Selling surplus solar power and EDF OA in 2026: rates, procedures, tax
Understand the buy-back of the surplus from your solar generation: who buys it, at what price, how to sign the EDF OA contract, and what you must (or need not) declare to the tax authorities.
- →Under self-consumption with surplus sale, EDF OA buys your excess at 0.011 €/kWh (order of 1 June 2026, indexed +2%/year). Under full export, the rate is 0.011 €/kWh for 9-36 kWp, and 0.011 €/kWh for 36-100 kWp.
- →Self-consumption is worth ~18× more than selling the surplus: every kWh you consume yourself saves you 0.2001 € (EDF regulated tariff), whereas selling it earns only 0.011 €.
- →Selling requires an Enedis connection (two-way Linky meter), a connection request, and signing a contract with EDF OA.
- →Income from selling is tax-exempt for installations ≤ 3 kWp (or income < 3,000 €/year). Above that, the micro-BIC regime applies with a 71% allowance.
- →Pure self-consumption and plug & play kits export nothing to the grid: no EDF OA contract, no tax, but also no sales income.
How does selling surplus solar power work?
When your solar panels produce more electricity than you consume at a given moment (at midday, for example), the excess can be fed into the national electricity grid. This excess is called the surplus.
This surplus is bought by EDF Obligation d'Achat (EDF OA), an entity separate from EDF SA, whose legal mission is to buy the output of installations eligible for the regulated rate. The mechanism rests on a purchase contract signed between you and EDF OA, separate from your electricity supply contract (which you keep with your current supplier).
Two distinct modes: surplus or full export
There are two forms of sale, aimed at different profiles:
- Self-consumption with surplus sale: you first consume what you produce, and the excess is sold at 0.011 €/kWh. This is the recommended mode for the vast majority of residential households.
- Full export: available only from 9 kWp. All of your generation is fed into the grid and bought back at 0.011 €/kWh (9-36 kWp) or 0.011 €/kWh (36-100 kWp), without directly self-consuming anything from your panels. You keep buying your electricity as usual from your supplier. This mode is uncommon in residential settings.
Buy-back rates in force in 2026
The rates are set by the Commission de Régulation de l'Énergie (CRE) and fixed by the order (arrêté) of 1 June 2026. The rate is indexed +2%/year for the surplus and for full export.
Comparison of rates by system size: full export
For full export, the rate also depends on the installed capacity:
| Installed capacity | Full export rate (2026) | Contract term | Revision |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 kWp < P ≤ 36 kWp | 0.011 €/kWh | 20 years | Fixed at commissioning |
| 36 kWp < P ≤ 100 kWp | 0.011 €/kWh | 20 years | Fixed at commissioning |
Self-consumption bonus (prime à l'autoconsommation): a supplement separate from the buy-back
The self-consumption bonus is often confused with the buy-back rate. They are two distinct mechanisms:
- The self-consumption bonus is a subsidy paid in 5 annual instalments, tied to installing a self-consumption system (with or without surplus sale).
- The buy-back rate is the payment for electricity actually fed into the grid.
Since 1 June 2026, the self-consumption bonus has been abolished for all new installations. Earlier installations already receiving a bonus continue to receive it until it ends.
Self-consumption vs full export: which to choose?
This is the central question for optimising your investment. The answer depends mainly on your potential self-consumption rate.
| Criterion | Self-consumption + surplus | Full export |
|---|---|---|
| Value of a kWh generated | 0.2001 €/kWh (saved) + 0.011 €/kWh (sold) | 0.011 €/kWh (9-36 kWp, all sold) |
| Value if you are at home during the day | ⭐⭐⭐ Very favourable | ⭐ Of little relevance |
| Value if you are away during the day | ⭐ Low | ⭐⭐⭐ Better suited |
| Flexibility | Consume whatever you like | None: everything goes to the grid |
| Buy-back contract duration | Not applicable (revisable) | 20 years, fixed |
| Battery compatible | ✓ Yes | ✗ No (everything exported) |
| Self-consumption bonus | ✓ Can be combined | ✗ Cannot be combined |
For residential installations (≤ 9 kWp), self-consumption with surplus sale is the only mode available, and the most advantageous. Full export exists only from 9 kWp, at a rate of 0.011 €/kWh (9-36 kWp), far below the EDF regulated rate saved through self-consumption (0.2001 €/kWh).
Steps to sell your surplus: step by step
The procedure takes place in several stages, some of which are handled by your RGE-certified installer. Here is the complete path.
Tax on sales: what you must (or need not) declare
The tax treatment of selling solar electricity depends on the size of your installation and the amount of your annual sales income.
Installations ≤ 3 kWp: full exemption
For households whose installation is less than or equal to 3 kWp, income from sales is exempt from income tax and social contributions, whatever the amount. You have nothing to declare on your tax return.
Installations > 3 kWp or income > 3,000 €/year: micro-BIC regime
Above 3 kWp, or if your sales income exceeds 3,000 € per year, the sums received fall into the category of Industrial and Commercial Profits (BIC). The micro-BIC regime applies with a flat 71% allowance on receipts, which means only 29% of your sales income is subject to income tax and social charges (17.2%).
| Situation | Tax regime | Effective taxation |
|---|---|---|
| Installation ≤ 3 kWp | Full exemption | Nothing to declare |
| Installation > 3 kWp, income < 3,000 €/year | Exemption (threshold) | Nothing to declare |
| Income between 3,000 € and 188,700 €/year | Micro-BIC (71% allowance) | 29% of receipts × (marginal tax rate + 17.2%) |
| Income > 188,700 €/year | Actual-expenses BIC regime | On actual profit |
Special cases: pure self-consumption and plug & play kits
Some installation modes do not allow the sale of surplus, and this is not an oversight: it is a technical and regulatory constraint.
Pure self-consumption (no export)
An installation configured for pure self-consumption has a limiting or decoupling system that prevents export to the grid. No electricity is fed into Enedis's network. Consequences:
- No EDF OA contract, no export connection procedure
- No sales income
- No self-consumption bonus (because an export criterion is required in some schemes, check with your installer)
- All the excess generation is “lost” (limited to zero), so a battery then makes full sense
Plug & play kits (balcony solar)
Plug & play kits connect to a standard socket (up to 800 Wp of regulatory capacity in France). They have no official grid connection and cannot export surplus. No tax, no EDF OA contract, no procedures, but also no sales income and no self-consumption bonus.
Frequently asked questions
What is the solar surplus buy-back rate in 2026?
In 2026, the buy-back rate for surplus under self-consumption is set at 0.011 €/kWh (order of 1 June 2026, indexed +2%/year). For full export (from 9 kWp only): 0.011 €/kWh (9-36 kWp), 0.011 €/kWh (36-100 kWp), indexed +2%/year over 20 years from the commissioning date. Full export does not exist below 9 kWp.
Who buys solar electricity in France?
EDF Obligation d'Achat (EDF OA) is the reference statutory buyer. Other suppliers may offer alternative contracts on the open market, but EDF OA remains the reference option and is legally required to buy your output if you ask it to.
Is the sale of surplus solar power taxable?
For installations ≤ 3 kWp, or whose annual income does not exceed 3,000 €, the income is tax-exempt. Above that, the micro-BIC regime applies with a 71% allowance: only 29% of receipts are taxable.
Is it better to sell the surplus or self-consume it?
In the great majority of cases, self-consumption is far more advantageous. A self-consumed kWh saves you 0.2001 € (EDF regulated tariff), whereas selling it earns only 0.011 €. The gap is ~18×. Full export exists only from 9 kWp (0.011 €/kWh for 9-36 kWp), and is less profitable than self-consumption in most cases.
Can I switch mode (self-consumption to full export) during the contract?
No. The choice of mode (self-consumption with surplus sale or full export) is made at commissioning and fixed for the duration of the contract. It is not possible to switch along the way. That is why it is important to analyse your consumption profile before choosing.
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