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What is the Smart Export Guarantee?
The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) requires electricity suppliers with at least 150,000 domestic customers to offer export tariffs to small-scale low-carbon generators, including solar PV up to 5 MW, for electricity they export to the grid; smaller suppliers can choose to offer one. You apply to a supplier that offers a SEG tariff. The supplier decides the rate and contract length, but the tariff must always be above zero pence per kilowatt hour.
Do I need MCS certification to get Smart Export Guarantee payments?
Usually, yes. Under the scheme rules, solar of up to 50 kW must be installed by a certified installer and certified under MCS or an equivalent scheme; without that, a supplier does not have to pay you under the SEG, although some may choose to. The Energy Saving Trust says most energy suppliers want a valid MCS certificate, so check what your chosen supplier needs before you sign an installation contract.
How much will my supplier pay for exported electricity?
Rates are set by each supplier, so compare them. Ofgem's rule is that a SEG tariff must always pay more than zero pence per kilowatt hour exported, and that generators are entitled to payments based on actual meter readings, even if some suppliers offer other payment models.
Does the Smart Export Guarantee apply in Northern Ireland?
The Smart Export Guarantee is an Ofgem scheme covering Great Britain. Northern Ireland has its own regulator and supplier arrangements, so ask your supplier what, if anything, it pays for exported power.
Can plug-in solar earn Smart Export Guarantee payments?
Not normally. Plug-in kits are designed for self-consumption, Citizens Advice says you cannot be paid for unused power under the current rules, and Smart Export Guarantee payments need an MCS-certified (or equivalent) installation. Your saving comes from using the power yourself.
