Solar Panels question

Tiger_greeneyes

We had solar panels fitted a couple of weeks ago and wondered how the excess energy gets fed back to the National Grid, whether we get some kind of payment for it, if there's anything we need to do to start this off or whether it's automatic and done through our energy supplier, Outfox The Market.

Thank you

gefnew

Read this from .gov
Smart Export Guarantee (SEG): earn money for exporting the renewable electricity you have generated - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

BarelySentientAI

Did the installers not tell you anything about it?

Are these actually your solar panels or have you rented your roof to a company?

Tiger_greeneyes

BarelySentientAI said:

Did the installers not tell you anything about it?

Are these actually your solar panels or have you rented your roof to a company?

They explained it to my husband as I wasn't here but I want to understand it for myself as well. They're our solar panels.

Reed_Richards

By default the excess energy gets fed back to the grid.  My inverter has a setting that can block or limit that export but I can see no particular point to doing that.

You won't get any payment for what you export unless you have a smart meter and you register it so your SEG provider can read your export readings remotely.

Payment is certainly not automatic but you don't have to register for SEG payments with your energy supplier.  Indeed I don't think Outfox the Market do SEG payments so you will have to go elsewhere.

Octopus seem to offer one of the best payments for exported electricity, but only to their customers for imported electricity.    

Keep_pedalling

First thing you need to do is switch suppliers OFTM don’t provide SEG payments. For example Octopus will pay you 15p pkWh for your exported electricity. Your installer should have provided you with a MCS certificate and applied to the Network provider for an Export MPAM and you will need both of these.

The other thing you need if not already in place is a smart meter. 

debitcardmayhem

You need to get a Export MPAN via your supplier, and generally you need MCS certification, should be done by the installers.

BarelySentientAI

Tiger_greeneyes said:

BarelySentientAI said:

Did the installers not tell you anything about it?

Are these actually your solar panels or have you rented your roof to a company?

They explained it to my husband as I wasn't here but I want to understand it for myself as well. They're our solar panels.

Then ask your husband what he was told.

We can only tell you general things.  He should know precisely what has or hasn't been done yet for your system.

greenbee

If your installer has done the job properly you should have the paperwork you need to apply for an export tariff already. My installation was finished yesterday at 3pm, and my MCS certificate and export MPAN arrived this morning. I switch over to an export tariff (Octopus Flux as I have a battery as well) at midnight tonight. 

You need a compatible smart meter (all SMETS2 and some SMETS1), and the installer to have completed the relevant paperwork so you have the building control, MCS, and DNO paperwork to prove what you have installed and that it is approved. Until you move on to an export tariff, the energy you don't use will essentially be provided 'free' to the grid (but not to the people who end up using it!).