SSE Airtricity for Solar Panel Owners
SSE Airtricity pays 19.5 c/kWh as its standard Clean Export Guarantee rate, credited quarterly. It also operates a 'Microgen+' premium tier paying up to 32 c/kWh, but that rate is restricted to customers of SSE installer partners and is not available on switch-in alone. For most solar owners switching from another supplier, the standard rate is what applies.
Last verified 6 May 2026
Fact-checked by John Rooney, Solar Energy Editor. Editorial policy
Quick Answer
SSE Airtricity pays 19.50 c/kWh for exported solar electricity under the Clean Export Guarantee, quarterly bill credit. Standard rate (19.5 c/kWh). 'Microgen+' premium tier pays standard + 12.5 c/kWh year 1 (~32 c) and standard + 7.5 c/kWh year 2 (~27 c), restricted to customers of the Activ8 Solar/Battery installation programme; not available on switch-in alone. For a typical 4.4 kWp Irish home exporting around 2,000 kWh per year, that's about €390 in annual export earnings.
SSE Airtricity Microgen / CEG Plan
| CEG rate | 19.50 c/kWh (inc VAT) |
| Payment frequency | Quarterly bill credit |
| Smart meter required | Yes, for measured exports |
| Cap on exports paid | None on standard rate; premium tier installer-only |
| Contract terms | Standard supply contract |
| Parent company | SSE plc (UK) |
Standard rate (19.5 c/kWh). 'Microgen+' premium tier pays standard + 12.5 c/kWh year 1 (~32 c) and standard + 7.5 c/kWh year 2 (~27 c), restricted to customers of the Activ8 Solar/Battery installation programme; not available on switch-in alone.
SSE Airtricity Rates & Prices for Solar Homes
Your solar export earnings only tell half the story. What you pay to import electricity at night and on dull days matters just as much. Here is what SSE Airtricity charges a new customer on a standard 24-hour urban meter, alongside an estimated annual bill at typical usage (4,200 kWh).
| Import unit rate | 30.85 c/kWh (inc VAT) |
| Standing charge | €242.07/year |
| Est. annual bill | €1538 at 4,200 kWh/yr |
New-customer discounted rate, standard 24-hour urban meter, inc 9% VAT. Import rates verified 13 May 2026.
What SSE Airtricity CEG Is Worth to You
Annual export earnings depend on system size and how much of your generation you self-consume.
| System size | Typical annual export | SSE Airtricity earnings |
|---|---|---|
| 2.6 kWp (6 panels) | 1,200 kWh | €234 |
| 3.5 kWp (8 panels) | 1,600 kWh | €312 |
| 4.4 kWp (10 panels) | 2,000 kWh | €390 |
| 5.3 kWp (12 panels) | 2,400 kWh | €468 |
| 5.3 kWp + battery | 1,400 kWh | €273 |
How CEG Payments Work with SSE Airtricity
- Your installer notifies ESB Networks (NC6 form) to register your inverter as a microgenerator. SSE Airtricity cannot pay CEG until ESBN approves this.
- You register with SSE Airtricity via their app, account portal or customer service, including MPRN, NC6 confirmation and IBAN.
- Your smart meter records imports and exports half-hourly, with readings flowing to SSE Airtricity automatically.
- CEG payment lands quarterly bill credit as a bill credit (or cash payout where supported).
- Subsequent payments are automatic unless you change supplier or move house.
Switching to or from SSE Airtricity
Switching to SSE Airtricity
- Sign up online or by phone, switch completes in 2–14 days
- Re-register your microgenerator (NC6 + MPRN)
- First CEG credit lands at the next billing cycle
- Existing exports during the switch are paid by your old supplier
Switching away from SSE Airtricity
- Check for early-exit fees on your tariff (most CEG plans don't charge)
- Final bill clears any outstanding CEG credit
- CEG isn't portable, re-register with new supplier
- Best time: end of your billing period to capture all earnings
SSE Airtricity vs Other Suppliers for Solar
| Supplier | CEG Rate | Payment | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric Ireland | 19.50 c/kWh | Per billing cycle | SSE Airtricity vs Electric Ireland |
| Bord Gáis Energy | 18.50 c/kWh | Quarterly bill credit (after 3-month wait) | SSE Airtricity vs Bord Gáis Energy |
| Pinergy | 25.0 c/kWh | Monthly bill credit | SSE Airtricity vs Pinergy |
| Energia | 18.50 c/kWh | Bi-monthly bill credit | SSE Airtricity vs Energia |
See the full ranking on our CEG rate comparison page.
SSE Airtricity Electricity Rates and Prices (2026)
SSE Airtricity supplies around 750,000 homes in Ireland on a variable standard tariff. The figures below are the rates a typical urban customer on the standard 24-hour plan pays, inclusive of 9% VAT. Variable rates can change with 30 days' notice, so always confirm the live figure on your bill or with SSE before switching.
| Standard unit rate | 28.30 c/kWh (inc VAT) |
| New-customer discounted unit rate | 30.85 c/kWh (inc VAT) |
| Standing charge (urban) | €242.07/year |
| Standing charge (rural) | €303.86/year |
| Rate type | Variable, 12-month contract, 100% renewable |
| Rates effective | 21 May 2026 |
Will switching or going solar cut my SSE bill more?
A typical Irish home uses about 4,200 kWh a year. At SSE's standard rate that's roughly €1431 a year before any discount. Switching supplier can shave €100–€300 off that, but the bigger lever is generating your own power: a 4.4 kWp solar array typically offsets 40–60% of import and earns CEG on the surplus you export.
Compare SSE against every Irish supplier on our best electricity rates and cheapest electricity guides, or see how solar pays back on the solar panels page.
SSE Airtricity Reviews: Is It Good for Solar Owners?
We assess suppliers on what matters to a solar household: the CEG export rate, how reliably it pays, and the all-in import cost. Here's our editorial take on SSE Airtricity.
Strengths
- Large, established supplier (~750,000 customers, SSE plc backed)
- 100% renewable electricity on the standard plan
- Standard 19.5 c/kWh CEG rate is mid-table but reliably paid quarterly
- "Microgen+" premium export tier (up to ~32 c/kWh) for Activ8 installer customers
Watch-outs
- CEG rate (19.5 c) trails Pinergy (25 c) for export-heavy homes
- Quarterly CEG payment is slower than bi-monthly suppliers
- The headline ~32 c rate is installer-channel only, not available on switch-in
- Variable import rate can rise with 30 days' notice
Verdict: SSE Airtricity is a solid, low-fuss choice if you value a big-supplier track record and reliable quarterly CEG credits. If you export a lot of solar and want the top rate, a higher-CEG supplier may earn you more. See the head-to-heads: vs Electric Ireland, vs Pinergy.
SSE Airtricity Contact Number and Customer Service
To register your solar microgenerator, query a CEG payment or sort a billing issue, contact SSE Airtricity directly using the official details below. We're an independent directory, not SSE, so these numbers go straight to them.
| Residential customer service | 0818 81 22 20 |
| Calling from abroad | 00 353 1 513 3292 |
| Sales / new connections | 0818 81 81 10 |
| +353 1 267 8357 | |
| Opening hours | Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm |
| 24h electricity emergency (ESB Networks) | 1800 372 999 |
| 24h gas emergency (Gas Networks Ireland) | 1800 20 50 50 |
| Registered address | Red Oak South, South County Business Park, Leopardstown, Dublin 18, D18 W688 |
A power cut is handled by ESB Networks, not your supplier, regardless of who you buy electricity from.
Managing Your SSE Airtricity Account, Login and Top Up
You manage your SSE Airtricity account, submit meter readings, view bills and top up a pay-as-you-go meter through SSE's own portal and app, not through us. Log in or register at sseairtricity.com, or use the My SSE Airtricity mobile app.
- Login / My Account: manage billing, payment details and meter reads in the My SSE Airtricity portal or app.
- Top up: pay-as-you-go meters top up in the app, by card online, or in store; this is separate from your CEG credits.
- Solar / CEG: once your installer files the NC6 and ESB Networks approves it, register your microgenerator in your SSE account so export payments begin.
If you're reviewing your account because the bill keeps climbing, that's usually the moment solar pays off. See what a system costs and earns back on our solar panels guide and the SEAI grant you can claim toward it.
SSE Airtricity Review: Is It Good for Solar?
As one of Ireland's largest suppliers, SSE Airtricity pairs a solid standard CEG rate with the 'Microgen+' premium tier, though that higher rate is locked to its Activ8 installation programme rather than open on switch-in. For most solar owners the standard 19.5 c/kWh and quarterly credit is the realistic offer.
SSE Airtricity ranks 2nd of 9 on export rate. Whether it suits you depends on your full bill, not just the export rate, so we weigh import prices, standing charge, payment speed and any restrictions below.
Pros
- Pays 19.50 c/kWh for exported solar, one of the higher CEG rates on the Irish market (ranked 2nd of 9).
- Cheapest import unit rate (30.85 c/kWh) of the suppliers we track, which matters on dull days and at night.
- No published cap on the volume of exports paid for.
Cons
Bottom line: SSE Airtricity is a solid choice for solar exporters, particularly if its import rates suit your usage. Always compare against the current market leaders before switching.
SSE Airtricity Microgen FAQ
What is the SSE Airtricity CEG rate in 2026?
SSE Airtricity pays 19.50 c/kWh (inclusive of VAT) for exported solar electricity, quarterly bill credit.
When does SSE Airtricity pay CEG?
SSE Airtricity pays CEG quarterly bill credit as a bill credit on your electricity account.
Can I switch to SSE Airtricity as a solar owner?
Yes. Every Irish supplier is required by law to offer a CEG tariff. Switching takes 2–14 days and you don't lose power. You re-register your microgenerator with SSE Airtricity and CEG payments resume from the next billing cycle.
Does SSE Airtricity cap how many kWh of export it pays for?
SSE Airtricity: None on standard rate; premium tier installer-only.
What are SSE Airtricity's electricity rates and price per kWh?
SSE Airtricity's standard residential price is 30.85 c/kWh per unit (inc VAT) on a new-customer 24-hour urban plan, plus a standing charge of €242.07/year. At typical usage of 4,200 kWh a year that works out to an estimated €1538 bill before any solar self-consumption or export credit. Discounted new-customer rates change often, so confirm the live price with SSE Airtricity before switching.
Who owns SSE Airtricity?
SSE Airtricity is part of SSE plc (UK).
Is the CEG payment taxable?
Under Section 216D of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (as extended by Finance Act 2025 to 31 December 2028), the first €400 per year of CEG export income is exempt from income tax. Income above that is taxable.
Is SSE Airtricity the best supplier for solar?
SSE Airtricity's CEG rate of 19.50 c/kWh ranks 2nd of 9 in the Irish market. The 'best' supplier depends on your overall bill, not just export rate, compare import unit rates, standing charges and any sign-up bonuses on our hub page.
Sources
- SSE Airtricity , sseairtricity.com
- CRU, Microgeneration consumer information , cru.ie
Last verified: 6 May 2026
Fact-checked by John Rooney, Solar Energy Editor. Editorial policy
John Rooney is the founder of Solar Info and has been covering the Irish solar energy market since 2023. He fact-checks all content against official SEAI data and maintains relationships with SEAI-registered installers across Ireland.
Compare All CEG Rates
Switching to the highest-paying supplier is worth €100–€300 a year on a typical 4.4 kWp system. See how every Irish supplier ranks on our full Clean Export Guarantee comparison.