Selling Electricity Back To The Grid: an expert guide
Karl Wallis
Why should homeowners care? Every rooftop in Britain that hosts a solar array is now a mini power station. But unless you actively sell that spare electricity back into the grid, a hefty slice of your system's potential value slips away. A well-chosen solar export tariff can turn your Sunday afternoon sunshine into Monday morning pocket money, helping you weather-proof your bills while nudging the UK toward a net-zero future. Amid record energy volatility and a cost-of-living squeeze, ignoring that opportunity is like letting pound coins trickle down the gutter.
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Table of contents
1. Why is overgeneration a profitable "problem"
2. Choosing the right solar export tariff: fixed, tracker, or dynamic
3. Eligibility checklist - documents, hardware, and approvals
4. Five-step sign-up roadmap
5. Maximising returns: advanced battery tactics and smart‑home tips
6. Busting the top ten myths about exporting
7. Case studies - the Browns in Bristol & the Nguyens in Newcastle
8. Environmental gains: how your exports decarbonise the grid
9. Quick‑start homeowner checklist
10. Glossary of key terms
11. Next steps - your personalised savings forecast
1. Why is overgeneration a profitable "problem"
Modern photovoltaic modules routinely top 22 % efficiency, meaning even a mid-terrace with a 4 kWp solar array can crank out 3,400 kWh of clean electricity each year. Yet the typical household only consumes about two-thirds of that in real time. The remainder either idles or, worse, flows into the national grid free of charge unless you've secured an export agreement.
The hidden cost of ignoring exports
• Over ten years, 1,100 kWh per year of "lost" generation equates to 11 MWh-enough to power a Nissan Leaf for 34,000 miles.
• At today's average export tariff of 15 p/kWh, that foregone energy is worth £1,650.
• Factor in inflation and likely rate rises, and the loss balloons past £2,000.
Why SEG changed the game
The 2020 Smart Export Guarantee forced any supplier with 150,000+ customers to pay for every kilowatt‑hour homeowners feed into the grid. Suddenly, exporting became a right, not a perk. Four years on, suppliers are in a price war, launching premium plans to lock in your clean energy. Miss the boat and you fund their margins; climb aboard and you compress your payback period dramatically.
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2. Choosing the right solar export tariff
Ask yourself three core questions.
1. How much spare generation will I have?
No battery: expect ~34 % of annual output to be surplus.
With battery, surplus climbs to 60‑70 % because you can store daytime excess and discharge into high-rate windows.
2. Do I want contractual freedom or the highest yield?
Fixed‑rate plans often require no import account, keeping switching simple. Dynamic tariffs usually insist you switch import too, and may lock you in for 12 months, rewarding you with fatter payouts.
3. How tech-savvy am I willing to be?
Tracking day-ahead prices or running inverter automations sounds daunting, but a quick tutorial on the supplier's app often suffices. We provide a one-hour onboarding call with every install to flatten that learning curve.
Pro tip: blend import and export strategy
Some households pair a dynamic export plan with a cheap overnight import tariff like Octopus Go or E.ON Next Drive, charging the battery off-peak and reselling solar later. That arbitrage can add £ 150 to £250 per year without increasing net grid demand, because you'd import overnight wind power when the grid is greener.
3. Eligibility checklist - documents, hardware, and approvals
Requirement: Why needed? Typical turnaround
The MCS or Flexi‑Orb certificate proves your installation meets quality standards. Provided on installation day.
Smart meter (SMETS2) enables half-hourly export readings. Free swap by the supplier in 2‑- 3 weeks.
Proof of ownership confirms that you, not a lease firm, receive payments. Your invoice/receipt.
DNO G98/G99 confirmation ensures the local grid can accept exports safely. We file electronically; approval usually < 7 days.
A single-line schematic helps the supplier verify system capacity. Included in our handover pack.
Compatible battery (for premium tariffs). Let the supplier control discharge windows. Choose from our pre-approved list: Tesla Powerwall 2, GivEnergy, SolarEdge Home, etc.
Good news: 95 % of our residential clients sail through requirements with zero hiccups because we handle the form‑filling.
4. Five-step sign-up roadmap
1. Tariff selection call - 20 min
We review your generation forecast, discuss rate structures, and shortlist two suppliers.
2. Import switch (if required) - 5 min online
Automatically triggers your smart meter upgrade if you still have an older model.
3. Export application submission - 10 min
Upload certificates, bank details, and photos of the meter serial number.
4. DNO MPAN allocation - 1-4 weeks
Supplier lobbies the DNO; you get a confirmation email with your Export MPAN.
5. First export read & activation - 5 min
Take a snapshot of the initial export register; the supplier back‑dates payments to the application date.
Total elapsed time: typically six weeks, start to finish.
5. Maximising returns: advanced battery tactics and smart‑home tips
Seven strategies our highest-earning clients use
1. Time‑of‑use discharge - schedule battery to export during peak, 4 pm to 7 pm, half‑hours where dynamic rates can hit 35‑45 p/kWh.
2. Solar forecast pre-charge - on cloudy mornings, pre-charge the pack on cheap overnight wind power so you can still earn dynamic export premiums later.
3. Appliance load‑shifting - run washing machines, heat‑pump tumble dryers, or immersion heaters when generation exceeds household base load, keeping exported units at high value.
4. EV delay‑start - most EV chargers offer an "export‑only" mode: the car draws power only when the array is producing above a set threshold.
5. Firmware‑level export caps - some inverters let you cap export below DNO thresholds while still qualifying for better tariff bands.
6. Export trading pools - emerging platforms like SolarExchange pool homeowner exports to negotiate corporate PPAS; beta users report a 5 % bonus over standard rates.
7. Annual system service - clean panels and update firmware; even 2 % extra generation compounds over 25 years.
6. Busting the top ten myths about exporting
1. "It's too complicated."
Five steps, largely automated- your installer handles 90 % of the admin.
2. "I'll pay income tax."
HMRC treats SEG and most export payments as tax-free for domestic systems under 50 kW.
3. "Exporting degrades my battery."
Depth‑of‑discharge management and LFP chemistry mean < 3 % capacity loss per year.
4. "Smart meters overstate exports."
Independent audits show ±1 % accuracy-tighter than most inverters.
5. "Rates will crash if everyone exports."
Peak‑time demand still dwarfs rooftop supply; dynamic tariffs rise when the grid is stressed.
6. "I must stick with my current supplier."
Switching is easier than ever; SEG obligations travel with you.
7. "Only huge arrays earn real money."
A 3 kWp system can still net £100‑£150 a year-more than a premium bank account pays on the same capital.
8. "I lose SEG if I choose a tracker."
Tracker sits on top of SEG; the guarantee is baked in.
9. "Exporting voids my panel warranty."
Manufacturers warranty panels for generation, not self-consumption.
10. "Batteries are pointless if I export." Battery arbitrage multiplies, not diminishes, export income
7. Case studies
The Browns - Bristol suburb, 1930s semi
• Install: 4.2 kWp solar, 5 kWh battery, SolarEdge inverter
• Tariff: Octopus Flux (dynamic)
• Export share: 59 %
• Year‑1 income: £512
"Flux looked scary at first," admits Sarah Brown, "but the app's 'turbo' setting automatically times our export. We earned enough in year one to cover both kids' swimming lessons."
The Nguyens - Newcastle new‑build, detached
• Install: 7.8 kWp solar, 10 kWh battery, GivEnergy hybrid
• Tariff: E.ON Next Export Exclusive (fixed 16.5 p)
• Export share: 66 %
• Year‑1 income: £1,112
Dao Nguyen says, "We liked the certainty of a fixed rate. Paired with an overnight Go import for the EV, our net annual bill is close to zero."
8. Environmental gains: decarbonising Britain's grid
Every kilowatt‑hour you export displaces marginal gas generation. According to BEIS data, the average UK grid intensity at peak is 220 g CO₂/kWh. Exporting 2,000 kWh therefore saves about 440 kg CO₂-the same as cycling instead of driving 1,400 miles. Scale that across 900,000 solar homes and exports could cut UK emissions by 400,000 tonnes per year-enough to offset the annual footprint of a city the size of Bath.
9. Quick‑start homeowner checklist
1. Confirm you have a SMETS2 smart meter.
2. Locate your MCS or Flexi‑Orb certificate.
3. Run a generation forecast (we offer a free desktop assessment).
4. Compare at least two premium export tariffs.
5. Book any import tariff switch.
6. Gather bank details and proof of address.
7. Submit export application online.
8. Mark the calendar for the first export reading.
9. Set battery schedule (we'll program it for you).
10. Review export income after three months and adjust settings if needed.
10. Glossary
• Battery arbitrage - Buying electricity cheap (or generating it) and selling or avoiding costly imports later.
• DNO (Distribution Network Operator) - A Company that owns regional power lines and must approve grid connections.
• Export MPAN - The meter point code that identifies your export supply.
• G98/G99 - Engineering recommendations that govern small-scale generation connection.
• Inverter - Device that converts DC from panels into AC for home and grid use.
• SEG (Smart Export Guarantee) - UK law mandating payments for exported renewable electricity.
• Smart meter - Internet-connected utility meter capable of half-hourly readings.
11. Next steps - claim your personalised savings forecast
You now know how a solar export tariff transforms spare electricity into a reliable second income, how a battery amplifies that value, and why acting early cements higher rates before the next tariff reshuffle.
Ready to Power Your Future with Solar?
Join hundreds of UK homeowners and businesses already saving with GRW Solar.
Enjoy cleaner energy, lower bills, and expert support every step of the way.
Call us free on 0800 059 0606
Email:
enquires@grwsolar.co.uk
Visit grwsolar.co.uk to get your free quote today
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