Smart Export Guarantee, explained

If your solar system generates more than you use at that moment, the surplus can be exported to the grid. Under the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), larger energy suppliers must offer a tariff for that export. The rate, and how it is paid, is set by the supplier you choose — not by your installer.

SEG is not the old Feed-in Tariff. Payments are for exported units, and tariffs differ. We will not quote a figure for what you will earn, because it depends on your generation, how much you use on site, and the tariff you sign up to.

What you need to register

Suppliers typically ask for evidence that the system was installed to the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) standard, along with equipment details and meter information. That is one reason MCS paperwork is part of handover, not an optional extra.

You choose the SEG tariff. It does not have to be the same company that supplies the electricity you buy. Compare the rate, whether it is fixed or variable, and how often you are paid.

How a battery changes export

A battery stores generation for later in the day, so less may be exported and more may be used in the home. That can suit households with evening use. It is a design choice we talk through at survey stage, not something that is automatically better for every property.

What BlankSolar does

We install to MCS standards and provide the handover documents suppliers ask for. We explain how export registration works in plain English. We do not complete the supplier application for you unless that is agreed as part of your project.

If you want this built into a quote, start with a survey or read about solar panel installation.