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Solar export is an increasingly important part of delivering a complete solar installation.
However, getting a customer from generating surplus electricity to receiving value for it can involve more than simply choosing an export tariff.
Metering, installation certification, Distribution Network Operator (DNO) requirements, export limits, supplier applications and different routes to market can all form part of the process.
Installers don’t need to become export specialists, but understanding how the process works and considering export before the installation is complete can help avoid delays, set better customer expectations and create a smoother handover.
So, what are the key things solar installers should know about export in 2026?
Export should be part of the installation conversation from the start
Solar PV systems often generate electricity at times when a business can’t use it all. Without battery storage, surplus will typically be exported to the grid, while customers with batteries may also have opportunities to export once their own requirements have been met.
That means export shouldn’t necessarily be an afterthought. Discussing it during the installation journey gives customers a clearer understanding of what will happen to their surplus generation and what they’ll need to do to receive value from it.
The Smart Export Guarantee isn’t the only thing installers should understand
The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) remains an important part of the UK solar export market in 2026.
Under the SEG, participating electricity suppliers pay eligible small-scale generators for electricity they export to the grid. Mandatory SEG suppliers with more than 150,000 commercial customers must offer an export tariff, although suppliers are free to determine their own rates, contract lengths and certain other terms. This means there isn’t one universal SEG rate.
The amount a customer can receive, and the terms attached, can differ from one supplier to another.
There are also alternative export arrangements outside of the SEG framework. This is an important distinction for installers, because simply telling a customer to “sign up for SEG” doesn’t necessarily give them the full picture and may not be achievable at all.
Depending on their system, meter, electricity supplier and circumstances, customers have a number of different export options to consider.
The important point for installers isn’t to become an expert on every available tariff. It’s to recognise that how a customer’s exported electricity is managed can make a difference to the overall value they receive from their solar installation.
Getting paid for export requires the right setup
One of the most important things for installers to communicate is that exporting electricity and getting paid for exporting electricity aren’t necessarily the same thing.
Before a customer can start receiving export payments, several requirements must be met. Depending on the installation and export arrangement, these may include suitable metering, the relevant installation certification, DNO documentation, and registration with an export provider.
For the SEG, for example, customers generally need an eligible renewable generation system. They also need to show that their installation meets the relevant certification requirements.
The installation itself also needs to comply with the appropriate grid connection requirements.
However, the SEG isn’t the only route available. Zerri helps customers access export arrangements through Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), providing an alternative route to market for the electricity they generate.
Rather than relying on a standard SEG tariff, a PPA provides an agreed mechanism for purchasing exported electricity. Depending on the site and market conditions, this can provide access to more competitive export rates and potentially outperform the returns available through SEG arrangements.
Don’t leave export until after installation
Early preparation is key. If export is only raised once the installation is finished, the customer may find themselves trying to understand metering, paperwork, network requirements, supplier and export arrangements, all at once.
By thinking about it during the sales and installation process, installers can set expectations from the start for the customer to better understand the full value of the system they’re buying.
The highest advertised export rate isn’t necessarily the whole story
Naturally, people are most drawn to the biggest pence-per-kWh figure they see advertised – but the headline rate doesn’t always tell the whole story.
More often than not, SEG products are not fixed, and can drop with little notice.
Export arrangements can have different eligibility requirements and terms, and some offers may be linked to a customer’s import tariff, technology or other conditions.
This is why installers should be careful about building customer proposals around a particular headline export rate.
It can be more useful to explain that export value depends on the customer’s circumstances and the export arrangement available to them.
That gives customers a more realistic expectation and avoids presenting an export income figure that may not apply to their circumstances.
Grid connections remain an important part of the picture
The growth of solar is also putting greater focus on how generation connects to Britain’s electricity networks.
The Government’s Solar Roadmap identified network connections as one of the areas that needs to improve as the UK increases solar deployment, including work to streamline processes and reduce inconsistencies.
This is why export is worth considering before the installation journey is complete. Missing documentation, metering issues or unresolved network requirements can all create delays when a customer later tries to arrange payment for their exported electricity.
Installers don’t necessarily need to manage each of these stages themselves, but understanding what will be required means they can ensure customers aren’t left wondering what to do next once their panels are generating.
Understanding those constraints before setting customer expectations can help avoid problems down the line.
Know where your responsibility for export ends
Installers have an important role to play in making customers aware of export and ensuring the right foundations are in place, but that doesn’t mean your team needs to become responsible for every stage of the export process.
Supplier applications, export registration, meter requirements, tariff comparisons and ongoing administration can quickly create additional work – particularly as the number of installations grows.
The important thing is to have a clear process for what happens once the installation is complete. Customers should understand what they need to do next, who will manage the export process, and when they can expect to start receiving value from their surplus generation.
For some installers, managing this internally may make sense. For others, working with a specialist export partner can provide customers with the support they need without creating another administrative burden for the installation team.
Solar export made simple with Zerri
At Zerri, we work with solar installers to make the export side of the customer journey as simple as possible. We manage the end-to-end export process, helping customers get set up correctly and ensuring they can access value from the electricity their system sends back to the grid.
For installers, this means being able to include export as part of a broader customer proposition without adding another layer of administration for your team to handle.
As solar continues to grow and evolve in 2026, customers are learning more about the value of the electricity they generate, which means that export is likely to become an increasingly important part of the buying decision.
Ready to Offer More Value to Your Customers?
If you’d like to learn how Zerri can support your installations with end-to-end export management, get in touch with our team today and discover how export can become a powerful part of your customer proposition.
