When did the changes to SEG export happen?

MidlandBelle

I've looked through the forum and seen some threads about this but cant find where my questions are answered. Sorry if they are - bit overwhelmed and angry atm.

So Octopus have just told us they're dropping our export rate from 15p/unit to 4.1p/unit from this september. Yes, they said it'll be a 'variable rate' but you just know it'll be 15p in the winter while we're generating nothing to export and 4p in the summer when we're exporting loads...

So we looked at switching our export to another supplier because Octopus usage rates are pretty good but were told by the first two energy firms they WOULD NOT buy from us if we weren't buying from them. I thought that was against the SEG rules? I thought you were allowed to shop around and have separate a separate supplier to who you sold excess to? When did these changes happen? EDF told me in no uncertain terms they WOULD NOT even tell me what their export rate was until we had signed up with them as a user! That's not really fair, is it.

We're only got a 4.3KW system, but what used to earn £50/month is going to drop to £15. At that rate, it's probably not going to have been worth having the solar system fitted in the first place.

Netexporter

The writing has been on the wall for some time. The solution, in most cases, is to add a battery to the system, to increase your self-consumption percentage and also allow for import at off-peak rates in winter.

This recent Gary Does Solar video gives more detail:

The Future of Octopus Energy's Export Tariffs in the UK

badmemory

I suspect that the more people that have solar the worse the rates are going to get.  That is why I didn't factor in the possible export value when deciding on solar.  We have had 2 quarters now when they were suggesting electricity prices were going to come down & they didn't.  I am anticipating 3 price rises a year with just one drop for the future.  But I would not consider solar without batteries.

QrizB

MidlandBelle said:

ISo Octopus have just told us they're dropping our export rate from 15p/unit to 4.1p/unit from this september.

This has been inevitable for a while. I've been expecting it since 2023.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/80076314/#Comment_80076314

MidlandBelle said:

We're only got a 4.3KW system, but what used to earn £50/month is going to drop to £15. At that rate, it's probably not going to have been worth having the solar system fitted in the first place.

You'll still get the full benefit (saving) from the electricity you self-consume.

Qyburn

Has anyone else had this notification?

Reed_Richards

4.1p per unit is the SEG rate Octopus pay to those who are not their import customers.    

Screwdriva

Holy doom n gloom Batman! 

This is not factually correct - Octopus is not reducing SEG export rates to 4.1p. If a reduction were to happen, and my sources at Octopus have denied this repeatedly, it would be minor. 

greenbee

Octopus outgoing is a 12 month fix, so you may need to renew it in order to avoid reverting to their standard SEG. Mine expires in October, and I’ll renew then - the website still shows it at 15p for the fix. Or there is Agile outgoing for people with the time/skills to manage it.

Qyburn

I was rolled onto the variable rate in June, there didn't seem to be an option to renew for a fixed term. But it's still 15p.  I wonder what else exactly the OP received. This is what I got in May ..

Qyburn

MidlandBelle said:

 
.. were told by the first two energy firms they WOULD NOT buy from us if we weren't buying from them. I thought that was against the SEG rules?

It does seem to according to Ofgem, assuming those suppliers are SEG licensees ..

"3.3. At a minimum, a SEG licensee must offer one SEG tariff that is available to all SEG-

eligible installations, regardless of whether the generator is an import customer or

not. A SEG licensee can offer SEG tariffs that are bundled with other products (such

as import) but a bundled offer must be in addition to a SEG tariff that is available to

all SEG-eligible installations"

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/environmental-and-social-schemes/smart-export-guarantee-seg

However remember an "SEG compliant tariff" only needs to be above zero, so could just be a couple of pence.  The sort of 15p/kWh export tariffs we're talking about are additional offerings, and suppliers are allowed to set their own conditions, or not offer them at all.

QrizB

I hope OP comes back with more info.