Smart Export Guarantee Explained: Who Gets Paid for Exported Power

The smart export guarantee (SEG) is the government-backed scheme, overseen by Ofgem, that obliges larger energy suppliers to pay small-scale generators for the low-carbon electricity they send back to the grid. To be paid, you usually need an eligible technology such as solar PV, certification for both the kit and the installer from MCS or an equivalent scheme, and a smart meter able to record exports.

That last point matters now that plug in solar is legal in Great Britain, because most self-installed kits do not come with the paperwork suppliers ask for. This guide covers seg eligibility, how rates are set, what EDF pays at the time of writing, and how a home battery changes the picture.

What is the smart export guarantee and who runs it?

According to Ofgem, the scheme started on 1 January 2020. Suppliers covered by it are called SEG Licensees, and they pay for the units you export, not for everything your system generates.

Ofgem lists the technologies that can qualify:

Ofgem recognises five low-carbon technologies for export payments: solar photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, micro combined heat and power, hydro and anaerobic digestion. Electricity from anything outside that list, including power a battery has pulled from the grid, is not something a supplier is obliged to pay for.

Installations can be up to 5MW (50kW for micro-CHP) and must be in Great Britain. For a typical home, certification and metering matter far more than the size cap.

Since plug in solar became legal, many households also ask whether small kits qualify; that question has its own section below.

What does seg eligibility actually require?

Ofgem and the Energy Saving Trust describe the same core tests, whether you own rooftop panels or plug in solar.

Which checks apply to the system itself?

• An eligible technology, such as solar PV, within Ofgem's size limits
• MCS or equivalent certification for the kit and installer, which the Energy Saving Trust says suppliers usually expect and plug in solar kits typically lack
• A location in Great Britain, as the Energy Saving Trust confirms SEG is not offered in Northern Ireland

Which checks apply to your meter and existing contracts?

• A smart or half-hourly meter that records the electricity you export
• No FIT export payments already being received
• No existing SEG agreement with another licensee, a condition EDF spells out on its tariff page

If an item is missing, your installer can confirm certification and your supplier can confirm export metering.

Owners of plug in solar often fall at the certification hurdle, while a hardwired battery raises a separate question about where exported power came from.

Which suppliers must offer a SEG tariff, and how are rates set?

The Energy Saving Trust says suppliers with 150,000 or more customers must offer at least one SEG tariff. Ofgem publishes the list of licensees every year, so it is the most reliable place to see who currently takes part.

Ofgem leaves the commercial detail to each licensee:

• The rate per kWh is chosen by the supplier, not by Ofgem
• Contract length and wider terms differ from one licensee to the next
• The rate must stay above zero at all times
• Payments are worked out from your export meter readings

The same framework applies whether you export from rooftop panels, a battery-backed system or, where a supplier chooses to allow it, plug in solar.

Should you shop around beyond your own supplier?

Yes. Ofgem confirms you can take a SEG tariff from a licensee that does not supply your electricity, though some stronger rates are tied to being an existing customer, as the EDF range below shows.

What does each EDF SEG tariff pay at the time of writing?

EDF's tariff page, checked in October 2026, describes the company as a Mandatory SEG Licensee and sets out four export options. At the time of writing (October 2026) the rates were:

• SEG Export Variable: 2.0p per kWh, open to anyone who meets the scheme rules
• SEG Export Variable Value: 5.6p per kWh, for households that buy their electricity from EDF
• Export 12m V2: 13p per kWh, fixed for one year, for existing residential EDF electricity customers
• Export Exclusive 12m V3: 18p per kWh, for customers whose solar or battery system was bought from EDF, with the enquiry and purchase made after 2 March 2026

Rates change, so treat these as a snapshot. The open variable rate is a fraction of the fixed and bundled offers, so customer status and where you bought your kit shape what you earn.

What does EDF ask for when you apply for a variable tariff?

1. A copy of your MCS certificate
2. An electricity bill, if EDF is not already your supplier
3. Your name, address and bank details
4. A photo of the reading on your smart export meter

Because the variable tariffs require an MCS certificate, none of the four EDF options is designed for plug in solar.

Can plug in solar earn smart export guarantee payments?

Normally, no. The Energy Saving Trust explains that most suppliers want an MCS certificate before they pay SEG, so households with plug in solar usually cannot sell their surplus through the scheme, although some suppliers may offer a tariff of their own.

The barrier is paperwork, not hardware. DESNZ says plug in solar became legal to buy and use across Great Britain from 27 August 2026, and it is set up by the householder. Guidance generally describes MCS certificates as generated by installers, so a self-installed plug in solar kit would not normally receive one.

Scale points the same way. DESNZ limits plug in solar kits to 800W, and the Energy Saving Trust's modelling suggests around 700kWh a year from one south-facing device at 30 degrees in Manchester. At that size, plug in solar mainly cuts what you buy rather than earning export income.

What can plug in solar owners do with spare output?

• Run flexible appliances in daylight so more generation is used directly
• Ask your supplier whether it offers any export arrangement for plug in solar, as the Energy Saving Trust says some may

The government's Interim Product Specification (IPS) covers plug in solar without batteries. According to DESNZ and the Energy Saving Trust, kits with integrated storage are not covered under the current rules.

How does a home battery affect what you can export?

Storage does not rule you out. The Energy Saving Trust says households with batteries can still apply for SEG, but suppliers are not obliged to pay for exported electricity that originally came from the grid, and they may ask how you keep it separate from renewable exports.

A battery charged overnight from the grid and then discharged outward is not exporting renewable generation, so metering and tariff set-up deserve a careful conversation before you sign.

Where does Anker's battery fit? The Anker SOLIX Solarbank 4 E5000 Pro storage battery stores energy rather than generating it, so the government's interim specification for plug in solar does not cover it. Anker's UK product page, read at the time of writing, calls for a Part P-registered electrician to wire it on its own circuit with the Anker SOLIX Smart Meter Gen 2. Its hardware is designed with a future plug-in option in mind, but that route is not allowed yet.

Do not assume the battery is MCS certified or that it makes a home eligible for SEG on its own; any export payment depends on the generating system, its certification and your licensee's terms.

Here is how storage options compare with a typical panel-only plug in solar kit:

Figures come from each brand's UK store and, for the plug in solar kit, the Energy Saving Trust on 30 October 2026; prices change, so check again before you buy.

Is using your own solar worth more than exporting it?

Comparing pence rates gives a first answer. When the only rate open to you is low, such as EDF's open variable rate of 2.0p per kWh at the time of writing, storing surplus for later makes more sense than on an 18p fixed offer.

A battery can help in three ways:

• It holds daytime solar surplus for the evening instead of exporting it at a low rate
• It works with time-of-use tariffs, which Anker says the Solarbank supports, for example with Octopus
• It can switch to battery backup in a power cut, per the Anker SOLIX UK product page

Higher fixed export rates narrow the gap, so check your rate first. Per the official Anker SOLIX datasheet, the Solarbank has a rated energy of 5,024Wh from LiFePO4 cells; you can review the Anker SOLIX Solarbank 4 E5000 Pro specifications and UK pricing, listed at £1,699 at the time of writing.

Plug in solar sits at the other end of the scale. With SEG payments unlikely and no integrated storage under current IPS rules, its value comes from using output as it is generated. If you own plug in solar and later add a hardwired battery, ask your installer how export would be metered.

This guide is general information rather than legal advice, so confirm the details that affect you with your electrician, your DNO and your SEG licensee before you commit.

Conclusion

The smart export guarantee rewards certified, metered, low-carbon exports, and suppliers compete on rates within Ofgem's rules. Checking seg eligibility early, comparing licensees and reading the terms will tell you more than any single headline rate.

For plug in solar, the honest answer is that SEG income is unlikely, so the value lies in using what you generate. For storage buyers, the gap between low and high export rates decides whether surplus is better sold or kept.

If storing more of your own solar fits your plans, explore the Anker SOLIX Solarbank 4 E5000 Pro and ask a Part P-registered electrician about a hardwired installation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to take an export tariff from the company that supplies my electricity?

No. Ofgem confirms you can choose a SEG licensee that is different from your current electricity supplier. That said, some of the more generous offers, such as EDF's fixed and value tariffs at the time of writing, are reserved for existing customers, so compare the open rates with any customer-only deals first.

Is the smart export guarantee available in Northern Ireland?

No. Ofgem states that installations must be in Great Britain, and the Energy Saving Trust confirms the scheme does not operate in Northern Ireland. Households there should ask their own electricity supplier whether any export arrangement exists, and check local connection rules, which DESNZ notes differ from those in Great Britain.

How often are export readings taken once an EDF tariff starts?

According to EDF's tariff page, checked in October 2026, the company takes a first export reading and then moves to quarterly readings. Payments under SEG are based on those export meter readings, so it helps to keep your smart meter connected and to report any faults to your supplier promptly.

Could a supplier offer a SEG rate of zero pence?

No. Ofgem requires every SEG tariff to pay a rate above zero at all times. Licensees still decide the level of that rate, the contract length and the wider terms, so a tariff can be very low and can change over time. Reading the terms before signing up is the best protection.

Can I keep Feed-in Tariff export payments and add SEG on top?

No. The Energy Saving Trust explains that you cannot receive FIT export payments and SEG at the same time. The Feed-in Tariff closed to new applicants in March 2019, so newer systems look to SEG instead, while anyone already on FIT should check their own agreement before making any changes.

Which technologies besides solar panels can earn SEG payments?

Ofgem lists wind, micro combined heat and power, hydro and anaerobic digestion alongside solar PV. Installations can be up to 5MW, or 50kW for micro-CHP, and must be in Great Britain. MCS or equivalent certification and an export-capable smart meter are usually needed, which is why plug in solar rarely qualifies.