Why do I need to switch energy tariffs after installing an EV charger or solar system?

Standard variable tariffs charge the same rate all day, which doesn't reward off-peak EV charging or export income from solar. Time-of-use, EV-specific and solar export-friendly tariffs are usually a better fit once your usage pattern changes.

How do I sell excess solar energy back to the grid?

Through the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), UK suppliers with 150,000+ customers must pay you per kWh for electricity you export back to the grid, whether from solar panels or a battery.

How does smart charging and smart resell maximise ROI?

Smart chargers and batteries automatically charge during the cheapest tariff windows or from your own solar generation, then discharge or export at peak price times, maximising savings and export income without manual intervention.

ENERGY TARIFFS · ENERGY SYSTEMS LAB

Getting your energy tariff right after going solar or electric

Toggle what's installed and watch the estimated annual electricity cost update, for a typical UK 3-bed home.

Estimated annual electricity cost

£960/year

National Grid supply £960

Estimates only, based on typical annual energy costs for a UK 3-bed home. Your actual costs depend on your usage, tariff and system size, so get a tailored quote for real figures.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Your old tariff is probably wrong for you now

A flat-rate tariff doesn't reward off-peak EV charging or reduce solar export income.

You can get paid for excess solar power

The Smart Export Guarantee pays you for every unit you send back to the grid.

Smart tech does the optimising for you

Smart chargers and batteries automatically charge cheap and sell high.

Switching tariffs after installing an EV or solar system

Your household's electricity pattern changes overnight. Your tariff should too.

Illustration showing a flat-rate tariff falling short once you charge an EV overnight and export solar by day

Why your standard tariff falls short

Standard variable tariffs charge the same rate all day. Once you're charging an EV overnight or exporting solar by day, that flat rate stops working in your favour: you're paying peak prices to charge, and getting little or nothing for the power you export.

Illustration of a time-of-use tariff clock showing cheaper overnight EV charging rates

Time-of-use tariffs

These charge less overnight and more at peak times (typically 4–7pm). Ideal if you charge your EV overnight, since off-peak rates can be a fraction of the daytime price.

EV-specific tariffs

Built specifically around EV ownership, these often bundle a super-cheap overnight charging window with a smart meter requirement: the biggest single saving most EV owners can make.

Illustration of solar panels exporting surplus power through the meter to the grid in exchange for payment

Solar export-friendly tariffs

Some suppliers pair a competitive import rate with a strong export rate. It's worth comparing against a separate SEG tariff (see below) rather than assuming your current supplier is the best fit.

Selling your excess energy back to the grid

Any solar power you don't use can be sold back. Here's how that income works.

The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG)

UK suppliers with 150,000+ customers must offer an export tariff, paying you per kWh for electricity you feed back into the grid, whether from solar panels or a battery.

Fixed vs. variable export rates

Fixed rates give predictable income; variable rates track wholesale prices and can pay more if you export at peak demand times.

You need an export meter reading

A smart meter (or MCS-certified installer meter reading) is required to register for most SEG tariffs. We handle this as part of every solar install.

Battery storage increases what you can sell

Storing surplus daytime solar and exporting it later, when demand and prices are higher, can meaningfully increase your export income.

Smart charging & smart resell: maximising your ROI

Automated systems that decide the cheapest time to charge and the best time to sell.

Smart charging algorithms

Your charger reads live tariff pricing and your car's target charge time, then schedules charging automatically for the cheapest available window. No manual timing needed.

Solar-matched charging

If you have solar, your charger can prioritise your own generation first, topping up from the grid only when needed, reducing both bills and export loss.

Automated battery dispatch

Battery systems can charge from cheap grid power or solar, then discharge automatically at peak price windows, buying low and selling high without you lifting a finger.

One app, one view

Every system we install links to a single monitoring app, so you can see charging cost, export income and savings in one place.