Smart Export Guarantee Explained: Best Export Rates for Yorkshire Solar in 2026

If you're weighing up [solar panels](/solar-panel-installation/) for your Yorkshire home, one question comes up again and again: do I still get paid for the electricity I send back to the grid? The answer is yes — through the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG). It's not as generous as the old Feed-in Tariff, but with the right export tariff (and ideally a battery), it can add a meaningful chunk to your annual return.

Here's exactly how SEG works in 2026, which tariffs are paying the most, and the practical steps to maximise your export income.

What is the Smart Export Guarantee?

The Smart Export Guarantee is a government-backed scheme that obliges larger electricity suppliers to pay homeowners for surplus solar electricity exported back to the grid. It replaced the closed Feed-in Tariff and has been the standard since 2020.

The key points:

• **You get paid per kWh** you export — measured by your smart meter.
• **Suppliers set their own rates.** Unlike the old FiT, there's no single fixed price. Each supplier publishes its own SEG tariff, and they vary enormously.
• **You don't have to buy your electricity from the same company** that pays your SEG. You can import on one tariff and export on another, though some of the best deals reward staying with one supplier.

To qualify, your install must be MCS-certified and you'll need a smart meter capable of recording half-hourly export. We're MCS-certified, so every [solar panel installation](/solar-panel-installation/) we complete comes with the certificate you need to apply.

How much does SEG actually pay in 2026?

This is where it gets interesting. SEG rates in 2026 broadly fall into two camps:

• **Flat-rate SEG tariffs** — a fixed price for every unit exported, day or night. These typically sit somewhere in the **mid-single-digits to around 15p per kWh** depending on the supplier.
• **Variable / smart export tariffs** — the rate changes by time of day, sometimes tracking wholesale prices. The headline peak rates on these can be considerably higher, but only at certain hours.

The spread between the worst and best tariffs is large, so the single biggest lever on your export income isn't your panels — it's choosing the right tariff. A household exporting the same number of units can earn several times more on a competitive smart tariff than on a basic flat rate.

We deliberately don't quote a single "best" rate here, because tariffs change frequently and the right one depends on your usage pattern. What stays true is the strategy, which is what the rest of this guide covers.

Best types of export tariff for Yorkshire homes

For a typical Yorkshire household, the most rewarding setups tend to share a few features. Look for tariffs that:

• **Pay a high price for exports during peak demand windows** (often late afternoon and early evening), when the grid values your power most.
• **Bundle import and export** so you charge a battery cheaply overnight and export when prices are high.
• **Offer a strong flat rate** if you don't have a battery and just want simplicity — predictable income with no time-of-use juggling.

Some of the most competitive smart export tariffs in the UK come from suppliers with time-of-use plans designed to pair with home batteries. If you've got [battery storage](/battery-storage/), you're in a position to play the timing game and earn far more per exported unit.

How to maximise your export income

Getting the most out of SEG isn't just about signing up — it's about when and how you export. Here's what makes the biggest difference.

1. Use what you generate first

The golden rule of solar economics: a unit you use yourself is worth more than a unit you export. You avoid paying the import rate (often 25p+ per kWh) versus earning a much lower export rate. So shift heavy loads — washing machine, dishwasher, EV charging, immersion heater — into daylight hours where you can. Self-consumption beats export every time.

2. Add a battery to control your timing

This is the single biggest upgrade for export income. A home battery lets you:

• **Store surplus midday solar** instead of dumping it to the grid at a low rate, then use it in the evening (avoiding expensive imports).
• **Export strategically** during peak-price windows on a smart tariff, rather than whenever the sun happens to shine.
• **Charge cheaply overnight** on a low off-peak import rate and export at a profit during peak hours — effectively arbitraging the grid.

A typical home battery in the 5kWh–13.5kWh range runs from around £3,000 to £7,000 installed, with named systems like GivEnergy and the Tesla Powerwall among the most popular choices. Whether the maths works for you depends on your tariff and usage, which is exactly what we model during a survey. If you're in Rotherham, take a look at [battery storage in Rotherham](/battery-storage-rotherham/); Doncaster customers can see [battery storage in Doncaster](/battery-storage-doncaster/).

3. Get a smart meter and the right tariff

No smart meter, no half-hourly export data, no smart tariff. It's the gateway to the better-paying plans. Once it's in, review your SEG tariff at least annually — the market moves, and switching takes minutes.

4. Size your system sensibly

A larger array generates more surplus to export, but there's a balance. We size systems around your actual consumption and roof, so you're not over-investing in panels whose output only ever earns the low export rate. A standard 4kW solar system typically costs around £5,000–£7,000 installed, with 0% VAT applied.

A worked example of the logic

Imagine two identical Yorkshire homes, both with 4kW of solar.

• **Home A** exports everything it doesn't instantly use, on a basic flat SEG rate.
• **Home B** has a battery, sits on a smart import/export tariff, charges overnight cheaply, runs the house off stored solar in the evening, and exports during the early-evening peak.

Same panels, very different returns. Home B uses more of its own generation, imports far less at peak prices, and earns more per exported unit. That gap is the whole reason we so often recommend looking at solar and storage together.

The 0% VAT bonus

Worth repeating: residential solar and battery installs currently benefit from 0% VAT, which we apply at the quote stage. That improves your payback before SEG income is even counted — and it applies whether you're fitting solar, adding a battery, or doing both.

Make your solar pay in 2026

The Smart Export Guarantee turns your roof into a small income stream — but how much it pays depends on smart choices: the right tariff, sensible self-consumption, and usually a battery to control your timing. AMP Pro Electrical is MCS-certified and NICEIC & NAPIT registered, based in Armthorpe, Doncaster, serving homes across South Yorkshire, North Notts, Lincs and beyond.

Want to know what your roof could generate and earn? Book a free, no-obligation solar survey — we'll model your generation, self-consumption and realistic SEG income, and show you whether a battery sharpens the numbers. Call 0333 577 5464 or [reach us through our contact page](/contact/).