The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) pays you for surplus electricity exported from your solar panels back to the national grid — rates vary by supplier but are typically 4–20p per kWh.
🏠Homeowner view
When your solar panels generate more electricity than your home is using, the excess flows back into the national grid. Since January 2020, the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) means energy suppliers with 150,000+ customers must pay you for this exported electricity. The rate varies between suppliers — it's worth comparing them as rates differ significantly. To get SEG payments, you need a smart meter (so the amount you export can be measured), and your solar system must be MCS-certified and under 5MW capacity (which includes all domestic systems). You choose an SEG supplier — it doesn't have to be your electricity supplier. Rates as of 2025 range from about 4p to over 20p per kWh depending on the tariff type. Fixed-rate SEG tariffs are simple to understand. Variable-rate tariffs (like Octopus Agile) pay more when the grid is stressed, which can be very lucrative if you have a battery system that exports strategically.