your exported units into wholesale and balancing markets and keeps the spread, which is why those tariffs still require your import business. Suppliers that don’t compete on export at all pay the 3–6p standalone rates, and that’s why the gap between best and worst 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?
Good Energy’s Solar Savings Exclusive pays the highest flat rate at 25p/kWh, but only on systems Good Energy installed, and only for 12 months. On an independent install the best flat rate is EDF’s Export 12m at 15p. Battery households with Predbat earn more than either on Octopus Agile Outgoing. Confirm live rates 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. Every worthwhile rate in August 2026 requires your import business too, and the standalone tariffs that don’t — So Export Flex, OVO’s basic SEG, EDF and British Gas at 3–4.5p — pay a fraction of the bundled rates. In practice, import and export move together.
Related reading
- switching energy supplier with solar
- 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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