Grants and Incentives

What is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) will launch in spring 2022 to aid the decarbonisation of buildings. It will provide upfront capital grants to support the installation of heat pumps, and in some circumstances biomass boilers, in homes and some non-domestic buildings. The BUS will be open to properties located in England and Wales.

Export tariffs

Electricity companies are also allowed to offer export tariffs besides the SEG. These export tariffs are not part of the SEG regulations and are set up through a supplier's own initiative. The prices of export tariffs may differ from SEG prices.

There may also be additional conditions to these export tariffs. For example, an energy supplier may require you to be a customer of theirs before being able to apply for their export tariff.

Smart Export Guarantee

The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) is a regulation for medium and large energy suppliers with more than 150,000 customers to pay residents for the energy they export to the grid from their solar PV system. Accessing an export tariff will help you make the most of your solar PV installation by making sure you get paid for any energy that you do not use and export to the grid.

All Solar Together installations are part of the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) as standard. This means your Solar Together installation will meet the requirements to apply for SEG tariffs so you can sign up and start earning as quickly as possible.

Energy suppliers are allowed to set their own SEG prices. These prices must be higher than zero, and they can be variable similar to variable gas and electricity rates. To apply for the SEG, you do not necessarily need to buy your electricity from that supplier. Instead, you are free to choose from any supplier that offers this.

In order to be eligible to receive payments under a SEG export tariff, you need a meter capable of taking half-hourly measurements, most energy suppliers will suggest a Smart Meter installation if you don’t have one already. Please note that if you do have a Smart Meter, not all currently available Smart Meters allow you to switch to another supplier without losing functionality. If you have questions about your Smart Meter functionality, it is best to discuss this with your energy supplier.

How do I get a SEG tariff?

Please know that Solar Together is an organiser of group-buying schemes for solar PV systems and battery storage. Currently, we do not arrange for export tariffs or SEG’s. This type of contract will need to be set up with an energy supplier directly.

If you have made a choice in an energy supplier with who you would like to have an export tariff or SEG, we recommend getting in touch with them directly. Alternatively, you can also check in with your current energy supplier to see if they have anything available for you.

Normally when applying for an export tariff or SEG, the energy supplier will request the following documents:

• MCS Certificate
• DNO approval (also known as a G98)
• A paid invoice

All these documents will be provided by your installer once the installation has been completed and the invoices have been paid. If you have not yet received these documents, please contact your installer.

Do I need a smart meter?

Smart meters are not necessary for a solar PV installation. However, if you would like to access SEG tariffs you will need to ask your energy supplier to install a smart meter. A small number of suppliers will offer an export tariff without a smart meter but you will have more choice if you do install one.

Save more with battery storage

Did you know battery storage saves the unused energy that is generated by your solar panels, meaning you can use the solar-generated energy whenever you want, instead of only during the day.

Apply for the Warm Homes: Local Grant to improve a home

You could get free energy saving improvements made to your home if you’re on a low income, getting certain benefits or living in a certain postcode area.

The Warm Homes: Local Grant is only available in England. You might be able to get funding from a different scheme if you live in Scotland, live in Wales or live in Northern Ireland.

What you can get

If you’re eligible and your local council has funding available, they will arrange a home survey to see how your home could be made more energy efficient. They might suggest improvements like installing:

• wall, loft and underfloor insulation
• air source heat pumps
• smart controls
• solar panels

Your local council will then organise and pay for any improvement work they’ve agreed with you. You will not need to pay for it.

If you have a landlord, they may need to pay for some of the improvements.

Eligibility

To be eligible, your home must:

• be in England
• be privately owned (either by you or your landlord)
• have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of D, E, F or G – if you do not know your home’s EPC, you can find it out when you apply

Your household income must usually be £36,000 a year or less. If you earn more than that, you might still be eligible if either:

• you live in a certain postcode area
• someone in your household is getting certain benefits