Best SEG Tariff & Solar Export Rates UK 2026 — Every Supplier Ranked

If you've got solar panels — or you're about to — choosing the right electricity supplier can be worth £200–£500 a year in extra export earnings. The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) was designed to pay solar households for what they send back to the grid, but the rates suppliers offer vary wildly: from 1p/kWh on standard fallbacks to 32p/kWh on premium time-of-use tariffs.

We've researched every UK SEG tariff currently published (April 2026) and ranked them by what you'll actually earn — not just the headline rate. We also explain why the "best" supplier depends entirely on three things: whether you have a battery, who installed your solar, and whether you're willing to switch import supplier too.

What is the Smart Export Guarantee?

The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) is a UK government scheme launched in January 2020 that requires all licensed electricity suppliers with more than 150,000 customers to offer payment for renewable electricity exported to the grid. It replaced the closed Feed-in Tariff (FiT) for new applicants.

Unlike the old FiT, SEG does not set a minimum rate. Each supplier sets their own price. That's why the gap between the worst (1p/kWh) and best (32p/kWh) rates is enormous — and why shopping around matters.

Best UK SEG Export Rates — April 2026

Every published UK SEG tariff, ranked by export rate. Open to all = no requirement to switch your import supplier. Prefer to filter these by what you can actually join? Use our interactive best SEG tariff comparison.

Rates published April 2026 from supplier websites and public SEG league tables. Eligibility conditions apply. Always check directly with the supplier for current pricing in your region.

Supplier-by-Supplier Deep Dive

1Octopus Energy — The Most Tariff Choice

Octopus is the dominant force in the UK export market, offering five different SEG tariffs targeting different customer types. They're the only supplier with a true time-of-use export tariff that pays premium peak rates — making them the standout choice for battery owners.

Best for: Solar + battery households who want the highest export rates. The Outgoing Agile + battery combination is the most lucrative for tech-savvy users who can dispatch their battery during peak grid demand.

EDF Energy — Best Mid-Tier Rate

EDF's headline tariff is Export Exclusive 12m V2 at 24p/kWh — but it's only available if your solar was installed by their network partner Contact Solar after April 2025. For everyone else, EDF offers a 15p/kWh variable export tariff to existing import customers, dropping to a 3p/kWh fallback for non-customers.

EDF is also one of the few large suppliers to offer a fixed-rate export contract — useful if you want certainty on what you'll earn over 12 months.

OVO Energy — Strong Installer Bundle

OVO pays 20p/kWh on its Solar & Battery Install Exclusive — but only if OVO installed both your panels and battery. For OVO import customers without that bundle, the standard rate is 15p/kWh, dropping to lower fallback rates otherwise.

OVO's strength is bundling. If you're getting a new solar + battery install and want everything from one place, their 20p deal is genuinely competitive with Good Energy and EDF's installer-exclusive rates.

British Gas — Decent for BG Customers

British Gas's Export and Earn Plus pays 15.1p/kWh — competitive in the mid-tier — but you must be a BG electricity import customer to qualify. For everyone else, they offer a 3p/kWh open SEG fallback.

BG's import tariffs are typically more expensive than challenger brands like Octopus, so always model the combined annual cost. A 15p export tariff with a £150/yr more expensive import deal is a worse outcome than a 12p export tariff with a cheaper import.

E.ON Next — Two Tiers

E.ON Next runs a tiered approach. Their Next Export Premium v3 at 17.5p/kWh is reserved for customers whose solar or battery was installed by E.ON. Standard E.ON Next import customers get 13p/kWh on the Next Export Exclusive v3.

Importantly, E.ON also offers Next Flex Export at 6p/kWh open to all — one of the best deals you can get without switching your import supplier.

ScottishPower — Best Open-to-All Big Six Option

ScottishPower's SmartGen+ at 15p/kWh requires you to be an SP import customer. But their SmartGen at 6p/kWh is open to all — the best big-six option if you don't want to change your import supplier. It's 50% higher than Octopus's open SEG tariff (4.1p) and matches E.ON's open offering.

Good Energy — Highest Installer-Exclusive Rate

Good Energy tops the league table with 25p/kWh on its Solar Savings Exclusive — but only if they installed your system. For Good Energy import customers without that, the standard rate is 15p/kWh.

They're a 100% renewable supplier, which appeals to environmentally-focused households. Import tariffs are generally higher than mainstream alternatives, so factor that into your calculations.

Fuse Energy — The Open-to-All Surprise

Fuse Energy became a mandatory SEG licensee on 1 April 2026, and immediately set their open-to-all rate at 13p/kWh — the highest open SEG tariff in the UK. You can keep any import supplier and still claim this rate.

For solar-only households (no battery) who don't want the hassle of switching import supplier, Fuse is currently the best deal in the country.

Utility Warehouse — Bundle Required

UW pays 8p/kWh on its bundle SEG tariff — but only if you take energy plus at least 2 other UW services (broadband, mobile, insurance). The economics only work if those bundle services are competitive on their own merits. Otherwise the export premium isn't enough to offset the rest.

Ecotricity — Solid Mid-Range

Ecotricity's Smart Export Tariff pays 16p/kWh — competitive but only available to Ecotricity electricity customers. They're a 100% green supplier with strong renewable credentials.

The Hidden Truth: Storing Beats Exporting

Here's what most "best SEG rate" guides won't tell you: in 2026, storing solar in a battery and using it yourself is worth significantly more than exporting it. The maths is simple:

Storing solar is worth roughly 2× exporting it. If you have a typical 4kW system generating 3,400 kWh/year and currently exporting 50% of it, switching to an AEG 9.6 kWh battery captures around 1,200 kWh of additional self-consumption per year — worth around £300/yr in avoided import costs on top of any export earnings on what you can't store.

Add a time-of-use tariff like Octopus Flux on top, and your battery can also arbitrage cheap overnight grid electricity, charging at ~5p/kWh and discharging during 29p peaks — earning even more.

How Much Can You Earn From SEG Per Year?

Your annual SEG earnings depend on how much solar you export and the rate you're on. The table below shows typical yearly export earnings by system size, assuming roughly 50% of generation is exported (the rest self-consumed).

Illustrative estimates for UK homes exporting ~50% of generation. Add a battery and your self-consumption rises, lowering export volume but increasing total value (see below).

Octopus Outgoing vs EDF Export — Head to Head

These two come up constantly in "best export tariff" searches, but they suit very different households. The headline rate only tells half the story — what matters is the combined annual import + export outcome.

Verdict: If you qualify for EDF's installer-exclusive 24p, it's hard to beat for solar-only export. But if you have a battery, Octopus Outgoing + a time-of-use tariff usually wins overall, because you can store cheap overnight power and export at peak — capturing value EDF's flat rate can't.

How to Choose the Best SEG Supplier for Your Situation

How Much Can You Actually Earn?

A typical UK home with a 4kW solar system generates around 3,400 kWh/year and self-consumes 30–50% of it. That leaves roughly 1,500–2,400 kWh exported. Here's what that's worth on each tariff tier:

Based on a 4kW solar system. Earnings vary by region, system size, self-consumption rate and seasonal generation. Add a battery to capture an additional ~£300/yr by self-consuming previously-exported solar.

How to Switch to a Better SEG Tariff

1. 1. Gather your documents. You'll need your MCS certificate, proof of installation, and your export MPAN (on your meter or first energy bill).
2. 2. Confirm your meter is SMETS2. Required for all decent SEG tariffs. If you have an older SMETS1, ask your supplier to upgrade — it's free.
3. 3. Compare combined import + export cost. A higher export rate isn't always better if it locks you into an expensive import deal.
4. 4. Apply directly with your chosen supplier. SEG applications typically take 2–6 weeks. Missing or mismatched MCS docs are the #1 cause of delays.
5. 5. Track your first export statement. Make sure kWh exported and the rate applied match what you signed up for.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which UK supplier pays the most for solar export in 2026?

On installer-exclusive deals: Good Energy at 25p/kWh and EDF at 24p/kWh. The highest headline rate is Octopus Intelligent Flux at up to 32p/kWh peak — but it requires a battery and is currently paused. For open-to-all SEG (no import switch), Fuse Energy leads at 13p/kWh.

Do I have to use the same supplier for import and export?

No — SEG lets you pick any licensed supplier independently of your import supplier. But the highest rates (15p+) almost always require you to also take the supplier's import tariff. Always compare combined annual cost.

Is it better to export solar or store it in a battery?

Storing in a battery is worth roughly 2× exporting. You avoid the ~25p/kWh import rate, which is far more valuable than the typical 4–15p export payment. A battery also lets you arbitrage cheap overnight grid electricity on a time-of-use tariff.

Why did Octopus reduce Outgoing Octopus from 15p to 12p?

In March 2026 Octopus cut their flagship export rate, citing falling wholesale prices and grid balancing costs. This mirrors a wider trend of softening flat-rate SEG tariffs while time-of-use tariffs (Flux, Agile) reward battery owners more than ever.

Do I need a smart meter for SEG payments?

Yes — a SMETS2 smart meter is required for virtually all SEG tariffs. Smart meters are installed free by all UK suppliers. Time-of-use export tariffs require half-hourly metering data, which only SMETS2 reliably provides.

Are SEG payments taxable?

For most UK households, SEG income is not taxable as it falls within the £1,000 trading allowance. If your total trading income exceeds £1,000/year you may need to declare it. Check the latest HMRC guidance for your situation.

Can I get SEG without an MCS certificate?

No. An MCS certificate (or equivalent Flexi-Orb certification) is a legal requirement for SEG eligibility. If your installer didn't provide one, contact them — they should issue it as part of a compliant install.

What is the best SEG tariff if I don't have a battery?

For solar-only homes, Fuse Energy at 13p/kWh is the best open-to-all rate with no import switch. Installer-exclusive deals from Good Energy (25p) and EDF (24p) pay more if you qualify, but most flat-rate tariffs sit between 6p and 15p. Time-of-use tariffs like Octopus Flux only pay their top rate if you can dispatch from a battery.

Octopus Outgoing vs EDF Export — which is better?

On headline rate, EDF's installer-exclusive 24p beats Octopus Outgoing's 12p — but EDF's top rate needs solar installed by Contact Solar (otherwise it drops to 3p). Octopus Outgoing is a reliable 12p for Octopus import customers, and only Octopus offers time-of-use export that battery owners can push above 20p. Compare combined annual import + export cost, not just the export rate.

Do SEG export rates change often?

Yes — SEG is unregulated, so suppliers can change rates anytime. Octopus cut Outgoing Octopus from 15p to 12p in March 2026, and installer-exclusive deals open and close through the year. Fixed-term contracts lock your rate for the term; variable tariffs move with wholesale prices.

What is the best feed-in tariff in 2026?

The original Feed-in Tariff (FiT) closed to new applicants in March 2019 and was replaced by the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG). If you applied before then you keep your FiT rate; everyone else now uses SEG. The best SEG export rates in 2026 are Good Energy (25p) and EDF (24p) on installer-exclusive deals, and Fuse Energy (13p) as the best open-to-all rate.

Where can I find an up-to-date SEG tariff comparison?

This page ranks every published UK SEG tariff by export rate and is updated regularly. Use the ranked comparison table above to compare Octopus, EDF, OVO, Fuse, British Gas, ScottishPower and E.ON side by side, then use our savings calculator to estimate your own export earnings and battery savings.

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