Clean Export Guarantee Rates Ireland 2026: Every Supplier Compared

Pinergy currently pays the highest standard Clean Export Guarantee rate in Ireland at 25c/kWh (as of May 2026). Standard rates across Irish suppliers run from 15.89c/kWh (Yuno Energy, Prepay Power) to 25c/kWh (Pinergy), with SSE Airtricity offering a premium 32c/kWh in Year 1 for homeowners who install via an approved Activ8 partner installer. On a typical 4 kWp system exporting roughly 1,400 kWh per year, that is an annual income difference of €128 between the worst and best standard rate — and as much as €226 more again if you access the SSE Activ8 premium tariff in Year 1.

This page covers every named supplier rate verified as of May 2026, a worked income example, the €400/year tax disregard confirmed until end of 2028, and the smart meter requirement that became a practical necessity from January 2026.

What Is the Clean Export Guarantee?

The Clean Export Guarantee (CEG) is the scheme under which Irish electricity suppliers must pay homeowners for surplus electricity exported to the grid from solar panels and other microgeneration sources. It was introduced in November 2022 under the Microgeneration Support Scheme and is regulated by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU). Suppliers set their own rates — there is no government-mandated floor price — which is why rates vary across the market.

To receive CEG payments, your installer must submit an NC6 connection form to ESB Networks after installation. ESB Networks will then arrange a smart meter if you don’t already have one. From January 2026, the CRU tightened rules on “deemed” (estimated) export payments: only smart meter users receive payment based on actual reads. Without one, your export income is calculated from a standardised estimate that will almost certainly undercount what you actually generate.

CEG Rate Comparison Table — May 2026

All rates below are taken from direct supplier pages, checked May 2026. Rates include VAT where applicable. Check supplier sites before switching — rates can change with notice, and no third-party aggregator is more current than the supplier’s own page.

Sources: direct supplier pages (May 2026), selectra.ie (March 2026), solarinfo.ie (May 2026). Rates are subject to change; always confirm with your supplier before switching. The Bord Gáis rate of 18.5c was confirmed directly on bordgaisenergy.ie in May 2026. Bord Gáis applies quarterly payments for smart meter customers and every six months for deemed (non-smart meter) customers. SSE Airtricity rates (19.5c standard; 32c/27c Activ8 premium) confirmed at sseairtricity.com in May 2026. Promotional tariff structures can change; verify with SSE Airtricity before relying on these for a purchasing decision.

Worked Example — How Much Does a 4 kWp System Earn?

A 4 kWp system on a south-facing roof in Ireland generates roughly 2,800–3,500 kWh per year, depending on location and roof angle. The national average is around 3,200 kWh/year for a standard south-facing install at the national average of 883 kWh/kWp (SEAI 2025 data via PVGIS). If your household self-consumes approximately 50% of what the panels generate, the remaining 1,400–1,600 kWh is exported to the grid and earns CEG income.

Using a mid-point export figure of 1,400 kWh/year:

Assumes 1,400 kWh/year exported and rates remain constant. Actual export quantities depend on household consumption pattern, roof orientation, shading, and seasonal variation. The SSE Activ8 rate drops to 27c from Year 2; the 10-year total for that tariff is approximately €3,850 (€448 in Year 1 plus €3,402 at 27c over 9 further years).

The key takeaway: over 10 years, the difference between the cheapest standard rate (15.89c) and the best standard rate (25c) is €1,280. The difference between the cheapest rate and the SSE Activ8 premium route is approximately €1,630. That gap is worth considering when you are choosing both your installer and your electricity supplier.

The €400/Year Tax Disregard — Extended to 2028

The first €400 per year of income earned from selling surplus electricity back to the grid is exempt from income tax, USC, and PRSI. This disregard was extended to the end of 2028 under Finance Act 2025 — see Revenue.ie for the current guidance (note: Revenue periodically reorganises these URLs; search revenue.ie for “microgeneration” if the link redirects). No Revenue declaration is required as long as your total CEG receipts remain below €400 in a given tax year.

In practice, at the rates above:

• At Pinergy’s 25c/kWh: €400 buys you 1,600 kWh of exports before the disregard is used up.
• At Energia’s 18.5c/kWh: the €400 threshold covers 2,162 kWh of exports.
• Most 4 kWp systems on standard self-consumption patterns export around 1,200–1,600 kWh/year, which means the majority of homeowners will stay under the €400 threshold and owe no tax on export income at all.

If your exports exceed €400 in a year — more likely with a larger system or very low daytime self-consumption — the excess above €400 is taxable and must be declared on your tax return as miscellaneous income (Case IV, Schedule D). It is not classified as rental income. The Revenue page linked above has the current rules, including any changes made since this was published.

The SSE Activ8 Premium Rate — Is It Worth It?

The SSE Airtricity premium CEG tariff (32c/kWh in Year 1, dropping to 27c/kWh from Year 2) is not available to all solar homeowners. It is only accessible if you install through an Activ8-approved partner installer who is part of the SSE Airtricity partnership scheme. If your chosen installer is not an Activ8 partner, you get the standard SSE rate of 19.5c instead.

The numbers: on a 4 kWp system exporting 1,400 kWh/year, the Activ8 Year 1 rate earns €448 versus €350 from Pinergy’s open-market rate — a €98 Year 1 advantage. From Year 2, the Activ8 27c rate earns €378 versus Pinergy’s €350, a smaller €28/year gap. Over 10 years, the Activ8 premium route earns approximately €350 more in cumulative export income than Pinergy.

Two things to weigh before choosing your installer on this basis alone:

1. Install cost difference. If choosing an Activ8 partner installer costs €500–€800 more than a competing SEAI-registered installer for the same system, the export rate premium takes several years to recover that difference. Always compare the net-of-grant installed cost alongside the export rate.
2. Rate changes are not guaranteed. SSE Airtricity can change their export rate with notice. The premium tariff conditions are set by SSE, not by CRU regulation. The 32c Year 1 rate is a promotional structure — terms are available at sseairtricity.com.

How CEG Income Affects System Payback

Export income is one part of the solar payback calculation. The bigger saving, for most households, comes from the electricity you generate and use directly without exporting — because every kWh you self-consume avoids buying it from your supplier at around 28–35c/kWh, versus the 15–25c you’d earn by exporting it.

On a 4 kWp system generating ~3,200 kWh/year with 50% self-consumption and Pinergy’s 25c export rate:

• Self-consumed saving: 1,600 kWh × ~30c/kWh avoided import cost = €480/year
• Export income: 1,600 kWh × 25c/kWh = €400/year
• Total annual benefit: ~€880/year

On a net installed cost of around €6,700 (after the €1,800 SEAI grant — see the full breakdown on the solar panels cost Ireland guide), that gives a payback of roughly 7–8 years. Heavier daytime users (heat pump running on solar, EV charging during daylight) will self-consume more and pay back faster. Lower daytime users who export more see smaller savings per kWh at the CEG rate versus avoided import cost.

For grant eligibility context, see the SEAI solar grant guide — the €1,800 grant is the starting point for the payback calculation above.

Frequently Asked Questions