Solar Panels but no smart metre

Beksybob

Hello,

I have recently had solar panels installed but I don't have a smart meter, and it is my understanding that I need one if I'm to sell energy back to the grid (hopefully the panels will be producing surplus in the summer!). My electricity supplier (British Gas) isn't installing smart meters in my area and neither are Octopus. These seem to be the only two companies that offer a half decent rate with SEG. Is there anything I can do? It will be absolutely galling if I end up giving British Gas any amount of free electricity!

Alnat1

Your exported electricity goes into the national grid and British Gas won't know anything about it, so they aren't getting anything for free. 

amanda1024

Have you tried getting a smart meter with a different supplier then switching to Octopus or British Gas? Have they given a reason they’re not installing in your area?

Beksybob

Alnat1 said:

Your exported electricity goes into the national grid and British Gas won't know anything about it, so they aren't getting anything for free. 

Fair point, I feel slightly better about it now 

Beksybob

amanda1024 said:

Have you tried getting a smart meter with a different supplier then switching to Octopus or British Gas? Have they given a reason they’re not installing in your area?

No I haven't, maybe that's what I should do - get in touch with everybody to see if anyone will install one. They've just said their engineers aren't working in the area and they can't say when they will be.

sevenhills

Beksybob said:

I have recently had solar panels installed but I don't have a smart metre, and it is my understanding that I need one if I'm to sell energy back to the grid (hopefully the panels will be producing surplus in the summer!). My electricity supplier (British Gas) isn't installing smart metres in my area and neither are Octopus. These seem to be the only two companies that offer a half decent rate with SEG. Is there anything I can do? It will be absolutely galling if I end up giving British Gas any amount of free electricity!

Surely you have a meter that tells you what energy you are generating?

My supplier and FIT(Good Energy) are different companies.

QrizB

sevenhills said:

Surely you have a meter that tells you what energy you are generating?

A generation meter, however, is useless for metered export.

In order to be paid for metered export, you need an export meter. This typically means a smart meter.

Keep_pedalling

sevenhills said:

Beksybob said:

I have recently had solar panels installed but I don't have a smart metre, and it is my understanding that I need one if I'm to sell energy back to the grid (hopefully the panels will be producing surplus in the summer!). My electricity supplier (British Gas) isn't installing smart metres in my area and neither are Octopus. These seem to be the only two companies that offer a half decent rate with SEG. Is there anything I can do? It will be absolutely galling if I end up giving British Gas any amount of free electricity!

Surely you have a meter that tells you what energy you are generating?

My supplier and FIT(Good Energy) are different companies.

Works for FIT payments, but this is a recent installation so gets no FIT payments. SM is the only way the OP can get paid for exporting. 

Beksybob

sevenhills said:

Beksybob said:

I have recently had solar panels installed but I don't have a smart metre, and it is my understanding that I need one if I'm to sell energy back to the grid (hopefully the panels will be producing surplus in the summer!). My electricity supplier (British Gas) isn't installing smart metres in my area and neither are Octopus. These seem to be the only two companies that offer a half decent rate with SEG. Is there anything I can do? It will be absolutely galling if I end up giving British Gas any amount of free electricity!

Surely you have a meter that tells you what energy you are generating?

My supplier and FIT(Good Energy) are different companies.

I do and I can see how much I have exported, but unfortunately they won't take my word for it! Even though they will accept my meter reading for how much I've used but there you go.

QrizB

I would be interested to know how you calculate how much electricity you have exported, when you don't have an export meter.

chris_n

QrizB said:

I would be interested to know how you calculate how much electricity you have exported, when you don't have an export meter.

One meter before the solar (the utility company one) and another between a Henley block and the consumer unit would do it. The difference between the two would be on site generation.