Heads up
Smart Meter shieldUpgrades
Battery storageSolar heating
Evacuated solar tubesTrade
MCS solar installersThis crazy world
Blog
PV solar panels today generate an export tariff and offer a permanent solution to high energy costs. The Smart Export Guarantee pays PV-owners for surplus power that's automatically exported.
Currently, Octopus Energy offers 7.5p per kWh to self-generators.
Typical rates from 1st January 2022:
| Name | Price/kWh | |
|---|---|---|
| Social Energy | Export | 5.6p |
| Octopus Energy | Outgoing Fixed | 7.5p |
| E.On | Export Exclusive | 5.5p |
| Bulb | Export Payments | 5.38p |
| OVO | OVO SEG Tariff | 4.0p |
| ScottishPower | Smart Export Variable | 4.0p |
| SSE | Smart Export Tariff | 3.5p |
| EDF | Export & Earn | 3.5p |
| Npower | Fix & Export V1 | 3.0p |
| Centrica/British Gas | Export and Earn Flex | 1.5p |
*Correct at the time of writing.
"There's no better incentive than realising the golden age of cheap energy is over."
Why install solar panels?
Return-on-investment.
Today, PV export tariffs make solar panels essential, especially in today's geopolitical scary world. A payment for surplus generated and not stored with battery storage, make them necessary for people working from home.
PV solar panels, today.
There are currently approx 1.2 million domestic PV adoptions that grew significantly since 2009 with 2 million installations projected by 2024 in the UK alone.
This growth in adoption is down to the rising costs of traditional energy, lower costs in PV products, and improved technology.
A new dawn beckons with export tariffs and electric vehicle adoption.
Exciting time ahead.
Grants or other incentives for solar panels?
Generating income and independence from the sun is the incentive.
Historically, grants and incentives in the UK began with the Blue Skies solar grant for solar heating back in 2004.
The Blue Skies grant scheme ended in 2008, to make way for an early feed-in tariff scheme.
The feed-in tariff incentivised the earliest PV solar industry up to 2016. Today, selling power using the Smart Export Guarantee is the incentive for solar panels.
Will PV produce all my electricity needs?
In most cases, no. However, it can do a substantial portion.
Each case varies depending on your consumption rate, geographical location, roof orientation, and the size of the system installed.
Installers can predict output with high-precision nowadays.
What about surplus power?
When you're generating at a surplus, you can automatically redirect to battery storage, hot water heating, or charge an electric car.
After that, it will automatically feed into the National Grid, and you'll get financially rewarded for your contributions via the 'Export Tariff'.
If I don't have suitable a roof?
PV-arrays can also be ground-mounted to allow those without roof space to benefit too. We see this today with a growing number of solar farms.
Conclusion.
Once the myths are busted, a PV-powered life becomes newfound freedom.
Admittedly, they won't benefit you much on a snowy day in February, but that doesn't subtract from its usefulness for the rest of the year.
The domestic energy landscape is shifting towards self-generation.
Ask me