SMART EXPORT GUARANTEE

The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) allows businesses to get paid for exporting surplus electricity back to the grid.

If your site has solar or on-site generation, any excess energy you don’t use is exported — and SEG determines what you are paid for it.

On paper, it’s simple.

In reality, this is where a lot of value is either gained or lost.

SEG is not a fixed scheme.

Suppliers set their own:

• Export rates
• Contract terms
• Eligibility requirements

This means there is no standard price for exported energy, and no guarantee that the rate you see is the rate you’ll actually achieve.

Two similar businesses can export the same energy and get paid very different amounts.

You may have seen suppliers advertising 15p+ per kWh export rates.

These rates do exist — but they are often conditional.

In most cases, higher SEG rates are only available where:

• You are also an import customer with that supplier
• Specific contract structures are agreed
• Additional requirements are met

Without meeting those conditions, access to these rates is often restricted.

One of the biggest challenges in the SEG market is eligibility.

Some suppliers require systems to be certified under schemes such as MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme).

The issue is:

• Not all commercial systems are MCS-certified
• Some systems meet equivalent or higher standards but still don’t qualify
• Requirements are not always clearly explained upfront

This can lead to:

• Businesses expecting higher rates but not being eligible
• Delays or complications getting export set up
• Settling into lower-value arrangements unnecessarily

Most businesses fall into one of these situations:

• Export is set up but never reviewed
• A headline rate has been chosen without understanding the terms
• Eligibility has been assumed rather than confirmed
• Export is being treated separately from overall energy strategy

This is where export underperforms.

SEG is not just about choosing a tariff.

It needs to be structured correctly within your wider energy setup.

That means:

• Knowing what your site actually qualifies for
• Avoiding restrictive supplier terms
• Aligning export with your import contract
• Keeping flexibility as your energy profile changes

Without this, even a “good” rate can end up being poor value.

At Flame Energy, we don’t just place you on a tariff — we manage the structure behind it.

We:

• Confirm actual eligibility (not assumptions)
• Identify suppliers that genuinely fit your setup
• Avoid misleading or restrictive terms
• Align export with your wider energy strategy

This is how we ensure export is working for your business, not just sitting in the background.

SEG has opened up more opportunity in the export market — but it has also made it more complex.

Higher rates are available, but they are not always accessible, and they rarely come without conditions.

For most businesses, the difference comes down to structure, not just the tariff.

Contact us today to discuss your export options and start earning from your energy.