Feed-in payments or self-consumption: what pays more?
Why a kilowatt-hour you use yourself is usually worth far more than one you export, how to estimate your self-consumption share, and how export schemes differ.
TariffsPublished
Using your solar power yourself almost always pays more than exporting it. A kilowatt-hour you use at home replaces one you would otherwise buy at the full retail price, including network charges and taxes. A kilowatt-hour you export earns only the export rate, which is far lower, or nothing at all. Checked: October 2026.
The simple formula
Your annual saving from a solar system comes from two parts:
Saving = (self-used kWh × retail price) + (exported kWh × export rate)
The retail price is what you pay per kilowatt-hour on your tariff, excluding the standing charge. The export rate is what a supplier or scheme pays for each exported kilowatt-hour; for many plug-in systems it is zero.
A worked example with assumed values
To show the logic, take a plug-in system that produces 700 kWh in a year. These are illustrative numbers, not market prices; put your own figures in our yield and payback calculator.
| Assumption | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual production | 700 kWh |
| Self-consumption share | 50 % (350 kWh) |
| Retail price | 30 per kWh (pence or cents) |
| Export rate | 5 per kWh |
- Self-used: 350 kWh × 30 = 10,500, so 105 in pounds or euros.
- Exported: 350 kWh × 5 = 1,750, so 17.50.
Even with a modest export rate, the self-used half produces about six times the value of the exported half. Raise the self-consumption share and the saving climbs much faster than any change in the export rate could achieve.
What determines your self-consumption share
Base load. The power your home uses constantly: fridge, freezer, router, standby devices, perhaps a ventilation system. A plug-in system that produces less than your base load at midday has almost no surplus. A smart plug with energy metering, or the readings of a smart meter at night, gives you a first estimate.
System size. The larger the system relative to your daytime use, the more is exported. That is why an 800 W kit can achieve a higher share than a larger rooftop system in the same home.
Presence at home. A household that works from home or runs appliances during the day uses more solar power directly.
Storage and flexibility. A battery moves surplus into the evening; a dynamic or time-of-use tariff rewards moving consumption. See plug-in solar with a battery and dynamic electricity tariffs.
Export schemes by country
| Country | Scheme | What it means for small systems |
|---|---|---|
| Great Britain | Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) | larger suppliers must offer an export tariff; eligibility for plug-in kits varies |
| Ireland | Clean Export Guarantee (CEG) | suppliers pay for exports from registered microgeneration |
| Germany | EEG feed-in tariff | plug-in owners usually receive nothing for their surplus |
| Netherlands | net metering (saldering) | ends on 1 January 2027, then a lower supplier rate |
| France | CACSI | self-consumption agreement without export payment |
The rules for each country, including how to register, are on our country rules pages; for the UK and Ireland in detail see plug-in solar in the UK and Ireland.
The UK in more detail
Under the Smart Export Guarantee, suppliers above a certain size must offer at least one export tariff, and the rate must be above zero. Suppliers set their own rates, and some offer much higher rates to their own import customers. The scheme was designed for certified installations, so check with suppliers whether and how a plug-in kit qualifies. A smart meter that records exports is needed in every case.
When exporting still makes sense
Exporting is not a failure. On a sunny weekend when nobody is home, a surplus is unavoidable, and a free export at least helps the grid. The point is not to avoid exports at all costs, but to size and use the system so that most of the power ends up in your own appliances.
Systems that are set up to avoid exports entirely, for example to meet a ‘no surplus’ rule in some countries, use a meter reader that throttles the inverter. We explain that in zero export with a smart meter reader.
Next steps
- Estimate your base load from a night-time meter reading or a metering plug.
- Choose a system size that roughly matches your daytime use.
- Calculate savings with the formula above, or with the calculator.
- Only then compare export tariffs, as a bonus rather than the main return.
More on tariffs is on the tariffs hub.
Frequently asked questions
What is a typical self-consumption share for plug-in solar?
It depends on how much power your home uses while the sun shines. A small system in a household with a steady base load can reach a high share, a larger system in a flat that is empty during the day much less. Measure your base load before you decide.
How can I raise my self-consumption?
Run the washing machine, dishwasher or dryer in sunny hours, use timers or smart plugs, or add a battery. Matching system size to your base load also helps.
Is exporting ever better than self-consumption?
Only where the export rate is close to or above the retail price, as under net metering schemes. Those schemes are being phased out in several countries, for example in the Netherlands from 2027.
Do I need a special meter to be paid for exports?
Usually yes. Export payments rely on a meter that records exported energy separately, which in practice means a smart or bidirectional meter.