Smart Export Guarantee: getting paid for Bushey solar exports

The Smart Export Guarantee provides a framework for participating suppliers to pay eligible generators for exported renewable electricity. It is an arrangement with an energy supplier, separate from buying panels or signing an installation contract.

Solar electricity used directly in the home reduces imported electricity. Surplus can be stored or exported. Export payments depend on the energy sent to the grid and the tariff terms, not simply the rated size of the array.

Ask a potential export supplier what installation certification, commissioning documents and metering it accepts. MCS certification or equivalent evidence is relevant for small solar installations; confirm the supplier’s actual requirements before relying on a sales claim.

Find out who handles the application and when payments can begin. Keep the equipment information and network paperwork with your installation records. An installer fitting panels does not automatically open an export account for you.

A high export rate may depend on an import tariff, equipment or other eligibility conditions. Compare the household’s overall costs and the contract terms rather than choosing one attractive number.

For storage that can charge from the grid, ask how the supplier treats later exports from the battery. Different tariffs can make different distinctions. The supplier determines the contract; the installer explains how the proposed equipment can operate.

Keep directly consumed generation, battery-supplied energy and exports separate. A unit cannot simultaneously earn export revenue and replace a grid purchase. Forecasts should include the proposed export limit and relevant storage losses.

For a shared roof in Bushey or Borehamwood, agree who owns the generation and who receives payments. The arrangement must match the meter and installation contract. Do not allocate the same income to every occupier in the building.