Best Octopus Energy Tariffs for Solar Panel Owners (2026)

What your solar panels actually save — or earn — depends as much on your electricity tariff as on the system itself. Octopus Energy offers the widest range of smart tariffs for solar homes in the UK, and in 2026 the gap between the best and worst tariff is bigger than the difference between a mid-range and a premium solar system. This guide compares every Octopus tariff relevant to solar owners, with 2026 rates.

Why Your Octopus Solar Export Tariff Matters

Three numbers shape your solar returns:

• Export rate — what you are paid for electricity sent back to the grid
• Import rate — what you pay for electricity you still need to buy (the UK standard variable sits around 24–25p/kWh in 2026)
• Timing — when you generate, use, store, and export

On a 4kW system exporting around 2,000 kWh a year:

That is before self-consumption savings — every unit you use yourself avoids the import rate, which is usually the biggest lever of all.

1. Intelligent Octopus Flux — Best for Solar + Battery

Intelligent Flux is the current top-earning tariff for homes with a compatible battery. Octopus automates charging, storage and export, targeting the 4pm–7pm peak window when export rates approach 30p/kWh.

• Peak export (16:00–19:00): up to ~30p/kWh
• Peak import (16:00–19:00): elevated — buying from the grid during peak is expensive
• Off-peak: standard import rates, not a dedicated cheap window
• Compatible batteries: Tesla Powerwall, GivEnergy, FoxESS, Sigenergy
• Management: fully automated — no manual scheduling

Watch out: Intelligent Flux is not the right tariff if cheap overnight charging matters more to you than peak-window export — for EV owners that is usually the case.

2. Octopus Flux — Best for Flexible Solar + Battery

The manual-control version of Intelligent Flux. Works with any battery, not just approved models. Same peak window, slightly lower rates.

• Peak export (16:00–19:00): ~26.6p/kWh
• Off-peak import (02:00–05:00): ~14.99p/kWh — useful for overnight battery top-up
• Standard daytime import: ~24–25p/kWh
• Management: manual — you or your battery software schedule charging

Flux is the right choice if you own a battery brand Octopus does not automate, or if you want to control the schedule yourself.

3. Intelligent Octopus Go + Outgoing — Best for EV + Solar

The winning combination for homes with solar, a battery and an electric vehicle. Cheap overnight import charges both the car and the battery; surplus solar is exported during the day.

• Overnight import: ~7–8p/kWh (for EV + battery charging)
• Export (paired Outgoing tariff): 12p/kWh flat
• Requires: smart EV charger recognised by Octopus

4. Outgoing Octopus Fixed (the 12p Octopus SEG rate) — Best for Solar Only

The simplest high-paying option. 12p/kWh flat for every exported unit — this is what most people mean when they mention the "Octopus SEG rate". No battery, EV or smart scheduling required.

• Export rate: 12p/kWh flat
• Battery: not required
• Import tariff: any — pair with standard variable or any Octopus import tariff

At 12p vs a basic 4p SEG minimum, a home exporting 2,000 kWh a year earns roughly £240 instead of £80 — an extra £160 a year for no additional effort. Compare against other suppliers in our SEG rates comparison.

Note on the "Octopus 15p export" rate: Outgoing Octopus briefly paid 15p/kWh in earlier years — that rate has since been replaced by the 12p Fixed tariff for new applicants. Existing customers on 15p contracts continue on that rate until their term ends.

5. Outgoing Agile — Best for Active Managers

Rates change every 30 minutes based on wholesale electricity prices. Export values can spike far higher than any fixed tariff during high-demand periods — but they can also drop lower.

• Export rate: variable, tracking wholesale prices
• Typical average: below 12p/kWh for passive exporters
• Best for: battery owners with automation that can time exports to high-price half-hours

Honest note: for most solar households without a battery, Agile earns less than Outgoing Fixed on average. It is a tariff to optimise, not a tariff to set-and-forget.

Quick Comparison

Which Should You Actually Pick?

• Battery, set-and-forget: Intelligent Octopus Flux
• Battery, manual control or non-approved brand: Octopus Flux
• EV (with or without battery): Intelligent Octopus Go + Outgoing
• Solar only, no battery: Outgoing Octopus Fixed
• Battery + automation + time to manage: Outgoing Agile

What You Need to Switch to an Octopus Export Tariff

• Smart meter (SMETS2): Octopus export tariffs require half-hourly export readings
• MCS certificate: your installer issues this after commissioning — needed for SEG registration
• DNO notification: G98 for most domestic solar, G99 for larger systems. See our SEG guide for the process
• Existing Octopus account: you can switch import supplier and export supplier independently, but keeping both with Octopus simplifies billing

Does System Design Affect Tariff Choice?

Yes — and this is where many homeowners lose out. If you choose a battery brand that Intelligent Flux does not automate, you lose access to the peak-window automation. If your inverter cannot export-limit correctly, you may need a G99 DNO application even on a domestic-size system. Raise tariff choice with your installer before you sign — see our solar battery cost guide for which brands pair with which tariffs.

Next Step

Tariff and system need to be chosen together. Use our installer comparison tool to get quotes from MCS-certified installers who can confirm which tariff options your proposed system supports.