SEG problems

I'm trying to arrange a SEG tariff for an installation that was done just after the end of the FIT scheme. The property, a church, has a 3 phase meter though the solar panels feed only one phase, the one that carries the most daytime load.

Our current supplier, Total GP do not offer a SEG.

Octopus, an obvious choice, do offer one where they do not have a supply contract but require a smart meter which meters the export.

TotalGP refuse to install a smart meter.

Where do I go with this?

  • Where do I go with this?

    Change supplier completely to one who does have a SEG tariff and will install smart meter for you?

    AFAIK you can't have a Smart Export Guarantee tariff without some sort of export metering - which will almost certainly mean a smart meter these days. 3-phase smart meters were a bit of an issue - not sure if they're still a problem but if so I don't see (technically) why they couldn't fit three single-phase smart meters if they wanted (presumably if you were exporting 1kW on one phase and importing 1kW on another you'd be charged/paid for both at the appropriate rates, rather than summing to zero) but arguably that's technically correct even if it's not what the bean counters might have preferred). Or a separate supply with a smart meter just for the PV and leave the old 3-phase meter as is for import.

       - Andy.

  • Thanks.

    Separate supply doesn't work as the main benefit of the panels is to reduce the import on the phase carrying the main load.

    Yes, there was an issue with 3 phase smart meters which is why one was not installed originally, but it now seems to be resolved.

    I don't know if you can have 2 meters in series, one being used to measure import one for export?

  • I don't know if you can have 2 meters in series, one being used to measure import one for export?

    Technically yes - I have a generation meter (for FIT) and then the import/export meter in series. Traditional rotating disc meters usually had a pawl to prevent reverse rotation so one wired forward would record import and a second wired backwards as it were would record export. Whether the supplier's IT systems could cope with that is another matter though.

       - Andy.