Solar Power Hub

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Have solar panels at home?

Here's a handy guide with everything you need to make the most of them. Whether you’ve just had them installed by us, or moved in to a home with solar panels. We’re here to support you every step of the way.

If you don’t have them just yet and you’re curious, read all about getting solar + battery storage and get your installation quote.

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Setting up your solar export

Choosing the right tariff for you

Troubleshooting

Join the Solar Community

How solar export works

As well as powering your home directly, your solar panels can send any extra energy generated straight to the energy grid — and we, your energy supplier, will pay you for all the power you export.

Once you've got your panels, they'll start exporting right away, but before you can earn anything off your rays, we need to work together to set up your new export meter, so we can measure exactly how much power you export.

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Setting up your solar

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  • Sign up: Apply online to your preferred export tariff.
  • Application process (2 days): Octopus Energy processes your application and requests an export MPAN from the DNO.
  • DNO creates your MPAN (1–4 weeks): The DNO issues your export MPAN. This step may take time and depends on their resources.
  • MPAN enrollment (5 days): Your new export MPAN is added to your Octopus account, and you'll get an email to provide your first meter reading.
  • Smart meter connection: Once connected, Octopus starts tracking your export usage, and your sunny earnings come straight into your Octopus account.

Which solar export tariff is right for me?

The right solar smart tariff can save you up to 90% on your electricity bills.

Different energy suppliers offer competitive export rates that they'll buy your power for. Similar to energy you use from the grid, you get to choose an energy company for your export.

We've got a few great solar export tariffs – and we've historically had some of the best solar export prices on the market!

Here's the best tariffs based on the products you have:

These are general rules: the best one for you will depend on your setup and usage, so do reach out for personalised advice!

Your low carbon tech Your best tariffs for import and export
Just solar panels Flexible or Fixed Octopus (import) + Outgoing Fixed (export)
Solar & battery storage Octopus Flux
Solar & EV Intelligent Octopus Go
Solar & heat pump Cosy Octopus (import) + Outgoing Fixed (export)
Solar, EV & heat pump Intelligent Octopus Go + Outgoing Fixed (export)
Just battery storage Agile Octopus (import) + Agile Outgoing (export)

Try our smart tariff quiz

More about each tariff

Flux in a house

Octopus Flux

Import/export tariff designed for solar + battery

What are the benefits? Cheap price overnight so you can recharge or use more. High rate in the early evening when you should export and use less.

What do I need to do? To get the most out of Octopus Flux, you’ll need to manually schedule your battery to charge during the off-peak windows.

Sign up here
inteligent-octopus-flux

Intelligent Octopus Flux

Import/export tariff designed for solar + battery

What are the benefits? We handle your tariff schedule so you can get the most from your solar and reduce your energy costs.

What do I need to do? Absolutely nothing! We'll handle it all and export the energy you have stored when you'll make the best return.

Sign up here
outgoing-octopus

Outgoing Octopus


A simple export tariff that pays you 15p per kWh for every unit of energy you send back to the grid.

What are the benefits?
It’s straightforward: you’ll earn a flat rate whenever you generate more energy than your home uses.

What do I need to do?
There’s nothing to manage—your solar panels will automatically prioritise your home’s energy needs and any extra will go to the grid. If you have a battery, it will store excess energy first, and any surplus will be sent to the grid once the battery is full.

Sign up here
Agile

Agile Octopus

A flexible tariff with half-hourly prices tied to wholesale costs, so you save when prices drop.

What are the benefits?
Shift your energy use to off-peak times to save, and take advantage of Plunge Pricing—where you’re paid to use electricity when prices go below zero. Rates are often lowest when the grid is greener.

What do I need to do?
Use energy during cheaper periods and watch for alerts when prices drop below zero. You can also program smart devices with the Agile API to maximise savings.

Sign up here

If you’re still unsure about the best tariff for you, read more on the ins and outs of saving money with a smart tariff.

And if you’d prefer to go with another supplier for your import energy, you can still join our SEG flat rate export tariff.

Find the perfect app for you

With your new solar panels installed, finding the best app to manage your energy usage is key to making the most of your savings and staying in charge of your usage. The right app can help you track energy production in real-time, monitor consumption, and even sell excess energy back to the grid.

Following installation, we’ll ask that you install the Enphase app, GivEnergy app or Tesla app, depending on which brand of inverter you have installed.

With the mobile app, you’ll be able to monitor and manage your usage anytime, anywhere. It’s really simple to use, and simple to control when you need to. If you have any further questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

solar power

Troubleshooting

solar house

Got a problem with your solar? Don’t worry, we’ve got solutions:

You should have received a full solar handbook, alongside troubleshooting solutions when your solar panels were first installed. Drop us a message if you'd like us to resend it.

However, for any troubleshooting issues, we'd recommend contacting our brilliant technical team who'd be more than happy to help:

Call them on this number from Monday - Friday: 0808 175 1696.

Maintenance

One of the great things about solar panels is how easy they are to maintain. Our bird proofing keeps pigeons from nesting and messing with your system, and the angle of the panels allows rain and snow to slide off, cleaning them naturally.

Just keep an eye on any new shading or things covering your panels, over time to ensure you’re getting the most from your panels. Other than that, you have absolutely nothing to think about!

Although, if you have a shallow roof, you might need to clean every couple of years or more -- the bird protection that comes with your panels should help to reduce this.

If you can see dirt on your panels, it’s worth speaking to your local window cleaner to find out if they’ll do it for you.

Or if you want to do it yourself, all you need is a soft brush on an extendable pole. But - it’s important to only use water to clean them as cleaning chemicals can damage the coating.

Thanks for helping us save the planet

Constantine with builders+solar

Every kWh of solar you generate means less fossil fuel burned. Over the year, a typical solar home offsets between 1.3 to 1.6 tonnes of carbon per year- That’s like planting almost 80 trees!

Not to mention, you’re helping pave the way to a more efficient and green energy system. Your generated power will reduce the demand on the national grid, especially during peak times, leading to cheaper bills for all.

We'll also send personalised details of your exact environmental impact each year, so you know exactly the difference you’re making to the planet.

Refer a friend and get £100!

Love your new green home tech? Refer a friend for a solar power installation, and you'll both save £100! Just ask your friend to provide your unique referral code, and we’ll discount their installation - and give you £100 in the form of energy credit or a voucher.

Make £100

FAQ's

How do I monitor my export energy?

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To monitor your energy usage and generation, you’ll be set up on the app, and you’ll also be able to see this information from your Octopus Energy account. If you decide to join an Octopus tariff, export payments will be paid directly into your Octopus account.

I have solar, should I get battery storage installed too?

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This depends on both how much electricity you generate and when you use it most. For example, if you tend to use a lot of energy in the evening, we’ll probably recommend a battery. This is because you won’t be there to use the energy when the sun is brightest during the day; instead you can store the electricity in the battery for use in the evening. You may also be able to save more with a battery when paired with one of our solar smart tariffs.

Our lives are varied, so there are many more circumstances that might impact this decision - but this is something that our solar advisors will be able to help you with. Find out more about savings here.

Do they work when it’s cloudy?

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Yes - even when it's cloudy and grey, snowing or raining, the panels will still generate electricity if it’s light outside, although less will be generated than in bright sunshine. The only time the panels won’t generate is at nighttime, because the sun isn’t shining.

Need more help?

For any general queries, our solar experts are always here to help:

Email: solar-aftercare@octopusenergy.services

Or call us: 0808 175 1696

Our aftercare phone line is open from 8am – 8pm Monday to Saturday and 10am - 6pm Sunday.

We're also available via social media or email, 7 days a week so someone is always on hand to help.

How our customers are loving their solar

Our customers are cutting costs and helping the planet with their impressive solar setups. Take a look at some of their amazing savings and share your own solar snaps with us!

Share your solar snaps

Published on 21st December 2024 by:

image of Samsam Farah

Samsam Farah

Writer

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Hey I'm Constantine, welcome to Octopus Energy!

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