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"description": "The SEG pays you for every unit of electricity your solar panels export to the grid. It's a legal entitlement, and most solar owners are underusing it.", "image": "https://alliantenergy.co.uk/assets/home-solar-D_Eyt8mX.jpg", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alliant Energy Team", "url": "https://alliantenergy.co.uk/about" }, "reviewedBy": { "@type": "Person", "name": "MCS Registered Engineer", "jobTitle": "MCS Registered Engineer" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Alliant Energy", "url": "https://alliantenergy.co.uk", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://alliantenergy.co.uk/logo.png" } }, "datePublished": "2026-01-15", "dateModified": "2026-05-19" }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do I need a smart meter for SEG?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes — you need a smart meter that can record your export readings, or a generation meter plus a deemed (estimated) export arrangement. Most modern smart meters (SMETS2) can record export data." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can I be on SEG and use a battery at the same time?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes. Your battery will store generation first; SEG payments are made on electricity that actually reaches the grid. You don't lose SEG entitlement by having a battery — you simply export less, which reduces SEG income but increases bill savings." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What happened to the Feed-in Tariff?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The Feed-in Tariff (FiT) closed to new applicants in March 2019. If you installed solar before 2019, you may still be receiving FiT payments. SEG replaced FiT for new installations from January 2020." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can I change SEG supplier later?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes. You're not locked in to the supplier you choose at registration. If a better rate becomes available, you can switch your SEG arrangement." } } ] } ] --- [![Alliant Energy — Renewable Energy Solutions](/__l5e/assets-v1/3bd22195-cc6e-43e6-b5ff-5a808ce292d3/alliantenergyltd-2.svg)](/) [Home](/)[About](/about-us) [Services](/services) [Guides](/guides)[Case Studies](/case-study)[![Levelise](/__l5e/assets-v1/59fd362e-361a-47d7-ad1f-65e9beeb5289/levelise-logo.webp)](/guides/levelise-hub-explained) [01282 501589](tel:01282501589)[Get a Quote →](/quote) Spoke guide · SEG # Smart Export Guarantee: How Much Can You Earn Selling Solar Back? The SEG pays you for every unit of electricity your solar panels export to the grid. It's a legal entitlement, and most solar owners are underusing it. By **Alliant Energy Team**· reviewed by MCS Registered Engineer Last updated 19 May 2026 [Get a Quote](/quote) [Speak to an Engineer](/request-callback) On this page - [What SEG is](#what) - [How much you can earn](#earn) - [The MCS requirement](#mcs) - [How to register](#register) - [Maximising earnings](#maximise) - [FAQ](#faq) Ready to act? Free quote in one working day. [Get a Quote →](/quote) Here's everything you need to know about SEG in 2026. ## What is the Smart Export Guarantee? The SEG is a government scheme that requires large energy suppliers (those with 150,000+ customers) to offer a tariff to solar owners who export electricity to the grid. You sell your surplus electricity to your supplier, they pay you at a rate they set. Unlike the old Feed-in Tariff, the SEG rate isn't fixed by the government — suppliers compete, and rates vary. The SEG is not optional for large suppliers: they are legally required to offer it. The rate they offer is up to them. Tip You don't have to use your existing energy supplier for SEG. You can sell to whichever supplier offers the best rate — regardless of who supplies your home electricity. ## How much can you earn in 2026? SEG rates vary significantly by supplier. Here's a comparison of current rates: Supplier SEG rate Notes E.ON Next Up to 15p/kWh Variable rate — one of the highest available British Gas Up to 12p/kWh Varies by tariff Scottish Power Up to 12p/kWh EDF Energy Up to 5.6p/kWh Octopus Energy 4–7p/kWh Low SEG but Agile/Intelligent tariffs may outperform on import side OVO Energy ~5p/kWh Check current rates Rates change frequently. Check current rates at ofgem.gov.uk/check-if-energy-supplier-offers-smart-export-guarantee before choosing your SEG provider. How much you actually earn depends on how much you export. Here's a worked example: - System: 8 panels (3.72 kWp), no battery — typical export rate around 55% of generation - Annual generation: ~3,150 kWh - Annual export: ~1,730 kWh (55%) - At 7p/kWh (Octopus): ~£121/year - At 12p/kWh (British Gas): ~£208/year - At 15p/kWh (E.ON Next): ~£260/year Adding a battery significantly reduces your export — which means less SEG income but much greater bill savings through self-consumption. The net result is almost always better with a battery: Setup Annual bill saving SEG earnings Total annual benefit Solar only ~£450 ~£120–£260 ~£570–£710 Solar + battery ~£750 ~£50–£110 ~£800–£860 ## The MCS requirement — why it matters To register for SEG, your installation must have a valid MCS certificate. There are no exceptions. A non-MCS install cannot earn SEG payments — and it cannot be retrospectively certified. This is worth emphasising: the savings from SEG payments over 25 years can easily amount to £2,000–£5,000. An installer who offers to skip MCS certification to save upfront cost is asking you to forfeit that — plus your grant eligibility — in exchange for a modest saving. Warning Never accept a solar installation without MCS certification. All Alliant installs are MCS-registered as standard. Your certificate arrives within days of commissioning. ## How to register for SEG Registration is straightforward: - Step 1: Receive your MCS installation certificate from your installer - Step 2: Compare SEG rates at ofgem.gov.uk or a comparison site - Step 3: Apply to your chosen supplier — most have an online application form - Step 4: Supplier installs or confirms your smart meter can record export data - Step 5: Start receiving payments — typically quarterly, directly to your bank account We help every customer through this process as part of the installation service. You don't need to figure it out alone. ### Get a quote (includes MCS certificate) MCS-registered install — the prerequisite for SEG payments and government grants. [Get a Quote](/quote) [Speak to an Engineer](/request-callback) ## How to maximise what you earn from SEG The key insight is that SEG income and bill savings trade off against each other. To maximise SEG income, you'd export as much as possible — but that means buying expensive grid electricity in the evening instead of using stored solar. The financially optimal approach is to maximise self-consumption first, then earn from whatever's left over. The Levelise Hub monitors SEG rates in real time and can adjust when your battery exports — for example, holding charge to export during a high-rate period rather than at a low-rate time. Over the course of a year, this optimisation adds up. ## Frequently asked questions ### Do I need a smart meter for SEG? Yes — you need a smart meter that can record your export readings, or a generation meter plus a deemed (estimated) export arrangement. Most modern smart meters (SMETS2) can record export data. ### Can I be on SEG and use a battery at the same time? Yes. Your battery will store generation first; SEG payments are made on electricity that actually reaches the grid. You don't lose SEG entitlement by having a battery — you simply export less, which reduces SEG income but increases bill savings. ### What happened to the Feed-in Tariff? The Feed-in Tariff (FiT) closed to new applicants in March 2019. If you installed solar before 2019, you may still be receiving FiT payments. SEG replaced FiT for new installations from January 2020. ### Can I change SEG supplier later? Yes. You're not locked in to the supplier you choose at registration. If a better rate becomes available, you can switch your SEG arrangement. Three ways to get started ## Ready to find out what solar saves you? Get a tailored quote in one working day. No obligation. No hard sell. Speak to a renewable energy engineer — not a salesperson — at a time that suits you. [Get a Quote → ](/quote) [Request a Callback →](/request-callback) [Download Brochure →](/brochure) Accreditations ## Certified, registered, and insured. Every time. MCS certification isn't a box-ticking exercise — it qualifies your system for Smart Export Guarantee payments and government grants. Our installers are also NICEIC-approved and TrustMark-registered, and every install is fully insured. ![Citation ISO Certification: ISO 9001 quality management, ISO 14001 environmental management and ISO 45001 occupational health and safety](/__l5e/assets-v1/180183cd-e6fd-4b0a-984c-83e6a41390d7/accreditations-iso.jpg) ![Alliant Energy — Renewable Energy Solutions](/assets/logo-IFrgP5Dc.png) Renewable energy & energy-saving specialists. MCS-registered solar PV, battery storage, heat pumps and EV charging across the UK. #### Quick Links - [Home](/) - [About Us](/about-us) - [Services](/services) - [Case Studies](/case-study) - [Areas We Cover](/solar-panel-quotes-north-west) - [Contact](/contact) - [Privacy Policy](/privacy) - [Terms & Conditions](/terms) #### Services - [Solar for Homes](/services/solar) - [Commercial Solar](/services/commercial-solar) - [Battery Storage](/services/battery-storage) - [Air Source Heat Pumps](/services/heat-pumps) - [EV Charging](/services/ev-charging) - [Energy Saving Advice](/services/energy-saving-advice) #### Contact - [01282 501589](tel:01282501589) - [info@alliantenergy.co.uk](mailto:info@alliantenergy.co.uk) - Unit 214 Northlight Industries, Pendle Road, Brierfield, Nelson BB9 5FL [Get a Quote](/quote)[Brochure](/brochure) Alliant Energy Ltd is an Introducer Appointed Representative (Financial Services Register No. 1020779) of Phoenix Financial Consultants Limited (Phoenix). 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