UK SEG — E.ON Next

E.ON Next SEG tariff — ~5.5p export, and how to earn more than double.

E.ON Next pays roughly 5.5p/kWh for exported solar — legal, but near the bottom of the commercial market. The honest play: keep E.ON import if you must, but move your export contract to EDF (12p) or switch fully to Octopus (15p). Here is the maths.

What the E.ON Next SEG tariff actually pays

E.ON Next's commercial export rate sits at approximately 5.5p/kWh in 2026, bundled with E.ON import. It clears the Smart Export Guarantee floor — suppliers with 150,000-plus customers must offer a rate above 0p — but it is a minimal compliance offer, not a competitive product. For context, 5.5p is less than half what EDF, Scottish Power and Octopus pay. E.ON treats export as a retention add-on for existing import customers, so the rate has stayed low while better-positioned suppliers have pushed export rates up towards wholesale value.

Where E.ON Next sits in the market

E.ON Next (~5.5p) sits in the low band alongside OVO (5p), Shell Energy (3.5p) and British Gas Export & Earn Plus (6.4p). The high band is occupied by Octopus Outgoing Fixed (15p), Octopus Outgoing Agile (14-18p average, requires Octopus import), EDF Export Standard (12p flat) and Scottish Power SmartGen+ (~12p). The structural difference matters: EDF can be signed as a SEG-only contract on top of any import supplier, while the rest require you to switch import too.

The honest fix: switch your export, keep your import

This is the part most E.ON customers miss. You do not have to leave E.ON entirely to escape the 5.5p export rate. EDF accepts SEG-only export contracts from customers on any other import supplier — so you can keep E.ON for import and move just the export contract to EDF at 12p. Switching only the export contract takes about 14 days, carries no exit fees, and does not touch your supply or your import deal. For a commercial operator part-way through a fixed-term E.ON import contract, this is the lowest-friction route to more than doubling export revenue.

EDF Export Standard (12p) — SEG-only, no import switch, no exit fees, ~14-day move
Octopus Outgoing Fixed (15p) — highest flat rate, but requires switching import to Octopus
Scottish Power SmartGen+ (~12p) — competitive, but requires Scottish Power import

E.ON Next SEG worked example — the revenue uplift

For a typical 500kWp commercial site exporting 120,000 kWh/year, currently on E.ON Next at 5.5p:

Current E.ON Next SEG revenue at 5.5p: £6,600/year
EDF Export Standard at 12p (SEG-only, keep E.ON import): £14,400/year
Octopus Outgoing Fixed at 15p (full switch): £18,000/year
Uplift switching export to EDF: £7,800/year
Uplift switching fully to Octopus: £11,400/year
25-year cumulative differential vs EDF (CPI-adjusted): £220,000+
Switching effort (EDF route): 14 days, no exit fees, import unchanged

The EDF route is the default recommendation because it captures most of the uplift with none of the import-contract risk. The Octopus route only wins net if Octopus import pricing also suits your usage profile — otherwise a cheaper export rate can be eaten by a more expensive import bill.

When does staying on E.ON Next make sense?

Rarely, for a commercial site. The one scenario where E.ON export is defensible is a site that self-consumes nearly all of its generation and exports almost nothing — in which case the export rate barely matters and the convenience of a single supplier wins. But any site with meaningful export volumes (a large roof, a quiet weekend load, or summer over-generation) is losing material revenue every year the export sits at 5.5p. The break-even is low: even modest export volumes justify the 14-day switch to EDF.

How to move off the E.ON Next SEG rate

Confirm you hold an MCS certificate in your business name for a sub-5MW system
Confirm your meter supports half-hourly export readings (most modern commercial meters do)
Decide the route: EDF SEG-only (keep E.ON import) or full switch to Octopus
For EDF: apply via the EDF SEG portal with your MCS number and meter point reference — no import change required
EDF verifies the certificate (5-10 working days) and the new export tariff goes live the next billing cycle
Cancel the E.ON Next export arrangement once the new contract is confirmed live

For SEG-only switches the whole process runs around 10-14 days end to end. Your E.ON import contract is untouched throughout, so there is no supply interruption and no exit fee exposure.

E.ON Next SEG FAQs

What does the E.ON Next SEG tariff pay in 2026?

E.ON Next pays approximately 5.5p/kWh for exported electricity in 2026, bundled with E.ON import. That clears the SEG floor obligation (any rate above 0p) but sits near the bottom of the commercial market. EDF Export Standard pays 12p, Scottish Power SmartGen+ around 12p and Octopus Outgoing Fixed 15p — between two and three times more. For a high-export commercial site, that gap is worth several thousand pounds a year.

Is the E.ON Next SEG rate competitive for commercial solar?

No. At roughly 5.5p, E.ON Next sits alongside OVO (5p) and British Gas (6.4p) in the low band, well below EDF (12p), Scottish Power (12p) and Octopus (15p). It meets the legal SEG floor but does not reflect the wholesale value of exported solar. If you generate meaningful export volumes, staying on E.ON Next export leaves money on the table every single year.

Can I keep E.ON import but switch my export to another supplier?

Yes. EDF accepts SEG-only export contracts from customers on any import supplier — so you can keep E.ON for import and move just your export contract to EDF at 12p. Switching only the export contract takes about 14 days with no exit fees and no disruption to supply. This is the single highest-return move for most E.ON Next commercial customers stuck on the 5.5p export rate.

How much more would I earn switching from E.ON Next SEG to EDF?

For a 500kWp site exporting 120,000 kWh a year, E.ON Next at 5.5p returns about £6,600. EDF Export Standard at 12p returns £14,400 — an uplift of roughly £7,800 a year for a 14-day switch with no exit fees. Octopus Outgoing Fixed at 15p would return £18,000, but requires switching import to Octopus as well, which only makes sense if Octopus import pricing also stacks up for your site.

Why is E.ON Next export rate so low?

Suppliers set SEG rates commercially, and E.ON Next has chosen to position its export rate as a minimal floor offer rather than a competitive product. Suppliers with 150,000-plus customers must legally offer some SEG rate above 0p, but nothing forces a generous one. E.ON treats export as a retention add-on for existing import customers, not a standalone profit centre — so the rate stays near 5.5p.

Do I need an MCS certificate and smart meter to leave E.ON Next SEG?

Yes, the same requirements apply to any SEG contract. You need an MCS certificate in your business name confirming the solar PV system is under 5MW, plus a meter capable of half-hourly export readings. Most modern UK commercial meters already qualify; if not, the incoming supplier arranges an upgrade. Once those are in place, moving from E.ON Next to a higher-paying export contract is straightforward.

Should I switch fully to Octopus or just move export to EDF?

It depends on your import contract. If you are tied into a fixed-term E.ON import deal, move only the export to EDF (12p, SEG-only, no import change, no exit fees). If your import contract is ending or flexible and Octopus import pricing is competitive for your usage, a full switch to Octopus captures the 15p Outgoing Fixed rate. Both beat 5.5p materially — EDF is simply the lower-friction option.

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