UK SEG — British Gas

British Gas SEG (Export & Earn Plus) — what it pays, how it compares.

British Gas Export & Earn Plus pays 6.4p/kWh — competitive at launch but now materially behind the 12-15p commercial SEG rates from Octopus and EDF. For most commercial solar operators on British Gas SEG, switching the export contract is a £4-8k/year revenue uplift.

British Gas SEG product — Export & Earn Plus

British Gas operates a single SEG tariff in 2026: Export & Earn Plus, paying 6.4p/kWh on exported solar electricity. It requires bundled import + export with British Gas — you cannot sign Export & Earn Plus as a SEG-only contract without British Gas import.

Payment cadence is quarterly, triggered on the standard meter reading cycle. Smart meter capable of half-hourly export readings is required (most modern UK commercial meters qualify; British Gas installs one if needed at no charge).

How British Gas SEG compares to the rest of the UK market

British Gas Export & Earn Plus at 6.4p/kWh sits in the bottom tier of UK commercial SEG products in 2026. The market splits into three bands:

Top tier (12-15p+ flat, plus dynamic peaks of 25-40p)

Octopus Outgoing Fixed — 15p flat (requires Octopus import)
Octopus Outgoing Agile — dynamic, 14-18p average, 25-40p peak
EDF Export Variable — 12-18p banded, 13p typical
EDF Export Standard — 12p flat (SEG-only contract available)
Scottish Power SmartGen+ — 12p flat (requires SP import)

Middle tier (5-8p flat)

British Gas Export & Earn Plus — 6.4p flat (requires BG import)
Good Energy Generation Tariff — 5-8p flat
E.ON Next Export — 5.5p flat
OVO SEG — 4-5.5p flat

Bottom tier (3-4p flat)

Shell Energy Export — 3.5p flat

The economic case for switching off British Gas SEG

For a typical UK commercial solar operator on British Gas Export & Earn Plus, the case for switching the export contract is straightforward. Worked example for a 500kWp commercial site exporting 120,000 kWh/year:

British Gas Export & Earn Plus: 120,000 × 6.4p = £7,680/year
EDF Export Standard (SEG-only switch, no import change): 120,000 × 12p = £14,400/year — £6,720/year more
Octopus Outgoing Fixed (requires Octopus import): 120,000 × 15p = £18,000/year — £10,320/year more
Octopus Outgoing Agile + battery (active management): ~£21,600/year — £13,920/year more

Over a 25-year system life, the differential between British Gas Export & Earn Plus and Octopus Outgoing Fixed compounds to approximately £260,000 of cumulative revenue (CPI-adjusted). On a typical £350k installed cost, switching SEG alone moves the payback period by 1.5-2 years.

How to switch off British Gas SEG (without changing import)

If you have British Gas import on a fixed-term contract that you don\'t want to change, the best SEG-only switch is to EDF Export Standard at 12p flat. EDF accepts SEG-only contracts from non-import customers. The switch takes 14 days; there are no exit fees on standard SEG agreements.

If you\'re willing to switch import as well, the highest-paying option is Octopus Outgoing Fixed at 15p flat or Octopus Outgoing Agile for sites with battery storage. Octopus Energy is consistently rated highly on customer service among UK suppliers.

British Gas alternatives for commercial solar overall

SEG is just one component of the broader 2026 commercial solar funding stack. For UK commercial solar operators on British Gas, the active routes that materially affect project economics:

Full Expensing — 25% effective tax saving on solar capex
0% VAT on commercial solar
SEG tariff optimisation — switching to a higher-paying supplier
Power Purchase Agreements — alternative zero-capex structure
Active 2026 grants and funding

Related supplier-specific guides

British Gas SEG FAQs

What is the British Gas SEG tariff in 2026?

British Gas operates the Export & Earn Plus SEG tariff, paying 6.4p/kWh on exported solar electricity. The tariff is open to British Gas import customers (it requires bundled import + export with British Gas). Payments are quarterly. The rate has been broadly unchanged since 2022 — competitive at launch but materially behind the leading 2026 commercial SEG rates from Octopus (15p) and EDF (12p).

Should I use British Gas for SEG?

For most UK commercial solar operators, no — the rate is approximately half what Octopus and EDF pay. For a 250kWp commercial site exporting 60,000 kWh/year, British Gas Export & Earn Plus delivers £3,840/year of revenue against £9,000 on Octopus Outgoing Fixed (15p) — a £5,160/year differential. Over 25 years that compounds to £130,000+. Most British Gas SEG customers are better off switching the export contract to Octopus or EDF, even if they keep British Gas import.

Can I have British Gas import and Octopus SEG?

No — Octopus Outgoing Fixed and Outgoing Agile both require Octopus import. If you want the higher-paying Octopus SEG rate, you have to switch import to Octopus too. EDF Export Standard (12p) can be signed as SEG-only without changing import — it's the workable middle ground if you want better than British Gas but don't want to switch import.

How do I apply for British Gas SEG?

Apply via the British Gas SEG portal. Requirements: British Gas import account in your business name; MCS certificate confirming the solar PV system is under 5MW; smart meter capable of half-hourly export readings. Approval typically 5-10 working days. Payments are quarterly, triggered on the meter reading cycle.

Has British Gas changed its SEG rate recently?

British Gas Export & Earn Plus has been at 6.4p/kWh since 2022, with no material rate increase in 2024 or 2025. While other suppliers have moved rates up (Octopus increased Outgoing Fixed from 12p to 15p in early 2025; EDF launched Variable at 12-18p in 2024), British Gas has held flat. The next rate review is expected late 2026 but no public commitment to an increase.

Is British Gas SEG worth it for commercial solar?

It's the worst-paying SEG product among the major UK suppliers in 2026 (alongside Shell Energy at 3.5p and OVO at 4-5.5p). For commercial solar operators, switching the export contract to a higher-paying SEG supplier is typically a £4,000-£8,000/year revenue uplift on a 250-500kWp system. The switch takes 14 days and has no exit fees on standard SEG agreements.

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