Smart Export Guarantee 2026 guide for UK businesses — best export tariffs, eligibility for 50kWp+ systems, how to register, and how to combine SEG with AIA / Full Expensing tax relief.
The Smart Export Guarantee is the UK's regulated framework for paying small-scale renewable generators for electricity they export to the public grid. It replaced the Feed-in Tariff for new systems commissioned after 1 April 2019 — but where the FIT paid a fixed government-funded tariff, the SEG is a competitive market mechanism. Each Ofgem-licensed energy supplier with 150,000+ domestic customers is legally required to offer an SEG tariff, but they are free to set the rate as low as zero pence per kWh (in practice, regulatory pressure has lifted floor tariffs above 3p/kWh in 2026).
For a commercial property, SEG is rarely the headline funding route — your year-one tax relief under AIA or Full Expensing will typically be worth 5–8 times your annual SEG revenue. But over a 20-year system life, cumulative SEG income on a well-sized 100kWp system can total £25,000–£70,000 — material money, and unlike tax relief, it is genuinely additional revenue that does not depend on you being profitable in any given year.
| Best 2026 business export rate | about 12p / kWh — Octopus Panel Power (business). Review quarterly |
| Worst regulated floor | 3.0p / kWh — major suppliers' default SEG tariff |
| Annual income on a 100kWp commercial system | £900 – £3,500 (depends on tariff & export %) |
| Time to register | 4–6 weeks from system commissioning |
| MCS certification required | Yes for systems up to 50kWp; engineering sign-off accepted above |
| Smart meter required | Yes — half-hourly settlement for accurate export readings |
You do not have to take SEG from the supplier of your imported electricity. Many businesses use Octopus Outgoing or Good Energy for SEG while importing from a cheaper commercial supplier like SmartestEnergy or Crown Gas & Power. Compare current rates monthly — they move.
Forms vary by supplier but typically require: your MPAN (Metering Point Administration Number), MCS certificate or engineering sign-off, smart meter serial number, and commissioning date.
Your installer should submit your G99 application before commissioning. Most DNOs (UKPN, Northern Powergrid, SP Energy Networks, Western Power Distribution, Electricity North West, SSEN) require 5–11 weeks for connection approval — factor this into your install schedule.
This lets your SEG supplier read your half-hourly export readings.
Most suppliers pay quarterly into your business bank account. Some pay monthly. Your statement will show kWh exported and the rate applied.
Updated monthly — last refresh 12 May 2026.
| Supplier & tariff | Rate (p/kWh) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Octopus Energy Outgoing Fixed | 12p / kWh fixed for 12 months | Domestic tariff — cut from 15p on 1 March 2026. Business equivalent is Panel Power at about 12p. |
| Good Energy Solar Savings | 13.0p / kWh fixed | Good for businesses with strong sustainability ESG positioning. |
| E.ON Next Export Exclusive | about 16.5p / kWh | Domestic only, and requires E.ON Next import bundling — not open to business exporters. |
| British Gas Export & Earn Flex | 6.4p / kWh variable | Higher floor than most variable tariffs. |
| Octopus Outgoing Agile | Half-hourly variable (avg ~12p) | Tracks wholesale price; can spike to 30p+ in evening peaks. |
| EDF Export Variable | 5.6p / kWh | Reliable, no minimum import condition. |
| So Energy Export Plus | 8.0p / kWh | Open to non-So Energy customers. |
| OVO Energy Export | 5.0p / kWh | Standard variable, no fixed option. |
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The Smart Export Guarantee is the UK's regulated framework for paying small-scale renewable generators for electricity they export to the public grid. It replaced the Feed-in Tariff for new systems commissioned after 1 April 2019 — but where the FIT paid a fixed government-funded tariff, the SEG is a competitive market mechanism. Each Ofgem-licensed energy supplier with 150,000+ domestic customers is legally required to offer an SEG tariff, but they are free to set the rate as low as zero pence per kWh (in practice, regulatory pressure has lifted floor tariffs above 3p/kWh in 2026).
As of May 2026, the scheme's funding status is: Ongoing — no closing date. We re-check application windows monthly — if this is critical to your planning, request an eligibility check for the current programme status.
Typical award range: 3p–15p per kWh exported (2026 fixed tariffs). The size of any individual award depends on project capex, sector eligibility, match funding available and the scheme's per-applicant cap.
Ofgem (regulator); licensed energy suppliers (payers). Applications are submitted through the administrator's process — we link the relevant gov.uk and scheme pages at the bottom of this guide.
Tariffs are not fixed for life. Variable SEG tariffs can drop without notice. Fixed-tariff SEGs are usually 12 months — set a reminder to renegotiate at renewal. Self-consumption beats export every time. A unit you generate and use yourself saves you ~30p/kWh (your import rate). The same unit exported earns 3p–15p. Size the system for self-consumption first, export second. DNO export limits can constrain SEG revenue. If your DNO grants only 50kW export capacity but you install 200kWp, the export inverter will curtail generation when self-consumption is low. You'll still receive SEG on what you do export, but the unconstrained projection will be optimistic.
Tell us your business — we map every active 2026 grant to your sector, size and postcode, and tell you which ones stack.
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