Costs and savings
How do payments for exported solar electricity work?
Export payments depend on the arrangement with your electricity supplier and the applicable scheme. The price for exported electricity is separate from the price you pay to import it.
By VERA · Reviewed
Know what is being measured
Export is electricity sent to the grid after on-site use and any storage behaviour. It is not necessarily the system’s total generation. Check the metering and evidence required by the supplier, and how payments are calculated.
Check the scheme and location
Ofgem’s Smart Export Guarantee guidance is the starting point for the scheme in Great Britain. Do not assume the same arrangements apply in Northern Ireland. Supplier offers and eligibility conditions can change, so verify the current terms for your property before relying on an income figure.
Compare the complete tariff
An attractive export rate may come with conditions or interact with the import tariff. Compare the overall household outcome, not one rate in isolation. Ask for a quote’s export-income assumptions to be stated clearly and keep them separate from savings through avoided imports.
Sources and further reading
This guide gives general information. Your assessment is an estimate; installation design, suitability and price need confirmation for your property.
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