Sell your power to businesses, not just the grid.
The Smart Energy Markets private energy market matches your output to business buyers every half hour, so you can sell on longer, fairer terms than a standard export tariff.
Who it’s for
Owners of operating or planned renewable generators.
- Technology
- Solar, onshore wind, run-of-river hydro and anaerobic digestion. Battery storage is assessed separately.
- Size
- From small rooftop arrays to multi-megawatt sites.
- Stage
- Operating, under construction or consented.
- Metering
- A half-hourly export meter, or one that can be fitted.
How the market works
Generators on one side, business buyers on the other.
Our licensed supplier partner sits in the middle. Every half hour it matches generators’ output to buyers’ demand and settles it. The electricity travels over the public grid.
A day’s 48 half hours
Matched and settled every half hour. The electricity itself travels over the public grid.
Your generatorand other generators
Licensed supplier partnermatches and settles
Business buyersin the market
You and us
Step 1 of 4: You join the market
We assess your generator. If it fits, you agree a generator contract with our licensed supplier partner.
The market
Step 2 of 4: Matched every half hour
Every half hour, your output is matched to the demand of businesses buying through the market.
Supplier partner
Step 3 of 4: You’re paid monthly
The supplier partner pays for your output by self-billing, so you don’t raise invoices.
Supplier partner
Step 4 of 4: Unmatched output is still sold
Output that isn’t matched to a buyer in a half hour is sold through our licensed supplier partner. Your generator contract sets out the price for it.
Routes to market
Why sell through a private market?
How the private energy market compares with the two usual routes for a generator’s output.
| Smart Export Guarantee | Utility PPA | Private Energy Market | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price basis | The supplier’s export tariff, often variable | Negotiated, usually for large sites only | Matched to business demand, on the basis set out in your written offer |
| Contract length | Often 12 months, or variable | Typically 3–15 years | Agreed for your generator and set out in your offer |
| Size | Up to 5 MW | Usually several MW | From small rooftop arrays to multi-megawatt sites |
| REGO value | Often kept by the supplier | Negotiated | Set out in your generator contract |
| Know who uses your power | No | No | Yes, where buyers agree to be named |
REGOs are Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin, the certificates that show electricity came from a renewable source.
What you get
A contract, monthly payments and buyers you can name.
A written generator contract
With our licensed supplier partner. It sets out how you’re paid, the term and the fees.
Monthly payments
Self-billed by the supplier partner, so there are no invoices for you to raise.
Half-hourly reporting
Of your matched output, as your generator contract sets out.
Named buyers
Buyers you can name in your own reporting, where they agree.
The assessment
What to tell us, and who replies.
What to tell us
- The technology and its capacity.
- Whether it’s operating, under construction or consented.
- How you export now.
- When any current arrangement ends.
Rough answers are fine.
Who replies
Elliot ClarkeSenior Commercial Decarbonisation Consultant
Elliot replies with whether the market could take your output, and on what basis.
FAQs
Questions about selling your output
More in the FAQs, including metering, the generator contract and switching from an export tariff.
Our promises
Everything in writing first. Prices, the term and the company you contract with are in writing before you sign anything.
No obligation. An enquiry commits you to nothing.
A straight answer. If your site doesn’t suit, we tell you, and point you to what might.
No sales calls. We only phone you if you ask us to.
Start here
Who could buy your output?
Tell us about the generator and Elliot or a colleague in the team will reply with whether the private energy market could take its output, and on what basis.
Elliot Clarke
Senior Commercial Decarbonisation Consultant, Cwmbran.
Smart Energy Markets Ltd, Cwmbran.
What do you generate or store with?
Or pick an answer above and the enquiry opens with it already chosen. You can change any answer before you send it.