The Smart Export Guarantee is the UK scheme that pays you for the surplus solar electricity you send to the grid. It started on 1 January 2020. Licensed energy suppliers pay small-scale generators for the low-carbon power they export, according to Ofgem.
If you are planning solar panels, this scheme is one part of your return. For most homes, however, using your own power saves more than selling it. This guide explains how the scheme works, who can join and how to pick a good tariff.
How the Smart Export Guarantee works
Your panels make power during the day. Your home uses what it needs first. Any extra flows out to the grid through your meter.
Under the scheme, your chosen supplier pays you for each unit that flows out. Your export meter records those units, usually every half hour. The supplier then credits your account or pays you, depending on the tariff.
Before 2020, the older feed-in tariff did a similar job. The Smart Export Guarantee works differently, because there is no single government rate. Suppliers set their own prices and compete for your business.
Who can join
The scheme covers solar PV up to 5 MW in Great Britain, so homes and small firms are both included. Ofgem’s generator guidance sets out what you need.
- A system installed by an MCS-certified installer, or an equivalent scheme. You normally need your MCS certificate as proof.
- A meter that records your export every half hour. This is usually a smart meter.
- An export MPAN, which is the meter identifier for power leaving your home.
Your installer should handle most of this. Pier Solar designs and specifies your system, and a vetted MCS-certified partner installs it. The certificate then comes from that installer. Our guide to how MCS certification works covers what the certificate proves and why it matters.
Which suppliers must offer a tariff
Not every supplier has to take part. Licensed suppliers with at least 150,000 domestic electricity customers must offer at least one export tariff. Smaller suppliers may offer one voluntarily.
As a result, you have a good choice of tariffs. Some tariffs also ask you to buy your imported power from the same supplier. Read the terms before you apply, because they differ from one supplier to the next.
What rate will you get
Each supplier sets its own export rate. The only rule is that the tariff must be greater than zero. Rates, contract lengths and conditions all vary, and they change over time.
We do not quote a pence figure here, because any number would soon be out of date. Instead, compare tariffs on a few points.
| What to check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Fixed or variable rate | A fixed rate gives certainty. A variable rate can rise or fall. |
| Contract length | A long lock-in can leave you on a poor rate if the market improves. |
| Import conditions | Some tariffs need you to take your imported power from the same supplier. |
| Payment method | Some suppliers credit your bill, while others pay you directly. |
| Battery rules | Some tariffs suit homes with a battery and others do not. |
Use a comparison site or your supplier’s own page for live rates. Then check the small print, since the headline rate is only part of the story.
Exporting versus using your own power
It helps to compare the two uses of each unit. When you use solar power in your home, you avoid buying that unit. Ofgem’s price cap for October to December 2026 puts the average electricity rate at about 26p per kWh. The cap changes every quarter, so that figure will move.
When you export a unit, you get your tariff rate instead. That rate is set by the supplier. The key idea is simple. Each unit you use yourself saves the full price you would have paid, while each unit you export earns whatever your tariff pays.
This is why system design matters. A well-sized system keeps more of your solar at home. Our guide on how many solar panels you need is the place to start. The guide to the cost of solar panels in the UK shows what that choice means for your budget.
How a battery changes the picture
A battery stores your daytime surplus so you can use it in the evening. As a result, you export less and buy less. A home battery typically costs from about £2,500 up to £10,000, depending on its size, according to the Energy Saving Trust and Which?.
A battery does not make the Smart Export Guarantee pointless. You will still export on sunny days when the battery is full. Our battery storage systems service explains how we size storage to your use. Our guide to solar battery costs and sizing gives the figures.
Why monitoring helps
You can only judge your export if you can see it. A monitoring system shows how much power you make, use and send out each day. With that data, you can check that your supplier pays you for what you really exported.
Monitoring also helps you shift habits. If you run the washing machine at midday, you use more solar and export less. Our smart energy monitoring service sets this up, so you can see the trade-off in real numbers.
The same rules, different sunshine
The scheme runs across Great Britain, so a home in the South West and a home further north face the same rules. What differs is the amount of sun. The European Commission’s PVGIS tool models about 1,100 kWh per kWp per year in Plymouth and about 1,020 in Milton Keynes. It models about 1,160 in Brighton, which is the top of our range. Those are modelled figures at the best angle, so real roofs typically make less.
If you want local advice, read about solar installation in Plymouth, solar panels in Milton Keynes or solar power in Brighton. The rules for the scheme are the same in each place, but your roof and your use will differ.
How to join, step by step
- Get your MCS certificate from your installer after the work is done.
- Check that your smart meter or export meter is in place.
- Compare export tariffs from licensed suppliers.
- Apply to the supplier you choose, and send them your certificate.
- Check your first statements to confirm you are paid for exports.
If you run a shop, workshop or office, the same scheme can apply to you. Our guide to solar panels for business premises covers the extra points for firms. Your system must also last for the contract to be worth it, and our piece on how long solar panels last explains what to expect. If you also drive an electric car, see charging an electric car from solar, because car charging changes how much you export.
When you are ready to plan a system, use our online enquiry form and tell us about your roof and your usage.