The Smart Export Guarantee – or SEG – is a government scheme that sees electricity providers pay solar PV customers for their unused solar generation being exported back to the National Grid. Customers will receive payment once a solar system is installed and registered for the SEG.
The SEG has been available to homes and businesses since 1 January 2020.
The Smart Export Guarantee focuses on excess solar generation. This is similar to the export component of the Feed-in Tariff scheme.
Under the Smart Export Guarantee, licensed electricity suppliers are obliged to offer a tariff and payment to small-scale solar generators for electricity exported to the grid.
The licensee sets SEG tariff rates, contract length and terms. As such, customer payments and tariff rates vary from supplier to supplier.
Only MCS-accredited system are eligible for the SEG. MCS-accreditation assures system quality. It is also a requirement to have a smart meter.
In order to be eligible for SEG tariff, homes and businesses will have to meet the following criteria:
Like when it comes to choosing your energy provider, SEG payments and conditions vary from supplier to supplier. Furthermore, it’s not always about tariff rates – although this is often the deciding factor for many.
Typically, a SEG agreement will pay customers between 5p and 6p per kWh of electricity exported to the grid. However, some SEGs will offer variable and standard rates that fluctuate based on grid demand and others will require battery storage to make the most of the scheme.
Click here to visit Solar Trade’s website for an analysis of companies offering SEGs, their tariff rates and contract terms.
For further information on the Smart Export Guarantee or to get a quote for a solar PV installation, contact GreenGenUK today.