Will you get paid for exporting solar electricity?

01 / 03

Who sets the export rate?

Ofgem sets the SEG framework, but each licensed supplier sets its own payment rate, application steps and contract length. A supplier may offer fixed, variable or time-varying terms. Compare what the offer would pay for the electricity your system is actually likely to send out, not the headline rate in isolation. Ofgem says an eligible generator can apply to a SEG licensee; an installation does not start receiving money simply because panels have been switched on.

02 / 03

What documents and meter do you need?

The supplier will need export readings from a suitable meter and evidence that the installation meets its current eligibility rules. Keep the installation certificate, network connection paperwork, meter details and commissioning records together. Ask the installer who will set up the export registration and when the meter starts recording. If you have an older installation or an existing Feed-in Tariff arrangement, check the specific rules before assuming you can move between schemes.

03 / 03

How should export enter the payback?

Start with a credible generation forecast and subtract the electricity used directly at the property or stored for later use. Only the remaining measured surplus is export. The amount will change if you later add a battery, EV or daytime load. Model at least one lower payment rate, because an offer available now may not last for the life of the panels. Roof suitability and on-site use remain the main design questions.

What would an electricity supplier pay you now?

Before signing up, write down the export offer you are comparing: payment per unit, whether the rate can change, contract length, any tie to your import supply and how readings are collected. Ask the supplier for its current terms rather than relying on a tariff mentioned in an installer brochure. Your export provider does not necessarily have to be your import supplier, but check both contracts before switching.

Suppose an array produces 4,000 units in a year and the property uses 2,500 of those as they are generated. Export income would be based on the remaining 1,500 units, before any battery or other changes—not all 4,000. That example is arithmetic only; a real forecast needs roof-specific generation and a credible pattern of use.

Once the installation is complete, keep the SEG agreement, meter identifier, export readings and certificates with the rest of the handover pack. Check that the first payment corresponds to recorded export. If payments do not start, a missing registration or metering issue is easier to resolve while the installer and supplier details are at hand.