Smart Export Guarantee for office solar | solarpanelsforofficebuildings.co.uk

The Smart Export Guarantee is a mandatory tariff scheme covering all UK solar PV systems up to 5 MWp installed capacity. Every licensed UK electricity supplier with more than 150,000 domestic customers is required to offer at least one SEG tariff — meaning every UK business with a PV installation can register and receive export payments.

Tariff rates in 2026 range from 5p/kWh (lowest fixed-rate offers) to 12p+/kWh (best time-of-use offers from Octopus, E.ON Next, OVO). The market has matured significantly since launch in 2020 — current best-value tariffs include:

- **Octopus Outgoing Agile**: variable export rate tracking wholesale day-ahead prices, averaging 10-13p/kWh

**Octopus Outgoing Fixed**: fixed rate ~9p/kWh

**E.ON Next Export Exclusive**: fixed rate ~10p/kWh (for E.ON Next import customers)

**OVO Plus Export**: fixed rate ~8p/kWh

Eligibility requirements:

MCS-certified PV system (mandatory for SEG)

Smart meter (SMETS2) capable of half-hourly export readings

Registration with chosen SEG supplier (separate from import contract)

Annual generation declaration (auto-handled by smart meter data)

For a typical 280 kWp office solar system generating 258,000 kWh/year at 78% self-consumption, exported volume is around 57,000 kWh/year. At a 10p/kWh SEG tariff, that's £5,700/year of additional revenue.

SEG revenue typically contributes 5-10% of total annual benefit on office solar installations — small relative to the avoided-cost economics from self-consumption, but a useful contribution to overall payback. We handle SEG registration as part of the commissioning process.

Commercial Solar Across the UK