Smart Export Guarantee: getting paid for surplus solar

Electricity used in the home as it is generated reduces grid imports. Surplus may charge a battery or leave the property through the grid connection. Export payments apply to eligible measured exports under an appropriate arrangement, not to every unit produced.

The Smart Export Guarantee is a framework for eligible generators to receive payment from participating suppliers. Compare suppliers’ current terms rather than assuming there is one universal export rate.

Ask your intended export supplier what installation certification or equivalent evidence it accepts, what meter is required and which documents must be supplied. Check the installer’s claimed certification in the relevant register.

Keep commissioning, installation and network paperwork with the equipment details. Confirm who helps with the export application and which parts you must complete yourself. An installation finishing does not automatically open a paid export account.

Consider the import tariff alongside the export offer, including eligibility conditions and whether the supplier requires other services or equipment. A high headline export rate may not produce the best overall outcome for every household.

For a battery system, check the rules around exported stored electricity, particularly if it can be charged from the grid. Ask how the meter records exports and how the proposed controls match the supplier’s conditions.

A unit used in the house cannot also be sold as an export at the same moment. A clear forecast separates direct use, storage losses, battery-supplied energy and exports. Ask for the tariff assumptions to be written down.

Our savings calculator is an illustration using adjustable assumptions. Your installer should provide a roof-specific generation forecast, and your chosen supplier confirms the applicable export terms. No fixed export income or payback period is promised here.