Global Solar Feed-In Tariff Rates 2026

Solar feed-in tariff rates vary from zero to 24 JPY/kWh depending on country, system size, and scheme type — and several major markets eliminated or significantly cut their FiT programs in 2024–2025. Getting the rate wrong in a financial model means an unviable project; getting the registration deadline wrong means losing the tariff entirely. This page compiles verified current rates from national regulators across 20+ countries as of April 2026, explains which schemes are open to new installations, and explains what changed recently.

Global FiT Rates at a Glance

The table below covers active and recently closed schemes. USD equivalents use April 2026 exchange rates. “Surplus” means only generation exceeding on-site consumption is paid; “Full generation” means all kWh generated are paid regardless of self-consumption.

Europe

Germany — EEG (Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetz)

Germany’s feed-in tariff is the world’s most studied. Introduced at 57 ct/kWh in 2004, it triggered an enormous rooftop solar boom. The rate is now a fraction of that, but the scheme remains open and provides a 20-year guaranteed rate locked in at commissioning.

August 2025 rates (Bundesnetzagentur, effective 1 August 2025):

The full-export option (12.47 ct/kWh) applies when a system is wired to feed 100% of generation into the grid with no on-site consumption. This is uncommon for residential but used in some agricultural and commercial configurations.

Solarspitzengesetz — the negative-price rule (from 25 February 2025):

Under the Solarspitzengesetz (Solar Peak Act), PV systems above 2 kW commissioned after 25 February 2025 receive no FiT payment during any 15-minute interval in which the electricity exchange price is negative. Those unpaid intervals are added to the end of the standard 20-year FiT period as a “Nachholzeit” (catch-up extension), so the total subsidised generation volume is preserved — but income is deferred, not lost.

Historical context:

Registration requirement: all systems must be registered in the Marktstammdatenregister (MaStR) within one month of commissioning. Missing this deadline delays or voids FiT eligibility.

United Kingdom — Smart Export Guarantee (SEG)

The original UK FiT closed to new applicants on 31 March 2019. Existing FiT recipients continue to receive their locked rates. The SEG replaced it and has been mandatory for licensed suppliers with 150,000+ customers since January 2020.

Key SEG rules:

• Ofgem sets no fixed floor rate — only requires the rate to be above zero
• Each supplier sets its own tariff, creating genuine market competition
• Systems must be MCS-certified (or equivalent) and below 5 MW
• Export measurement requires a smart meter capable of half-hourly reads

Current SEG tariffs (April 2026):

Octopus and OVO reduced their fixed rate from 15p to 12p/kWh in March 2026, reflecting lower wholesale electricity prices. The Intelligent Flux export tariff remains high because it dispatches battery exports during peak price periods.

Ofgem’s SEG Year 5 report (2025) recorded 50 available tariffs from 11 licensees — 71% of all SEG-registered installations are with Octopus Energy.

France — EDF Obligation d’Achat (S21 Contract)

France’s feed-in tariff for small residential solar went through a significant restructuring effective March 2025. The EDF OA system now distinguishes sharply between system sizes:

Systems up to 9 kWc (post-March 2025 connection applications):

• Surplus tariff: 4 c€/kWh
• Self-consumption investment premium: ~€80/kWp (one-time, replaces higher surplus payment)
• Full-sale tariff: abolished for this size category

Systems 9–36 kW: 12.43 c€/kWh (full generation, quarterly adjusted)

Systems 36–100 kW: 10.81 c€/kWh (full generation, quarterly adjusted)

Systems 100–500 kW: 8.86 c€/kWh (full generation, quarterly adjusted)

The shift for small residential systems means the economics now strongly favour self-consumption over export. At 4 c€/kWh export versus 20–25 c€/kWh retail electricity avoided, the financial case for maximising self-consumption through battery storage or load shifting is clear.

Apply via EDF OA’s S21 contract portal before connecting to the grid.

Spain — Compensación Simplificada

Spain does not have a traditional feed-in tariff under Royal Decree 244/2019. Instead, the autoconsumo framework provides compensación simplificada (simplified compensation) for surplus generation.

Key rules:

• Available for installations up to 100 kW connected at low voltage
• A bidirectional meter is required
• The compensation value offsets the variable energy component of the monthly bill — it cannot exceed the cost of electricity consumed in the same period
• Rates are set by each energy supplier, not by government mandate

Current supplier compensation rates (2025):

Because the compensation offsets bill cost rather than generating direct income, it is more accurate to compare it to the retail tariff avoided than to a standard FiT rate.

Italy — Ritiro Dedicato and End of Scambio sul Posto

Italy’s Scambio sul Posto (SSP) scheme, which provided bill-offset compensation similar to net metering, closed to new agreements on 26 September 2025. Existing SSP agreements remain active until their natural expiry.

New installations now use the Ritiro Dedicato (RD) mechanism, where the GSE (Gestore dei Servizi Energetici) purchases surplus energy:

• Average 2025 RD rate: approximately 13 c€/kWh
• Paid monthly based on actual metered export

The GSE also administers Comunità Energetiche Rinnovabili (CER — renewable energy communities), which offer an alternative revenue model for grouped installations.

Netherlands — Saldering Phase-Out by January 2027

The Netherlands currently operates a full net metering scheme (salderingsregeling), which allows solar households to offset annual generation against consumption on a 1:1 basis at the retail rate. This is the most financially generous mechanism in Europe for residential solar — effectively treating the grid as a free battery.

The Dutch Senate voted in December 2024 to abolish the salderingsregeling from January 1, 2027. After that date:

• Energy suppliers will set their own feed-in compensation rate
• The government requires the rate to be above zero and “reasonable” — at least 50% of the contracted retail price
• Expected range: 5–10 c€/kWh (versus current retail around 22–28 c€/kWh)

For systems commissioned now, the salderingsregeling applies until December 31, 2026. Systems commissioned after January 1, 2027 will receive retailer-determined export compensation from day one.

Asia-Pacific

Japan — FIT and FIP (FY2026)

Japan’s feed-in tariff was introduced in 2012 at 42 JPY/kWh for all solar systems. The rate has declined annually since then, but Japan still maintains one of the highest guaranteed residential rates globally. METI sets rates annually, published each March/April for the fiscal year starting April 1.

FY2026 rates (effective April 2026):

Important FY2027 change: From April 2027, ground-mounted commercial solar will be excluded from both FIT and FIP support entirely. No further auctions will be held and no FIP support will be available for that category. This effectively ends government-backed revenue for new large-scale ground-mount projects in Japan.

The residential 24 JPY/kWh front-loaded rate reflects Japan’s policy of making solar financially attractive for homeowners, who then shift to a lower rate in years 5–10. The 8.3 JPY/kWh rate for the back half of the contract period tracks closer to market rates.

Apply through METI’s registration system before commissioning. Applications submitted after the fiscal year deadline receive the following year’s (lower) rate.

Australia — Retailer-Set FiT

Australia has no federal feed-in tariff. Each state or territory has its own framework, and within most states, retailers set their own export rates — often above state-mandated minimums.

State-by-state FY2025-26 summary:

Victoria removed its guaranteed minimum feed-in tariff for FY2025-26, replacing it with a time-varying minimum that reaches zero during midday periods of high solar generation. This directly reflects grid saturation at midday.

Queensland’s Origin Energy 22 ¢AUD/kWh rate for Southeast Queensland is the highest fixed rate available in Australia as of 2026, but it is a promotional rate and eligibility requirements apply.

Thailand — VSPP Residential and FIT Scheme

Thailand’s Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) manages solar export compensation through two channels:

Residential rooftop (MEA/PEA buyback):

• Rate: 2.20 THB/kWh for 10 years
• Applies to: households exporting surplus to the grid via MEA (Bangkok) or PEA (provinces)

Solar + battery storage FiT (2024 scheme):

• Rate: 2.8331 THB/kWh over 25 years
• Target: 1 GW procurement over 2022–2030

For context: Thailand’s retail electricity price is approximately 4.5 THB/kWh, so the export rate at 2.20 THB/kWh is roughly half the retail value — similar to the surplus-FiT model in France for small systems.

Middle East and Africa

Most countries in the Middle East and Africa operate net metering schemes rather than feed-in tariffs for distributed solar. Feed-in tariffs are more commonly used for utility-scale procurement auctions rather than rooftop solar.

Regional highlights:

The South African SSEG framework is a net metering model rather than a FiT — the credit rate varies by municipality. Cape Town’s export rate is separate from Eskom’s and varies by season and time of day for larger systems.

Americas

United States — No Federal FiT; Net Metering Dominates

The United States has no federal feed-in tariff. All states set their own net metering or export compensation rules. A small number of utilities offer voluntary “export tariffs” that function similarly to a FiT, but these are rare.

The most common mechanism is net metering, where exported kWh are credited at or near the retail rate. California’s NEM 3.0 (effective April 2023) significantly reduced export compensation for new systems — from near-retail to an “avoided cost” rate averaging 5–8 ¢/kWh depending on time of export.

California NEM 3.0 context:

• Export credit: 5–30 ¢/kWh depending on time of export (CAISO avoided cost)
• Peak export credits (evening hours): up to 30 ¢/kWh
• Off-peak midday: as low as 3–5 ¢/kWh
• Designed to incentivise battery storage, not midday export

Some US utilities operate true FiT programs on a voluntary or pilot basis, but these are uncommon and not standardised.

Brazil — ANEEL Net Energy Metering

Brazil operates a net energy metering (compensação de energia) framework under ANEEL Resolution 1059/2023, which replaced Resolution 482/2012. It is not a FiT — surplus credits offset consumption at the retail rate, subject to a distribution system charge (TUSD) from 2023 onward for systems commissioned after the resolution date.

Canada — Provincial Net Metering; Ontario FiT Closed

Ontario’s microFIT and FIT programs closed to new applicants in 2017. Existing contracts (20 years) continue at their locked rates (microFIT: 39.6 ¢CAD/kWh for contracts signed before 2017 — one of the highest historical FiT rates globally). All new systems in Ontario use net metering at retail rates.

British Columbia and other provinces operate net metering schemes. No Canadian province has an open FiT program for new applications as of April 2026.

Schemes That Changed Significantly 2024–2026

Several major markets restructured their support mechanisms in the past two years. These changes affect financial models for projects currently under development.

Degression Trends: Where Rates Are Heading

The direction of travel is consistent across all markets: rates decline as solar becomes cheaper and grids become saturated at peak generation times.

Germany: The EEG degression mechanism has reduced the ≤10 kW rate from 9.87 ct/kWh (Jan 2023) to 7.86 ct/kWh (Aug 2025) — a 20% reduction in 2.5 years. The 1%-per-half-year schedule is predictable and can be modelled accurately.

Japan: METI has reduced the residential FiT from 42 JPY/kWh (FY2012) to 24 JPY/kWh (FY2026) — a 43% decline over 14 years. The front-loaded/back-loaded structure introduced in recent years (high rate in years 1–4, lower in years 5–10) reflects the desire to front-load returns to make residential solar attractive while reducing long-term subsidy exposure.

UK: There is no formal degression in the SEG — rates are set by market competition. However, Octopus and OVO both reduced their fixed SEG rates from 15p to 12p in March 2026, tracking lower wholesale energy prices. The Intelligent Flux premium variable tariff continues to deliver higher returns for battery-equipped systems.

Australia: Victoria’s removal of the flat minimum FiT from July 2025 effectively imposes a market-based degression in real time — during periods of high solar penetration, the minimum export rate reaches zero.

Key implication for financial models: Locking in a FiT rate now (for schemes that guarantee 20 years) means the degression only affects future commissions. For net metering schemes and market-linked export compensation, assume rate compression over the 20-year model horizon — typically 2–5% per year in real terms.

FiT vs. Net Metering: Financial Impact by Country

For a 6 kW residential system generating approximately 7,200 kWh/year with 40% self-consumption and 60% export (4,320 kWh exported):

Japan’s full-generation FiT is the most valuable for new systems in years 1–4 because every kWh generated earns the FiT rate — there is no split between self-consumed and exported power. Germany’s model rewards self-consumption (higher retail rate avoided vs. export rate) while still providing meaningful export income.

How to Use This Page with SurgePV

The generation and financial tool accepts country-specific FiT parameters including:

• Export rate (and separate self-consumption retail rate avoided)
• Full-generation vs. surplus payment mode
• Annual degression percentage
• FiT contract duration

For a German project, enter 7.86 ct/kWh as the export rate, 1% annual degression, 20-year FiT period. For Japan residential, model years 1–4 at 24 JPY/kWh full-generation and years 5–10 at 8.3 JPY/kWh. For UK SEG, enter 12p/kWh surplus rate with no degression guarantee.

For compliance guidance by country, see the solar compliance hub. The solar design software handles panel layout, shading, and string configuration before the financial model applies.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Germany’s solar feed-in tariff for 2025?

Germany’s EEG feed-in tariff from August 2025 is 7.86 ct/kWh for systems up to 10 kW (surplus export) or 12.47 ct/kWh if the system exports 100% of generation. For 10–40 kW systems the rate is 6.80 ct/kWh, and for 40–100 kW it is 5.56 ct/kWh. Earlier in 2025 (H1), the ≤10 kW rate was 7.94 ct/kWh. Under the Solarspitzengesetz, systems commissioned after 25 February 2025 receive no payment during 15-minute intervals of negative wholesale prices, with those intervals added to the end of the 20-year subsidy period.

Does the UK still have a feed-in tariff?

The original UK FiT closed to new applicants in April 2019. Existing recipients continue to receive their locked rates. New installations use the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), which requires licensed suppliers with 150,000+ customers to offer a positive export rate. As of April 2026, best fixed SEG rates are 12p/kWh from Octopus Energy and OVO. Octopus’s Intelligent Flux variable tariff averages around 25p/kWh for battery-equipped homes. There is no Ofgem floor rate above zero — competition drives the market rate.

Which country has the highest feed-in tariff for solar?

Japan’s residential FiT at 24 JPY/kWh (approximately $0.16 USD) in FY2026 is among the highest guaranteed rates globally. The UK’s Octopus Intelligent Flux export tariff averages approximately 25p/kWh ($0.31 USD), but this requires a home battery and is a variable rather than guaranteed rate. Germany’s 7.86 ct/kWh ($0.085 USD) is guaranteed for 20 years from commissioning.

Are feed-in tariffs declining globally?

Yes. Germany declined from 57 ct/kWh in 2004 to 7.86 ct/kWh in 2025. Japan from 42 JPY/kWh in FY2012 to 24 JPY/kWh in FY2026. Vietnam abolished its FiT for new projects entirely in March 2025 (Decree 57/2025). China ended fixed benchmark tariffs for new renewables from June 2025. Australia’s Victoria removed its flat minimum FiT from July 2025. The direction is consistent: as solar LCOE falls, government-backed FiT rates follow. Markets are moving toward self-consumption incentives, competitive auctions, and market-linked export compensation.

What is the difference between a feed-in tariff and net metering?

A feed-in tariff pays a fixed rate per kWh exported to the grid, typically as a cash payment or bill credit at a pre-set tariff. Net metering offsets consumption at the retail rate — each kWh exported earns a credit equal to the retail import price. FiTs often pay less than the retail rate per kWh but generate direct income. Net metering delivers higher effective value per exported kWh but only as bill reduction. Germany uses a FiT. The United States primarily uses net metering. Japan uses a full-generation FiT for residential. Australia uses retailer-set export rates that function similarly to a surplus FiT.

Rates verified from official regulator sources as of April 2026. Exchange rates are approximate. FiT rates change semi-annually (Germany), annually (Japan), quarterly (France), or on market notice (UK SEG). Always confirm the current rate with the relevant national regulator before finalising a financial model. For country-specific compliance guidance, see the solar compliance hub.