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Smart Export Guarantee and battery tariffs

How export payments and time-of-use tariffs change once you add a battery, and what to check if you are on the Feed-in Tariff.

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Updated 8 October 2026. Independent guide; not a government website and not an installer.

A battery changes what you do with solar power you do not use straight away. Instead of exporting it at a low rate in the middle of the day, you can store it and use it in the evening, or on a time-of-use tariff export it when the price is higher.

Smart Export Guarantee basics

  • Larger suppliers must offer an export tariff. Rates and terms differ by supplier and change often, so compare current tariff pages.
  • For solar up to 50 kW, suppliers ask for MCS or an equivalent certification of the installation and installer.

Time-of-use tariffs: Octopus Flux as an example

Octopus's Flux pays more for export in a peak window and charges less to import off-peak. Based on the public tariff data read on 7 October 2026 (0% VAT on household electricity), import prices ran roughly 13.8p to 15.3p off-peak, 23.1p to 25.5p standard and 32.3p to 35.7p at peak, with peak export around 27p to 31p, depending on the region. The standing charge rises on 19 October 2026 by between 2.7% and 4.8%.

Octopus says Flux requires a solar system and a home battery, a smart meter with half-hourly readings, an MCS document and both tariffs with Octopus. Prices change; always check the supplier's current page.

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If you have Feed-in Tariff solar

Ofgem's guidance on storage next to FIT generation sets out different outcomes depending on how the battery is wired, whether it can charge from the grid and how export is metered. In some set-ups both generation and deemed export payments continue; in others metered export payments stop. Check with your FIT licensee before installing.

Do not assume a battery pays for itself through export alone. Our cost guide shows how much of the benefit comes from using the stored power yourself.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the Smart Export Guarantee?

A requirement for larger electricity suppliers to pay small-scale generators for power they export to the grid. A battery lets you choose whether to use, store or export your solar power.

Do I need MCS certification for SEG?

For solar PV up to 50 kW suppliers ask for MCS or an equivalent certification. Above that, the supplier decides what evidence it accepts.

Do Octopus Flux tariffs need solar and a battery?

Octopus's own page says it needs a solar system and a home battery, a smart meter with half-hourly readings, and both import and export with Octopus.

What if I already get Feed-in Tariff payments?

Adding a battery can affect deemed export. Ofgem's guidance sets out scenarios, so tell your FIT licensee and check which applies before installing.

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