Octopus Energy SEG and Export Tariffs Guide: Rates and Rules

Key Takeaways

• Octopus Energy offers multiple smart export options, including Outgoing Fixed paying 12p per kWh and peak-shifted export paying 16p per kWh between 4pm and 7pm.
• Octopus Flux provides a symmetrical three-rate structure across import and export, designed for homes pairing solar panels with battery storage.
• Outgoing Agile matches half-hourly prices to day-ahead wholesale electricity markets with uncapped export rates.
• All Octopus export contracts require an export MPAN and a smart meter delivering half-hourly export readings, with zero exit fees or tie-in penalties.

Which export tariffs does Octopus Energy offer for UK solar homes?

Octopus Energy Limited is registered as a mandatory licensee under the official Ofgem Smart Export Guarantee framework. Rather than restricting domestic generators to a minimal statutory rate, the supplier operates a diverse portfolio of export tariffs tailored to different domestic hardware configurations.

Domestic generators can select between three primary export mechanisms:

1. Outgoing Octopus Fixed: A predictable export contract offering 12p per kWh for every unit exported back to the electricity network.
2. Outgoing Octopus Agile: A dynamic tariff that tracks wholesale market fluctuations every half hour.
3. Octopus Flux: A specialised combination tariff providing optimised import and export rates across three daily pricing periods.

To understand how supplier obligations function across Great Britain, read our comprehensive review of the Smart Export Guarantee explained.

Outgoing Octopus: Fixed vs Agile export comparison

The Outgoing Octopus tariff range accommodates homes with standard solar PV installations as well as properties equipped with battery storage.

For standard daytime solar generation without battery storage, Outgoing Fixed provides certainty by paying 12p per kWh for every exported unit. The contract functions as a variable tariff, meaning rates can adjust over time, though Octopus provides advance notice before altering baseline values.

For properties pairing solar arrays with home batteries, the variable peak structure allows owners to discharge stored energy during the evening grid peak. Discharging between 4pm and 7pm yields 16p per kWh, compared to 9p per kWh across off-peak daytime hours.

Outgoing Agile replaces fixed payments with dynamic settlement. Octopus matches half-hourly export prices with day-ahead wholesale electricity rates that remain uncapped, creating revenue opportunities during extreme grid demand events. Detailed comparison criteria are outlined in our guide on how to choose a SEG tariff.

Octopus Flux: Dedicated solar and battery optimization

Octopus Flux is an integrated import and export contract structured around three distinct daily windows. The tariff combines daytime generation capture with overnight off-peak battery charging and evening peak discharge.

The core rules governing Octopus Flux include:

• Three-rate architecture: Octopus Flux is an import and export tariff combining three price periods across every 24-hour cycle.
• Installer flexibility: You need solar panels to be eligible for Octopus Flux, but they do not need to have been installed by Octopus. Third-party MCS installations qualify fully.
• Dual-fuel alignment: Households must maintain both their electricity import and export accounts with Octopus Energy.
• No volumetric limits: There is no limit on total monthly export volumes, enabling high-capacity solar arrays to export surplus power without penalty caps.
• Flexible switching: The contract carries zero exit fees or contractual lock-ins, giving generators the freedom to switch tariffs if generation patterns change.

Detailed metering requirements and data communication standards are documented in our smart export guarantee metering guide.

Eligibility requirements: Smart meters and DNO notification

Enrolling on any Octopus export tariff requires compliance with UK electrical and metering standards. You must confirm the following criteria before your application can proceed:

1. Operational smart meter: You must have a smart meter capable of transmitting half-hourly export data directly to Octopus Energy. Standard credit meters or legacy generation meters without export telemetry cannot settle smart export tariffs.
2. Export MPAN creation: Every grid-tied export system requires a dedicated 13-digit Export Meter Point Administration Number (MPAN). If your installer has not obtained an export MPAN from your local Distribution Network Operator (DNO), Octopus will apply to the DNO on your behalf.
3. Absence of Feed-in Tariff export overlap: Under UK regulations, you cannot claim SEG export payments on generation capacity that is already claiming Feed-in Tariff (FiT) export payments. Generators must opt out of deemed FiT export before activating metered SEG settlement.
4. DNO notification: Systems operating under Engineering Recommendation G98 must be registered with the network operator, while larger systems require formal G99 approval.

Regulatory compliance responsibilities are explained in detail in our SEG supplier rules guide.

How to register and activate your Octopus export MPAN

Registering for an Octopus export contract follows a sequential process:

1. Submit documentation: Provide your property details, MCS installation certificate, and DNO commissioning confirmation via your online account portal.
2. MPAN enrollment: Your new export MPAN is enrolled onto your Octopus account, and you will receive a notification requesting your baseline export meter reading.
3. Telemetry connection: Once the connection to your smart meter is verified, Octopus begins automatically pulling half-hourly export data.
4. Automated settlement: Export earnings accrue automatically on your account ledger and appear as a direct credit on your monthly energy statement.