Bord Gáis Energy Microgeneration Rate 2026: 18.5c/kWh

Bord Gáis Energy pays 18.5c per kWh for surplus solar electricity exported to the grid under the Clean Export Guarantee. That puts it level with Energia and Flogas, a cent below Electric Ireland and SSE Airtricity (both 19.5c) and well below Pinergy's market-leading 25c. Bord Gáis credits export payments four times a year once you have been exporting for at least three months, and the rate applies to its own electricity (or dual-fuel) customers with a registered microgeneration device and, where eligible, a smart meter. As one of Ireland's largest dual-fuel suppliers, Bord Gáis suits households that already buy gas and electricity from it — but the export rate alone is mid-table, so judge it on the whole plan, not the export number on its own.

Bord Gáis Energy's 18.5c Export Rate Explained

Bord Gáis Energy quotes its domestic Clean Export Guarantee rate as 18.5c per kWh for every unit of surplus electricity your system exports to the grid. It is the same headline figure used across Irish supplier comparisons, and it has applied to Bord Gáis microgeneration customers since the scheme's early days — the company made its first export payments back in March 2023.

At 18.5c, Bord Gáis sits in the middle of the market. It is level with Energia and Flogas, a cent below Electric Ireland and SSE Airtricity's 19.5c, and a long way short of Pinergy's 25c standard rate. It is, however, comfortably above the lowest open rates from Yuno Energy and PrePayPower, which sit at 15.89c.

The export rate is variable and Bord Gáis can change it over time. Because your export supplier does not have to be the same company that physically connects you to the grid, you can register your Clean Export Guarantee with another supplier if Bord Gáis's rate ever drops below what suits you.

How Bord Gáis Energy's Rate Compares

On openly-available standard rates, Bord Gáis is mid-table. Several suppliers pay more, and only the lowest open rates pay less.

Rates as of June 2026 from supplier pages and published trackers. Rates are variable and subject to change; check supplier websites before switching. Full comparison: CEG rates in Ireland.

On a typical 4 kWp system that exports around 1,500 kWh per year, Bord Gáis's 18.5c rate earns roughly €278 per year. The same export on Pinergy's 25c rate earns about €375, and on the lowest 15.89c rate about €238 — so switching from Bord Gáis's rate to the top of the market is worth roughly €97 a year, while dropping to the bottom would cost about €40. The catch is that to be paid Bord Gáis's rate you must also import your electricity from Bord Gáis, so judge it on the whole plan — import unit rate, standing charge and export rate together — not the export number alone.

How and When Bord Gáis Energy Pays You

Once your NC6 form is processed and your smart meter is installed, ESB Networks passes your export readings to Bord Gáis. You do not trigger this manually — registration flows through from the NC6. From there, a credit at 18.5c per kWh is applied to your electricity bill for the units you exported.

A few practical details:

• Paid four times a year: Once you have been exporting for at least three months, Bord Gáis applies the export payment as a credit to your electricity bill four times a year
• Metered or deemed: With a smart meter you are paid for every kWh recorded as exported. Without one, Bord Gáis uses a deemed calculation to estimate your export (see below)
• Variable rate: The 18.5c rate can change over time. If it drops, you can register your CEG with another supplier without moving your import account
• Switching: You can change electricity supplier at any time; your new supplier must also offer a CEG rate, so compare export rates as part of any switch

Who Qualifies for Bord Gáis Energy's Microgeneration Payment

Bord Gáis can only pay its export rate to its own electricity customers. If you export to the grid but import from Electric Ireland, Energia or anyone else, you register for the Clean Export Guarantee with that supplier instead. Bord Gáis is the supplier; ESB Networks runs the physical grid and the metering — two separate organisations, even though both touch your export payment.

To receive the payment you need:

• To be an existing Bord Gáis Energy electricity customer, or to sign up for one of its electricity or Dual Fuel plans
• A registered microgeneration device — solar PV, micro-wind, micro-hydro or micro-CHP. Most homeowners have solar PV
• An NC6 form (or equivalent) submitted to ESB Networks, normally done by your installer at the time of installation, so your system is registered to the grid
• A smart meter where you are eligible for one — Bord Gáis requires the smart meter to be installed to qualify for a metered payment; a deemed calculation applies only where one cannot yet be fitted
• To accept Bord Gáis's microgeneration export plan terms and conditions

Bord Gáis Energy as a Dual-Fuel Supplier

Bord Gáis is one of Ireland's largest dual-fuel suppliers, offering both gas and electricity, which is its main draw for solar households. If you already buy your gas from Bord Gáis and you have solar panels, keeping both fuels with one supplier and collecting the 18.5c export credit can simplify your billing. But convenience is not the same as value — the export rate is only mid-market, so it is worth checking whether a higher export rate elsewhere, or a cheaper import plan, would leave you better off overall.

If you are starting from scratch with solar, the supplier you export to is a separate decision from who installs the panels. The SEAI solar PV grant is the same whoever fits the system, and comparing installers on price and system design usually saves more than any single supplier's export rate. Get more than one installer quote before you commit.

Tax on Bord Gáis Energy Export Income

Microgeneration export income is taxable in Ireland, but the first €400 per year is exempt under a Revenue disregard that runs until 31 December 2028. On Bord Gáis's 18.5c rate, a typical 3–5 kWp system exporting 1,000–1,500 kWh a year earns roughly €185–€278, which sits comfortably inside the threshold — so no tax is due and there is nothing to declare for it.

A larger system, or one with a big battery and high summer surplus, can clear the €400 threshold. Income above €400 is declared on your annual tax return and taxed at your marginal rate, with USC and PRSI potentially applying to the excess. The exemption is per individual, not per device. For the full breakdown, see our guide to tax on solar export income in Ireland.

How to Start Receiving CEG Payments from Bord Gáis Energy

If you are already a Bord Gáis Energy electricity customer with solar panels and a registered NC6 form, you may already be set up — check recent bills for a microgeneration or export credit. If you have panels but no credit has appeared, contact Bord Gáis to confirm your microgeneration registration is active.

If you are planning a new solar installation:

1. Choose an SEAI-registered installer. They submit the NC6 form to ESB Networks as part of the job
2. ESB Networks processes the form and arranges a smart meter where needed
3. Register your microgeneration with your chosen electricity supplier (you will need your MPRN and NC6 confirmation), and credits begin once export data flows through
4. Apply for the SEAI solar PV grant through your installer at the same time — it is separate from, and stacks with, your export payments

Frequently Asked Questions