How to Get Paid for Your Exported Solar Electricity
Last reviewed and updated:
Once your panels are generating, you can be paid for the surplus you send to the grid through the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) — the scheme that replaced the closed Feed-in Tariff. Getting set up is straightforward, but a few requirements must be met. Here is exactly how to register and start receiving payments.
First, check you qualify
To claim SEG payments you need two things in place. First, an MCS-certified installation — the Microgeneration Certification Scheme certificate proves your system meets the required standard, and without it suppliers will not pay you. Second, a meter capable of measuring your exports half-hourly, which in practice means a smart meter. If you have a smart meter and your installer gave you an MCS certificate, you are ready to apply. See our overview of the Smart Export Guarantee for the background.
You can choose any SEG supplier
A crucial and often-missed point: your SEG (export) supplier does not have to be the company that supplies your electricity. You can keep your existing import tariff with one supplier and take your export payments from another that pays a better rate. Every licensed supplier with 150,000 or more domestic customers must offer at least one SEG tariff, and some smaller suppliers offer them voluntarily, so you have real choice. Shopping around for the export rate is now one of the best ways to improve your return.
How to register, step by step
- Gather your documents: your MCS certificate, proof that you own the system, and your meter details (MPAN number, found on your electricity bill).
- Compare SEG tariffs across suppliers — both fixed and variable (agile) rates. See which suits you best given whether you have a battery.
- Apply to your chosen supplier through their SEG application, usually online, providing the documents above.
- Confirmation: the supplier verifies your details and sets up your export account.
- Get paid: payments are typically made quarterly, based on the units your meter records as exported.
Fixed versus variable: which to pick
If you do not have a battery, a fixed-rate tariff is usually simplest — you receive the same price for every unit exported whenever it happens, which suits a system that exports whenever the sun shines. If you do have a battery, a variable or "agile" export tariff can pay considerably more, because you can store energy and discharge it to the grid during the high-priced evening peak. Match the tariff to your setup rather than simply taking the highest headline number, which may carry conditions.
Reading the conditions
Headline SEG rates sometimes come with strings attached: a minimum contract length, a requirement to also take your import supply from that company, or a compatible battery for the best agile rates. Always read the terms before applying so the rate you see is the rate you actually get. It is also worth reviewing your tariff once a year, as the SEG market moves quickly and better deals appear regularly.
Keep your records
File your MCS certificate, your SEG agreement and your quarterly statements together with your other solar paperwork. Good records make switching suppliers easy, help if any query arises, and are useful if you ever sell the home. For the typical homeowner these payments are generally not taxed, though see tax on solar income if your situation is more complex.
The bottom line
Getting paid for exported solar comes down to three things: an MCS-certified system, a smart meter, and choosing the SEG tariff that best fits your home. Because you can pick any qualifying export supplier regardless of who supplies your electricity, it pays to compare — and to revisit your choice each year. A little effort here turns the electricity you would otherwise give away into a steady, worthwhile income.
A worked illustration
To see why the choice of tariff matters, picture a home exporting around 1,700 units a year. On a poor legacy rate of a few pence, that surplus might be worth well under a hundred pounds. On a strong fixed rate it could be worth several times as much, and with a battery exporting into the evening peak on an agile tariff, more again. The electricity is identical; only the tariff differs. This is why we encourage every solar owner to treat the export rate as something to shop for actively, not a box ticked once and forgotten. A single afternoon spent comparing tariffs can be worth a few hundred pounds a year for the life of the system.
Reviewing your choice over time
The SEG market is competitive and moves quickly, with new tariffs appearing and rates shifting as wholesale prices change. A rate that was excellent two years ago may now be middling. Setting a simple annual reminder to compare your export tariff against the current market keeps your income near the top of what is available, and because switching your export supplier does not disturb your import arrangement, the only cost is a little of your time. Treat it like any other recurring household bill worth reviewing, and the rewards quietly add up over the decades your panels keep generating.
The simple summary
Getting paid is not complicated: an MCS-certified system, a smart meter, and the right SEG tariff for your setup. The one habit worth forming is to treat the export rate as something to shop for and revisit, rather than accept once and forget. Because you can choose any qualifying supplier regardless of who provides your electricity, the market is genuinely competitive — and a little attention turns the surplus you would otherwise give away into a steady income for the life of your panels.
If you are unsure whether a fixed or agile tariff suits you, the deciding question is simple: do you have a battery you can use to shift exports into the evening peak? If yes, an agile rate can pay handsomely; if no, a strong fixed rate is usually the better, simpler choice.
