The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) is the scheme that pays UK households for the solar electricity they export to the grid. Crucially, the SEG has no single government-set rate — each obligated supplier sets its own export price, and the gap between the best and worst is dramatic. The leading export rate in 2026 is around five times the lowest. This page compares the current SEG export rates from every major UK supplier so you can see, at a glance, who pays the most.
How to read this comparison
SEG export rates compared (2026)
The table below ranks the main UK SEG tariffs by their approximate export rate. Where a supplier offers a higher rate to its own import customers, both figures are shown. For supplier-specific detail, see our dedicated guides to the British Gas SEG tariff, EDF SEG tariff, Octopus SEG tariff and E.ON SEG tariff.
| Supplier & tariff | Rate type | Approx. export rate | Key condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| E.ON Next — Next Export Premium | Flat | ~17.5p/kWh | E.ON’s own installations only, with an E.ON Next import tariff |
| Octopus — Outgoing Agile | Half-hourly (variable) | ~2p–30p+/kWh | Tracks wholesale price; rewards exporting at peak |
| Octopus — Flux | Time-of-use | ~27p–33p/kWh at peak | For Octopus battery/solar import customers |
| E.ON Next — Next Export Exclusive | Flat | ~13p/kWh | Requires an E.ON Next import tariff |
| Octopus — Outgoing Fixed | Flat | ~12p/kWh | Open to all; best paired with an Octopus import tariff |
| OVO Energy — SEG | Flat | ~12p/kWh | Competitive standard export rate |
| Scottish Power — SEG | Flat | ~5p–12p/kWh | Higher rate for Scottish Power import customers |
| E.ON Next — Next Flex Export | Flat | ~6p/kWh | Open to non-E.ON import customers |
| British Gas — Export & Earn Flex | Flat | ~3p–6.4p/kWh | Higher tier needs a British Gas import tariff |
| EDF — Export + Earn | Flat | ~3p–5.6p/kWh | Higher tier for EDF import customers |
Indicative rates, last checked July 2026. Octopus cut Outgoing Fixed from 15p to 12p on 1 March 2026. Tariffs and eligibility change often — verify on the Ofgem SEG register and the supplier’s own site before switching.
Flat-rate vs time-of-use (variable) export tariffs
SEG tariffs fall into two broad types, and the right one for you depends on whether you can control when you export.
- Flat-rate export tariffs (such as Octopus Outgoing Fixed or OVO SEG) pay the same price per kWh whenever you export. They are simple, predictable, and the right choice for most people — particularly anyone without a battery, because you have little control over the timing of your export.
- Time-of-use export tariffs(such as Octopus Agile Outgoing or Flux) pay more when grid demand and wholesale prices are high — typically the late-afternoon and early-evening peak — and less, sometimes near zero, in the middle of a sunny day when everyone’s panels are exporting. These reward households with a battery that can store cheap or solar energy and discharge it to the grid during the peak window.
Battery owners can earn the headline peak rates
Who is eligible for an SEG export tariff?
Every SEG licensee applies the same core eligibility rules:
- Eligible technology: solar PV, wind, hydro, anaerobic digestion or micro-CHP, with total installed capacity of 5MW or less (50kW for micro-CHP).
- An export-capable meter — a SMETS1 or SMETS2 smart meter operating in smart mode, or a dedicated export meter — so the supplier can measure your export half-hourly.
- A valid MCS certificate (or the equivalent Flexi-Orb certification) covering both the equipment and the installation.
You can also import your electricity from one supplier and take your SEG export tariff from another — they do not have to be the same company. That flexibility is what lets you keep a cheap import deal while still chasing the best export rate.
Balcony and plug-in solar cannot register yet
How much is the rate difference actually worth?
It is easy to fixate on the headline export rate, but the value only matters in proportion to how much you export. Export depends on your system size and — just as importantly — your self-consumption rate (the share of generation you use yourself rather than sending to the grid).
| Annual export | At ~3p (lowest) | At ~12p (best widely available) | At ~17.5p (highest, own-installs only) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200 kWh (small system, high self-consumption) | £6 | £24 | £35 |
| 700 kWh (mid system) | £21 | £84 | £122.50 |
| 2,000 kWh (larger rooftop system) | £60 | £240 | £350 |
The takeaway: for a small, high-self-consumption setup, the rate difference is real but modest (tens of pounds a year). For a larger system that exports a lot, choosing a top-paying export tariff can be worth hundreds of pounds a year — easily enough to justify the switch.
How to choose the right SEG export tariff
- Confirm you are eligible. You need an MCS-certified installation and an export-capable smart meter. (Balcony solar owners are not yet eligible — see above.)
- Decide flat vs time-of-use. No battery? A flat rate such as Octopus Outgoing Fixed or OVO is usually best. Have a battery and can shift export to the evening peak? A time-of-use tariff such as Octopus Agile Outgoing or Flux can pay more.
- Check whether the best rate is tied to an import tariff.Several of the highest export rates are only available to the supplier’s own import customers, or are bundled with a specific import tariff. Compare the combined import + export cost, not the export rate alone.
- Estimate your annual export. The more you export, the more the rate matters. Our savings calculator helps you estimate generation and self-consumption first.
- Verify the live rate before switching.Use the Ofgem SEG register and the supplier’s own page — published rates move regularly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has the best SEG export rate in 2026?
Among flat-rate tariffs, E.ON Next’s Next Export Premium (~17.5p/kWh, E.ON’s own installations only) is typically the highest in 2026, with Octopus Outgoing Fixed and OVO (both ~12p/kWh) the best widely available rates — Octopus cut Outgoing Fixed from 15p to 12p on 1 March 2026. Time-of-use tariffs such as Octopus Agile Outgoing or Flux can pay even more at peak (~27p–33p) but only suit households with a battery. Rates change frequently, so always check the Ofgem SEG register before switching.
Can I export to a different supplier than I import from?
Yes. The SEG rules let you import your electricity from one supplier and take your export tariff from another. That means you can keep a cheap import deal and still sign up to the best-paying export tariff separately. Bear in mind, though, that some of the highest export rates are reserved for the supplier’s own import customers.
Why are SEG rates so different between suppliers?
The SEG sets no minimum export price beyond “greater than zero”, so suppliers price export to suit their own strategy. Suppliers that actively want solar customers — notably Octopus — offer high rates to attract them, while some legacy suppliers offer only the bare minimum. That is why the best rate can be around five times the lowest, and why it pays to compare.
Do balcony solar owners get SEG payments?
Not in 2026. Every SEG tariff requires MCS (or Flexi-Orb) certification, and there is no MCS route for DIY plug-in balcony solar. So balcony solar owners cannot currently register for export payments and instead save money through self-consumption. A simplified registration pathway for plug-in solar is under consultation and is expected around 2027.
Estimate your export first
Your export — and therefore the value of any SEG rate — depends on your system size and self-consumption. Start with the calculator.