Can plug-in solar backfeed the grid in the UK?
Yes. If your plug-in solar system is generating more than your home is using at that moment, the surplus can flow back through the meter towards the public network. That does not automatically mean you will be paid for it.
What actually happens to the electricity?
Electricity takes the path created by the loads and sources connected at the property.
If your plug-in solar is producing 500W and the house is using 400W, roughly 400W can be used locally and the remaining 100W can flow out towards the grid.
If the house is using 1,000W while the solar is producing 500W, the solar simply reduces the amount you import from the grid by roughly 500W.
This is why self-consumption matters: every unit you use directly normally offsets electricity you would otherwise have bought at your import rate. Exported electricity is a separate financial question.
Does the new plug-in solar framework allow export?
The 2026 framework does not turn a compliant product into a guaranteed zero-export device. Plug-in solar is grid-connected generation operating in parallel with the public network.
The inverter still needs the correct G98/network protection and the DNO needs to be notified through the required process.
Will my meter run backwards?
A modern smart or electronic meter should register import and export appropriately rather than physically “running backwards” like some older electromechanical meters could.
If an onsite generation system causes an import meter to behave incorrectly, that is something to raise with the electricity supplier. Meter suitability is part of the wider billing and settlement picture.
Can I get paid through the Smart Export Guarantee?
Possibly, but this is where I would avoid making promises.
The Smart Export Guarantee pays eligible small-scale generators for measured electricity exported to the grid. Ofgem says solar PV is an eligible technology, but the installation still has to meet the SEG eligibility requirements and you need a meter capable of measuring export, normally half-hourly.
Current government guidance also says applicants need to demonstrate that the installation and installer are certified through MCS or an equivalent accredited scheme.
That creates an obvious question for self-installed plug-in solar. The new product framework makes compliant DIY installation possible, but the existing SEG eligibility route still refers to installation/installer certification.
Until suppliers publish clear plug-in-solar-specific export policies, I would not buy a kit assuming SEG income is guaranteed.
Can suppliers offer something outside SEG?
Suppliers can have their own commercial arrangements, but the terms vary. The important point is that the right to connect a compliant plug-in solar product and the right to receive a particular export payment are not the same thing.
Always check the current export tariff requirements with the supplier before relying on export income in your payback calculation.
Does G98 stop export?
No. G98 is primarily about the safe connection and behaviour of small generation on the distribution network. It is not an export-payment scheme.
Our G98 form guide explains the network-notification side separately.
What about anti-islanding?
The inverter synchronises with the public supply while the grid is healthy. If the grid fails, anti-islanding protection shuts normal grid-connected generation down.
So the system can export when the grid is present, but it should not continue energising the network during an outage.
How much could an 800VA system export?
The plug-in product's continuous AC output is capped at 800VA. Export at any moment depends on what the house is using at the same time.
If the house has a 250W base load and the inverter is producing 750W, the potential surplus is around 500W.
That is why a low daytime base load can actually reduce the financial value of plug-in solar if you cannot get paid for the surplus.
Should I try to prevent all export?
Not necessarily. The economics depend on your tariff, whether an export payment is available and the cost/complexity of trying to control export.
For a small 800VA product, the simplest approach may be to increase self-consumption naturally by running suitable loads during daylight rather than adding expensive control equipment purely to chase every exported watt-hour.
What if I already have rooftop solar?
Do not treat the plug-in system as completely separate just because it uses another circuit.
The DNO and export-metering picture relates to the generation at the property as a whole. Existing solar, batteries or other generation can affect what paperwork and supplier arrangements make sense.
My practical summary
Yes, plug-in solar can export. But I would value the system first on the electricity it can realistically offset in your own home.
Treat any SEG/export income as a bonus until your chosen supplier confirms the exact product and self-install route meets its current eligibility requirements.
Common questions
Does plug-in solar send electricity back through the meter?
Yes, when generation exceeds the loads in the home, surplus can flow towards the grid.
Will I automatically get paid?
No. You need an eligible export arrangement and suitable metering.
Is an 800VA plug-in system automatically eligible for SEG?
Do not assume so. SEG has its own eligibility and certification requirements, which are separate from the new plug-in product rules.
Export tariff requirements can change by supplier. Check current Ofgem guidance and the terms of the export supplier you intend to use before relying on export payments.