Why am I not being paid for my solar yet? G98, G99 and the export wait, explained

Your panels are on the roof, the sun is out, and your app says you're sending electricity back to the grid, but no money is coming in. Or your installer has told you to wait weeks before the system can even be switched on.

You're not alone. It's one of the most common frustrations we hear from solar owners in the North West. Here's what's going on, in plain English, and what you can do about it.

The short answer

There are usually two separate waits:

• Network approval. Your local electricity network has to be told about your system, and bigger systems need its permission before they're switched on. This is the "G98" or "G99" you may have heard about.
• Getting paid. Your energy supplier has to set you up to be paid for spare electricity. That needs paperwork from your installer and the right meter setup.

Wait 1: Network approval (G98 and G99)

Who is "the network"?

Your electricity comes to your home through cables owned by a network operator (the industry calls it the "DNO", short for distribution network operator). It's not the same company you pay your bill to. In the North West it's:

• SP Electricity North West (formerly Electricity North West) for most of the region, including Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cumbria
• SP Energy Networks for Merseyside and parts of Cheshire

Your network operator needs to know about anything that sends electricity back into its cables, so it can keep the local network safe and stable.

G98 or G99: which one applies to me?

It depends on how much electricity your system can send out at once. What matters is the size of the inverter (the box that converts solar power for your home), not the number of panels.

• G98: inverter up to 3.68kW on a normal home supply. Most homes in the UK have a "single-phase" supply, and this is the limit for that. Your installer fits the system and then notifies the network within 28 days. You don't have to wait.
• G99: anything bigger. Your installer has to apply and get approval before the system is switched on.

A common example: a "4kW" solar system often comes with a 3.6kW inverter, so it falls under G98. Add a battery, though, and the panels and battery together can often send out more than 3.68kW, which usually means G99.

How long does G99 take?

Usually 4–8 weeks. It can take 8–12 weeks if the network operator is busy, or if the local network is already handling a lot of solar. Some smaller systems can be approved faster.

Common reasons for delay:

• missing or wrong paperwork from the installer
• the local network being "constrained", meaning it can't take much more electricity
• the network asking for changes to the system

What is "export limiting"?

If the network can't take everything your system could send out, it may approve your system with a limit on how much it sends back. Your installer sets this limit in the inverter.

It doesn't stop you using your own solar power. It just caps how much spare electricity goes back to the grid. For most homes the effect on savings is small, but ask your installer what limit, if any, applies to you.

Some installers fit the system with a temporary limit so it can be switched on under G98 while the G99 application is still going through, then lift the limit once it's approved.

Who does the paperwork?

Your installer should do it, and it's usually included in the price. The application itself is normally free. But it's your system and your bill, so it's worth asking:

• Is my system G98 or G99?
• Who's applying, and when?
• Will there be an export limit?
• When can it be switched on?

Wait 2: Getting paid for spare electricity

Even once your system is running, payments for spare electricity don't start automatically. Under the government scheme for these payments (the Smart Export Guarantee, or SEG), you have to apply to an energy supplier, and they'll usually need:

• Your MCS certificate. This proves your system was fitted by an approved installer. Some installers take weeks to issue it. This is the most common hold-up.
• A smart meter that records exports. Your meter needs to record the electricity you send back, not just what you use. Some meters need switching into "export mode" by your supplier.
• An export meter number (the industry calls it an "export MPAN"). Your supplier usually arranges this, but it can take a while.

Once everything's in place, payment setup often takes a few weeks.

Will I be paid for the time I was waiting? Not always. Some suppliers backdate payments to when your system was installed or when you applied; others only pay from when your account is set up. Check before you apply, and apply as soon as you have your MCS certificate.

How to avoid the wait catching you out

• Ask before you sign. Is it G98 or G99? Who applies, and is it in the price? When will I get the MCS certificate?
• Get dates in writing. A good installer will tell you roughly how long approval and paperwork will take.
• Chase the MCS certificate. Ask for it on the day your system is finished, or within a week or two at most.
• Choose your payment rate early. Pick a supplier and rate for spare electricity before the system is switched on, so you can apply straight away. (See our guide: Solar export tariffs explained.)
• Check your meter. Ask your supplier whether your smart meter is recording exports.

Does this change whether solar is worth it?

Not much. A few weeks' wait means a small amount of lost income in the first year, typically tens of pounds rather than hundreds, and it doesn't change the long-term figures. But it's frustrating, especially when nobody tells you to expect it.

Get your own numbers, with no sales calls

Tell us your postcode and roughly what you pay for energy, and we'll email you an independent estimate within 24 hours, with every assumption shown. No phone number needed. If you'd like quotes, you choose up to 3 vetted local installers, all MCS-certified (the industry's approved-installer scheme), and only the ones you approve hear from you.

Already got a quote? Send it to us and we'll check it, including whether the grid approval and paperwork are covered.