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Export tariffs explained: the Smart Export Guarantee for Scottish homes
How you can be paid for the surplus solar electricity you send to the grid. Sources: Ofgem.
- Installed through our MCS-certified partners
- Interest-free credit up to £30,000, subject to status
- Local Scottish office in Dundee
Quick answer
The Smart Export Guarantee lets Scottish homes with an MCS-certified solar installation and a suitable smart meter be paid for surplus electricity sent to the grid. Each supplier sets its own export rate, so it is worth comparing offers. With a battery, storing energy for later use usually matters more than exporting it.
Last updated: 17 October 2026
The short answer: if your solar panels send surplus electricity to the grid, you can be paid for it through the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG). Smart Export Guarantee payments, with rates set by each supplier. Here is how it works and what it means for your battery.
What is the Smart Export Guarantee?
The Smart Export Guarantee is a government scheme, regulated by Ofgem, that requires larger energy suppliers to offer a tariff paying households for the electricity they export to the grid. It is available to solar owners with an MCS certificate. Smart Export Guarantee payments, with rates set by each supplier.
Flat and time-of-use export tariffs
Some suppliers offer a single flat rate for every unit you export. Others offer tariffs with different rates at different times of day, which can suit battery owners who can time their exports. Suppliers change their tariffs from time to time, so it is worth comparing current offers before you choose one.
How a battery changes things
Without a battery, your surplus solar goes straight to the grid. With a home battery, you have a choice: store the energy for your own use later, or export it. For many homes, storing first and exporting second makes more sense, because it reduces the electricity you need to buy from the grid.
This is why a battery's value is mainly about avoided imports rather than export payments. Whether that holds for you depends on your tariff and usage, which we look at during your no-obligation survey.
What you need to claim it
- An MCS certificate from your installation (we install through MCS-certified partners)
- A smart meter that can record exports (most modern meters do)
- To apply to a supplier offering a Smart Export Guarantee tariff (some require you to buy your electricity from them too)
The bottom line
The Smart Export Guarantee means you can be paid for the surplus electricity you export. Smart Export Guarantee payments, with rates set by each supplier. Your battery's main value usually remains in avoided imports, not exports.
Related reading
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- Installed through our MCS-certified partners
- Interest-free credit up to £30,000, subject to status
- Local Scottish office in Dundee