Best SEG Tariff 2026: UK Export Rates Compared & Ranked
The best SEG tariff in 2026, ranked. Good Energy pays up to 25p/kWh, OVO 20p, EDF 18p. We show which export rate is best for your setup and the catch behind each headline figure.
Quick Answer
The best SEG tariff in 2026 depends on a single question: are you willing to switch your import supplier? If you are, Good Energy (up to 25p/kWh), OVO (up to 20p) and EDF (up to 18p) lead the market for import customers. If you want a rate open to anyone without switching, Ecotricity (16p) and Scottish Power SmartGen (6p) are the strongest. The old "Octopus 15p" headline is gone, Octopus cut Outgoing Octopus to 12p on 1 March 2026.
Rates accurate as of July 2026. Suppliers change SEG rates often, verify the current figure before switching.
If you have solar panels, the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) pays you for the surplus electricity you send back to the grid. What you get for it is all over the place, though: roughly 3p per kWh at the bottom and 25p at the top. Across a year, picking the best SEG tariff instead of the worst is worth £200 or more to a typical home.
Below we rank the best SEG tariffs in the UK for 2026 and spell out the catch behind each headline rate, because almost all of them have one. For every supplier's full tier breakdown and a side-by-side comparison, see our best SEG rates hub.
What Is the Smart Export Guarantee?
The Smart Export Guarantee is a UK government scheme that requires licensed electricity suppliers with 150,000 or more customers to offer a tariff to small-scale generators (up to 5MW). In practice, any household with solar panels can be paid for the electricity they export to the grid.
The SEG replaced the Feed-in Tariff (FiT), which shut to new applicants in March 2019. Where the FiT paid a guaranteed, government-set rate (up to 43p/kWh at its peak), the SEG sets no minimum at all. Suppliers pick their own tariffs and only have to pay something "above zero". That is why the rates are all over the map, and why it pays to shop around.
To qualify for the SEG, you need:
- An MCS-certified solar installation
- A smart meter or export meter (most suppliers require a smart meter)
- To apply directly with your chosen SEG supplier (it does not have to be your electricity supplier)
Best SEG Tariffs 2026: Ranked
Headline SEG rates almost always come with a condition attached. The highest rates need you to take that supplier for your import electricity too, and the very top rates need you to have bought your solar or battery from them. The table below shows each supplier's best published flat rate, the rate open to anyone without switching import, and the catch on the top rate.
| Supplier | Best rate | Open-to-all rate | Catch on the best rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good Energy | 25p | – | Their own install + import |
| OVO Energy | 20p | 4p | Their own install + import |
| EDF | 18p | 3p | Their own install + import |
| E.ON Next | 17.5p | 6p | Their own install |
| Ecotricity | 16p | – | Must take them for import |
| Scottish Power | 15p | 6p | Their own install + import |
| Octopus Energy | 12p | 4.1p | Must take them for import |
| British Gas | 12p | 3p | Must take them for import |
Best rate is each supplier's highest published flat SEG rate; the open-to-all rate is what you can get without switching your import supplier. Octopus also runs Intelligent Octopus Flux, a time-of-use tariff that can peak around 30p/kWh in the 4–7pm window for battery owners on an Octopus import tariff. Rates change frequently, always verify with the supplier. For the full tier-by-tier breakdown, see our SEG rates comparison hub.
Which SEG Tariff Is Actually Best for You?
The right answer depends on whether you are happy to move your import supply, and whether you bought your system through an energy company:
- Buying solar from an energy company anyway: Good Energy (25p), OVO (20p) and EDF (18p) reward you for taking both install and import from them. These are the highest rates on the market, but you are locked into one supplier for everything.
- Already with a big supplier, willing to switch import: Ecotricity's 16p needs only that you take them for import, no install condition, which makes it one of the strongest "no battery, no install" rates available.
- Want flexibility and fast payment: Octopus pays 12p to import customers with monthly bill credit, the fastest cadence we track, and pairs with the widest range of smart tariffs for battery and EV owners.
- Do not want to switch import at all: Scottish Power's open SmartGen (6p) and E.ON Next's open rate (6p) are the best "import anywhere" flat rates, well ahead of the 3p to 4p floors at British Gas, EDF and OVO.
What Happened to the Octopus 15p Rate?
For years, Outgoing Octopus at 15p/kWh was the default recommendation for the best simple SEG tariff. Octopus cut it to 12p on 1 March 2026. Existing customers on a 15p contract continue on that rate until their term ends, but new applicants now get 12p. That change is why several rival import-customer tariffs (Ecotricity 16p, plus the install-exclusive rates above) now beat the simple Octopus rate. For battery owners, Octopus is still the leader through Intelligent Octopus Flux, which targets the high-priced 4–7pm export window rather than a flat rate.
How Much Can You Earn from the SEG?
Your SEG earnings depend on two things: how much you export, and the rate you get. Here is what the gap between a basic rate and a top rate looks like across typical export volumes:
| Annual export (kWh) | At 3p (basic open rate) | At 12p (Octopus / British Gas) | At 25p (Good Energy top tier) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 kWh | £30 | £120 | £250 |
| 1,500 kWh | £45 | £180 | £375 |
| 2,000 kWh | £60 | £240 | £500 |
| 2,500 kWh | £75 | £300 | £625 |
A 4kW system without a battery typically exports 1,750 to 2,100 kWh a year, so the difference between a 3p floor and a top-tier rate is comfortably £150 to £400 a year. The catch is that the very highest rates require you to take that supplier for both import and install, so the headline figure is rarely available to everyone.
The Self-Consumption Lever Beats Every Export Rate
Every unit you use yourself avoids the import rate (around 24–25p/kWh in 2026), which is far more than any SEG rate pays. A battery raises self-consumption from around 35% to 70–80%, so you export less but save more overall. If you have a battery, prioritise a tariff that lets you store cheap or solar energy and use it at peak, rather than chasing the top flat export rate.
How to Sign Up for the SEG
- Get your MCS certificate. Your installer provides this after installation. You need an MCS-certified installer for this, without it you cannot access the SEG.
- Ensure you have a smart meter. Most SEG tariffs require one. If you do not have a smart meter, request one from your electricity supplier, it is free.
- Choose your SEG supplier. This does not have to be your electricity supplier, though the best rates usually require it. You can buy electricity from one company and sell exports to another, pick the best deal for your situation.
- Apply to your chosen supplier. You will need your MCS certificate number, meter details and basic system information.
- Start earning. Once approved, you are paid for every kWh exported, measured by your smart meter.
SEG vs Feed-in Tariff: What Changed?
If you have spoken to someone who installed solar before 2019, they may talk about the Feed-in Tariff in glowing terms. Here is how the two compare:
| Feed-in Tariff (ended 2019) | Smart Export Guarantee (current) | |
|---|---|---|
| Generation payment | Yes (3.7-43p/kWh for ALL generated) | No |
| Export payment | Yes (deemed at 50%, 5.2p/kWh) | Yes (metered, 3-25p/kWh) |
| Rate set by | Government (guaranteed, index-linked) | Suppliers (competitive, can change) |
| Contract length | 20-25 years guaranteed | No fixed term (can switch suppliers) |
| Smart meter needed | No (exports were estimated) | Yes (most tariffs) |
The FiT was far more generous, it paid you for every kWh generated regardless of whether you used or exported it. The SEG only pays for what you actually export. But the SEG's flexibility (you can switch suppliers for a better rate) and the much lower cost of solar today mean the investment case for solar is still strong. See our full FiT vs SEG comparison for the detail.
Tips to Maximise Your SEG Earnings
1. Pick the best rate, then review it annually
The single most impactful thing you can do is choose the highest-paying tariff you qualify for. The difference between 3p and a top-tier rate is roughly eight-fold. There is no lock-in on SEG tariffs, so review your supplier each year and switch if a better deal appears.
2. Use a battery to time your exports
If you have a battery and are on a time-of-use tariff like Intelligent Octopus Flux, you can store solar during the day and export during the high-rate evening peak. Smart battery systems like Sigenergy and FoxESS can be programmed to do this automatically based on the half-hourly rate schedule.
3. Match your supplier to your usage pattern
If you are home during the day and self-consume most of your solar, you export less, so the SEG rate matters less, focus on a low import rate instead. If you are out all day and export heavily, the SEG rate is critical, switch to a top-paying supplier.
4. Consider Octopus Flux and Intelligent tariffs
Octopus offers Flux and Intelligent tariffs that combine favourable import and export rates across the day, rewarding you for shifting consumption and export to optimal times. These require a compatible battery and smart meter. See our best Octopus tariffs for solar for the full breakdown.
5. Increase your system size
A larger system exports more, which means more SEG income. If you have the roof space, the marginal cost of extra panels is relatively low and the export income adds up over 25 years. Maximise self-consumption first, though, as that delivers higher per-kWh savings than export.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best SEG tariff in 2026?
For homeowners buying solar through an energy company, Good Energy (up to 25p/kWh), OVO (up to 20p) and EDF (up to 18p) pay the most, in exchange for taking both install and import from them. For a rate open to anyone willing to switch import only, Ecotricity's 16p is the strongest. The old Octopus 15p rate dropped to 12p on 1 March 2026.
Do I have to use my electricity supplier for the SEG?
No, but the best rates usually require it. You can choose any licensed supplier offering a SEG tariff, and your import and export suppliers can be different companies. The highest open-to-all rates (no import switch) are around 6p, while the 12p to 25p rates need you to take that supplier for import.
Can I switch SEG suppliers?
Yes. There is no lock-in period for standalone SEG tariffs. You can switch at any time. If a new supplier starts offering a better rate, switch to them.
Do I need an MCS certificate for the SEG?
Yes. Your solar installation must have been carried out by an MCS-certified installer, and you need the MCS certificate to apply. This is one of the key reasons to always use an MCS-certified installer.
Is the SEG taxable?
For most domestic households, SEG income is not taxable. HMRC provides a £1,000 annual trading allowance, and typical household SEG earnings fall well below this.
The Bottom Line
The Smart Export Guarantee is not the windfall the Feed-in Tariff was, but the rate you pick still matters enormously, the gap between a 3p floor and a top-tier rate can be worth £200 to £400 a year. The best SEG tariff for you comes down to whether you will switch import supplier, and whether you bought your system through an energy company. With the Octopus 15p rate now cut to 12p, it is worth comparing the install-exclusive rates from Good Energy, OVO and EDF, and Ecotricity's 16p import-only rate, before you settle.
For each supplier's full tier breakdown, see our best SEG rates hub, and for the bigger picture read our Smart Export Guarantee guide. To get started with solar, compare MCS-certified installers in your area, your installer will guide you through the SEG application as part of the handover.
John Rooney is the founder of Solar Info and has been covering the UK solar energy market since 2023. He researches every battery and inverter brand against manufacturer datasheets, MCS and Ofgem data, and feedback from the MCS-certified installers in our directory before publishing.