Money & energy8 min readLast reviewed 20 August 2026

Export rates and smart tariffs

What happens to the electricity you do not use, and how different tariffs pay you for it.

Solar electricity has several possible destinations: immediate use in the home, storage, or export to the grid. Import and export tariffs put different prices and rules around those flows. Keeping them separate is the safest way to understand a proposal.

What export means

Export is electricity that leaves the property because generation is greater than demand at that moment and the energy is not being stored. It is measured separately from the electricity the home imports. A high annual generation estimate does not by itself show how much will be exported, because household timing and any storage or flexible loads also matter.

The Smart Export Guarantee in Great Britain

The Smart Export Guarantee provides a route for eligible small-scale generators in Great Britain to be paid for exported low-carbon electricity. Participating suppliers set their own rates and contract terms, and the rate must be above zero. Eligibility, evidence, metering, application steps and payment arrangements should be checked with the current Ofgem guidance and the chosen supplier.

Import and export are different prices

The price paid to import electricity and the price received for export are separate. Avoid calculations that value every generated kWh at the household import rate, because some generation may be exported under different terms. A clear estimate shows generated, used at home, stored and exported electricity as distinct flows.

Smart and time-of-use tariffs

Some tariffs vary by time or use automation rules. That can create opportunities to move flexible demand, but it also creates more assumptions: which windows apply, how rates can change, which equipment controls the load and whether household behaviour follows the model. A proposal should identify the exact tariff, the date checked and a reasonable alternative case.

Batteries and EVs change timing, not generation

A battery can store electricity for later and an EV may provide a flexible load when it is plugged in. Neither increases the output of the solar array. The value depends on control settings, availability, power limits, losses and the import or export rate at the relevant time. Model each flow once so the same kWh is not counted as both bill saving and export income.

There is no permanent 'best export tariff'

Supplier rates, eligibility rules and linked import products can change. A tariff that appears attractive on one date may require the customer to buy electricity from the same supplier, meet technology conditions or accept variable terms. Compare the whole contract for the household rather than ranking a single export rate in isolation.

What to ask for in a quote

Ask for the annual generation estimate, the assumed share used at home, the exported kWh, the named import and export tariffs, the date each rate was checked and whether storage or smart charging is included. Then ask to see the result under a less favourable tariff or lower self-consumption case.

Key takeaways

Export is a separate energy flow and should not be valued at the import rate by default.
SEG applies in Great Britain; confirm current eligibility, metering and supplier terms from primary sources.
Name and date every tariff used in an estimate, then test a less favourable case.
Batteries and EVs can shift when electricity is used, but they do not increase solar generation.
Compare the whole import and export contract rather than a single advertised rate.

This guide is for general information only. It is not a substitute for a survey of your home or professional advice. Solar Help Centre does not install solar equipment or produce the final design for your home.

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