If you're generating your own power, we can pay you for any excess power you generate and top you up from the national grid, if you get low.

• Contact doesn't sell or install solar panels/systems or other generation equipment. This is organised by specialist generation providers/solar installers. Your first step is to contact your preferred provider to find the best solution. 
• Your next port of call is your network company to apply for a connection contract. The connection contract will permit you to connect your new solar or other distributed generation (DG) equipment and allows you to send any surplus energy into the network. Contact your local network company. Your specialist generation provider/solar installer may apply to the network company on your behalf.
• With the help of your generation provider/solar installer, you can then arrange a qualified installer/electrician to help with the job (including certification of the generation equipment). 

• To sell any surplus energy back to the grid, you need a special import/export meter installed. That's where Contact comes in. These special meters can have two or more registers with at least one that records the surplus energy exported from your solar/generation equipment to the network. 
• If you're not already a Contact customer, you’ll need to choose a plan and sign up with us (note: solar/DG isn’t available on our Good Nights plan). When you're ready, complete your application form to request a distributed generation meter be installed.
  Terms and conditions apply. 
  Terms and conditions for residential customers. 
  Terms and conditions for business customers.
• Provided you have met all the requirements on the application form and your electrician has the wiring and required certification has been done, Contact will arrange for a new meter to be installed if your current one isn’t compatible. 
• Once your solar/DG equipment is installed and certified and your new import/export meter is in place, time to start selling your surplus energy to Contact. 
• Some pricing plans and/or offers may not be available with a distributed generation meter and/or solar system. 

For most customers, you will see the amount of electricity you’re selling back to us credited on your bill, where applicable. 

Check out our buyback rates. 

For our Residential customers, you can contact us on 0800 266 841 or click here to send us an email if you have any questions. 

For our Commercial and Industrial customers with a Time of Use meter, you will need to invoice us for your surplus export meter units. Please contact our Collaborative Solutions Team on 0800 100 249 who can explain how to do this or email us. 

All of our plans are eligible with the exception of Bach Plan and our Good Nights Plan with free power 9pm - midnight Monday to Friday. If you’re already these plans, you will need to choose a new one before applying. Prepay customers are also not eligible.

If you’ve got the dream combo and are running battery and solar, choose our Good Charge plan. It gives you a higher buy back rate during peak usage times (between 7-9am and 6-10pm weekdays).   

See our buyback rates on all eligible plans.

No there is no maximum amount. Note, most residential solar installations will output under 10kWh. 

If a new meter or an update to your current meter is needed, we charge an electricity meter change fee. Methods vary from remote meter updates to manual replacements.    

We may not be able to install distributed generation metering at sites where there is asbestos, a meter mounted directly to a house with no fireproof meter box or where the meter is not protected from the elements, substandard wiring, etc. If our contractor finds your meter board or the wiring doesn’t measure up or a remote meter update didn’t go as planned, we'll let you know your options. 

Your current pricing plan may need to change to make sure it’s compatible with the new import/export meter set up. If that’s the case, we’ll contact you to discuss your pricing plan options.

Our contractor will install your meter within 15 days after your application has been approved. Please make sure your electrician has finished any necessary wiring before our contractor installs the meter and has arranged for any inspections and/or certificates of compliance. Have those on hand if you can. 

Once it’s installed, time to start selling back your surplus energy to us. 

Here are the common types of meter set-up. Your tariff (also known as variable charge) depends on which type of electricity meter set-up you have. Note, your current tariff may need to change to make sure it’s compatible with the new import/export meter set up. If that’s the case, we’ll contact you to discuss your options.

If you have further questions on distributed generation, we are happy to help! 

• Distributed generation output for less than 30 kilowatt (kW):  Email us or call on 0800 266 841 during business hours.
• Distributed generation output for greater than 30 kilowatt (kW): Please get in touch with Simply Energy who can help.