SSE vs EDF: comparing commercial tariffs and features to help you choose for your business

SSE Energy Solutions and EDF are two of the UK’s largest business energy suppliers. Both serve small companies, major industrial users and multi-site organisations, while also offering renewable electricity, smart metering, commercial solar, electric vehicle charging and sophisticated large-business procurement.

Their strongest features are different.

SSE’s fixed electricity plans include 100% renewable power from SSE-linked UK wind and hydro assets. Businesses can choose SSE Protect for extensive price certainty or SSE Choice for a lower-cost structure where selected non-energy charges can change. Larger users can access staged wholesale purchasing, day-ahead optimisation, named renewable assets and Corporate Power Purchase Agreements.

EDF offers small-business fixed tariffs lasting up to four years, compared with SSE’s maximum of three years. EDF Fixed Renewable provides UK REGO-backed electricity, while larger companies can choose renewable, nuclear-backed zero-carbon or mixed-source power. EDF also publishes a broad selection of fully fixed, partly fixed and flexible energy procurement structures.

SSE may be the stronger choice for a company wanting renewable electricity included automatically, renewable gas, named UK wind or hydro generation and a major solar or EV-infrastructure project.

EDF may be more suitable where the business wants a four-year SME fix, nuclear-backed zero-carbon electricity, a wider selection of conventional procurement structures or a published solar-export tariff paying up to 15p/kWh.

Neither supplier is universally cheaper. Commercial rates depend on the meter, postcode, consumption profile, credit risk, contract start date and precise division between fixed and pass-through costs.

SSE vs EDF at a glance

Feature	SSE Energy Solutions	EDF Business
Business electricity	Yes	Yes
Business gas	Yes	Yes
SME supply	Yes	Yes
Large-business supply	Yes	Yes
Standard contracted rates published	No	No
Maximum standard SME fixed term	Three years	Four years
Fully fixed product	SSE Protect	Fixed tariff or Fixed + Peace of Mind
Partly fixed product	SSE Choice	Fixed + Standard
Staged wholesale purchasing	SSE Shaping	Fixed + Energy Trading and flexible contracts
Day-ahead optimisation	SSE Cash Out	Flexibility and asset-optimisation services
Renewable electricity on standard fixed plans	Included	Must select an eligible renewable tariff
Renewable source	SSE-linked UK wind and hydro	UK REGOs from qualifying renewable generation
Nuclear-backed zero-carbon option	No standard equivalent	Yes
Supplier-wide renewable share	64%	18.2%
Supplier-wide nuclear share	0%	54.8%
Supplier-wide natural-gas share	36%	21%
Supplier-wide carbon intensity	138g/kWh	135g/kWh
Renewable business gas	SSE Green Gas and Green Gas Plus	No equally prominent standard SME product
Named renewable asset	SSE Next Generation	Renewable and CPPA options
Corporate PPAs	Named Asset and Portfolio PPAs	Renewable CPPAs with balancing and sleeving
Energy analytics	SSE Clarity	Energy Hub and MyBusiness
Published business export tariff	No universal flat rate promoted	Up to 15p/kWh
Commercial solar	Rooftop, ground-mounted, carport and floating solar	SME and large-commercial solar
Fully funded solar	Ten- to 20-year PPA	Available through funded commercial arrangements
Business EV charging	Workplace, fleet, public, bus and HGV	Workplace, fleet and public-sector charging
Best suited to	Renewable fixed supply and major infrastructure	Longer fixes and extensive procurement choice

SSE’s fixed SME plans run for up to three years and include renewable electricity, while EDF promotes small-business fixed-price security for up to four years.

Which businesses can apply?

Both suppliers serve ordinary SMEs and larger corporate users.

SSE separates small and large-business enquiries using annual consumption. Its small and medium-business route generally covers electricity consumption below 100,000kWh and gas consumption below 293,000kWh. Businesses above those levels are directed towards SSE’s large-business products.

EDF’s online small-business route is aimed principally at organisations using no more than 100MWh of electricity or 300MWh of gas annually. Higher-use customers are directed to EDF Large Business.

Example business	Annual electricity use	Potentially suitable route
Independent shop	12,000kWh	SSE Protect, SSE Choice or EDF fixed tariff
Medium office	60,000kWh	SME contract from either supplier
Restaurant	120,000kWh	SSE large-business route or EDF Large Business
Hotel	400,000kWh	Large or multi-site contract
Manufacturer	2GWh	Fixed or flexible procurement
National retailer	10GWh	Multi-site fixed, flexible or CPPA arrangement
Business requiring renewable gas	Any qualifying level	SSE Green Gas
Company wanting nuclear-backed power	Suitable large-business account	EDF Zero Carbon for Business
Company installing major solar	Site-dependent	Compare SSE and EDF project proposals
Electric HGV operator	High site demand	SSE may have an infrastructure advantage

A supplier can also consider creditworthiness, meter type, half-hourly data, available capacity, number of locations and payment history before offering a contract.

Which supplier is cheaper?

There is no single SSE-versus-EDF business price.

A quotation can depend on:

• the electricity MPAN or gas MPRN;
• postcode and distribution region;
• annual consumption;
• half-hourly demand shape;
• meter profile;
• electricity voltage;
• agreed capacity;
• residual charging band;
• number of sites;
• contract start date;
• contract length;
• payment method;
• credit assessment;
• renewable-product choice; and
• wholesale market conditions.

A complete comparison should calculate:

• Annual consumption × unit rate
• daily standing charge × 365
• capacity charges
• metering and data costs
• network and policy charges
• environmental-product costs
• VAT and Climate Change Levy where applicable
  − export income and other credits

Business energy costs include wholesale, network, environmental and operating components, and Ofgem advises companies to examine the complete contract rather than concentrating only on the headline unit rate.

How unit-rate differences affect annual costs

Annual consumption	Value of 0.5p/kWh	Value of 1p/kWh	Value of 3p/kWh	Value of 5p/kWh
10,000kWh	£50	£100	£300	£500
25,000kWh	£125	£250	£750	£1,250
50,000kWh	£250	£500	£1,500	£2,500
100,000kWh	£500	£1,000	£3,000	£5,000
250,000kWh	£1,250	£2,500	£7,500	£12,500
1GWh	£5,000	£10,000	£30,000	£50,000
10GWh	£50,000	£100,000	£300,000	£500,000

A difference of only 1p/kWh changes annual expenditure by £100,000 for an organisation consuming 10GWh.

How standing charges affect annual costs

Daily standing-charge difference	Annual difference per meter	Difference across ten meters
25p	£91.25	£912.50
50p	£182.50	£1,825
£1	£365	£3,650
£2	£730	£7,300
£5	£1,825	£18,250
£10	£3,650	£36,500

Standing charges can be especially important for landlords, seasonal businesses, vacant properties and organisations with many lightly used meters.

SSE Protect

SSE Protect is designed for businesses that prioritise budget certainty.

Its principal features are:

SSE Protect feature	Detail
Wholesale energy	Fixed
Existing non-energy costs	Fixed
Maximum term	Three years
Electricity source	100% renewable
Renewable assets	SSE-linked UK wind and hydro
Renewable gas	Optional
Budget certainty	High

SSE describes Protect as fixing unit prices and all existing non-commodity costs. Exceptional new taxes, levies or regulatory charges may still be passed through under the applicable terms.

SSE Protect is likely to suit a business that:

• requires predictable budgets;
• cannot respond actively to wholesale prices;
• wants renewable electricity included;
• prefers straightforward forecasting; or
• cannot tolerate changes in network and policy costs.

The greater certainty may produce a higher opening quotation because SSE assumes more of the future cost risk.

SSE Choice

SSE Choice fixes wholesale energy but allows some non-energy costs to change.

Potentially variable elements can include transmission, distribution, balancing, environmental obligations and new regulatory costs.

SSE Choice feature	Detail
Wholesale energy	Fixed
Non-energy costs	Can vary
Maximum term	Three years
Electricity source	100% renewable
Opening-price positioning	SSE’s lower-cost fixed option
Budget certainty	Lower than Protect

SSE describes Choice as its lowest-cost fixed-rate structure, with wholesale prices fixed for up to three years but non-energy prices potentially changing.

Choice may suit a company willing to accept some bill variation in exchange for a potentially lower initial rate.

SSE Protect versus SSE Choice

Requirement	SSE Protect	SSE Choice
Maximum conventional certainty	Stronger	Weaker
Lower opening quotation	Less likely	More likely
Exposure to network-cost changes	Reduced	Greater
Renewable electricity	Included	Included
Contract length	Up to three years	Up to three years
Best for	Stable budgeting	Lower initial pricing with accepted risk

A company should request both quotations and calculate the premium charged for transferring non-energy-cost risk to SSE.

EDF small-business fixed tariffs

EDF offers fixed small-business electricity and gas contracts lasting one, two, three or four years. EDF says its prices are reviewed weekly, so the available quotation can change as market conditions move.

EDF’s fixed SME proposition can include:

• fixed unit rates;
• fixed standing charges, subject to the contract;
• electricity, gas or dual fuel;
• online account management;
• smart-meter installation where eligible;
• Energy Hub access; and
• dedicated business support.

A four-year contract gives EDF an advantage where the company wants to avoid another procurement exercise for longer than SSE’s maximum three-year term.

The drawback is that a long fixed contract may become uncompetitive if market prices fall.

EDF Fixed Renewable

EDF Fixed Renewable matches every unit consumed with a UK Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin.

The tariff provides:

EDF Fixed Renewable feature	Detail
Renewable backing	100% UK REGO-backed
SME term	One to four years
Market-based carbon emissions	Reportable as zero
Nuclear allocation	None within the renewable product
Unit and standing charges	Fixed, subject to terms
Best for	Renewable-only supply with a long fix

EDF introduced the current small-business Fixed Renewable proposition in April 2026.

SSE fixed plans versus EDF Fixed Renewable

Feature	SSE Protect and Choice	EDF Fixed Renewable
Renewable electricity	Included automatically	Must select the renewable tariff
Maximum term	Three years	Four years
Renewable source	SSE-linked wind and hydro	UK renewable generation backed by REGOs
Fully fixed option	SSE Protect	EDF fixed SME structure
Partly fixed option	SSE Choice	Mainly offered through large-business products
Nuclear allocation	None	None
Named asset upgrade	SSE Next Generation	Bespoke renewable or CPPA structure
Renewable gas option	Yes	No equivalent headline SME product

SSE is stronger where renewable electricity should be standard with every fixed quotation.

EDF is stronger where the business wants a four-year renewable contract.

Published default rates

The public rates below are not normal negotiated quotations. They apply where a business is on variable or deemed pricing without an agreed fixed contract.

They can demonstrate the cost of failing to renew, but they cannot prove which supplier is cheaper for a new customer.

SSE Variable Business Rates

SSE’s latest published Variable Business Rates took effect in April 2026. Prices exclude VAT and levies such as CCL and can change with market conditions.

SSE non-half-hourly electricity

Meter type	Unit rate	Standing charge
Profile class 1 or 3 unrestricted	35.478p/kWh	400p per day
Profile class 2 or 4 day	36.242p/kWh	400p per day
Profile class 2 or 4 night	32.312p/kWh	400p per day
Evening and weekend weekday rate	37.045p/kWh	400p per day
Evening and weekend rate	33.358p/kWh	400p per day
Off-peak	32.190p/kWh	400p per day
Profile classes 5–8 unrestricted	33.653p/kWh	984.36p per day
Profile classes 5–8 day	34.791p/kWh	984.36p per day
Profile classes 5–8 night	30.014p/kWh	984.36p per day

The 400p daily standing charge equals £1,460 a year.

The profile class 5–8 charge of approximately 984.36p a day equals about £3,593 annually.

Illustrative SSE unrestricted electricity costs

These examples use 35.478408p/kWh and a £4 daily standing charge.

Annual use	Unit-rate cost	Standing charge	Total
10,000kWh	£3,547.84	£1,460	£5,007.84
21,000kWh	£7,450.47	£1,460	£8,910.47
25,000kWh	£8,869.60	£1,460	£10,329.60
50,000kWh	£17,739.20	£1,460	£19,199.20
100,000kWh	£35,478.41	£1,460	£36,938.41

These figures exclude VAT, CCL, metering and other applicable charges.

EDF deemed non-half-hourly electricity

EDF’s current large-business non-half-hourly deemed prices took effect on 1 July 2026.

The unit rate is 39.238p/kWh for profile classes 01–08. Standing charges vary by distribution region and residual charging band.

EDF TCR category	Published standing-charge range
No Residual	357.88p–385.16p per day
Band 1	380.51p–414p per day
Band 2	424.09p–486.42p per day
Band 3	506.15p–628.76p per day
Band 4	784.04p–1,122.53p per day

Illustrative EDF Band 1 costs

The following examples use the published 39.238p/kWh rate and the Band 1 standing-charge range.

Annual use	Lowest regional total	Highest regional total
10,000kWh	£5,312.66	£5,434.90
25,000kWh	£11,198.36	£11,320.60
50,000kWh	£21,007.86	£21,130.10
100,000kWh	£40,626.86	£40,749.10

The figures exclude VAT, CCL and metering costs.

SSE versus EDF published electricity rates

Factor	SSE	EDF
Tariff type	Variable Business Rate	Deemed large-business rate
Effective date	April 2026	July 2026
Unrestricted unit rate	35.478p/kWh	39.238p/kWh
Basic standing-charge example	400p/day	Region and TCR-band dependent
Negotiated fixed quote	No	No
Suitable for direct supplier comparison	No	No

SSE’s published unrestricted rate is lower, but this does not establish that SSE will provide the cheaper fixed contract.

The figures apply to different default products, were introduced on different dates and do not include all charges.

Half-hourly default electricity

SSE’s half-hourly Variable Business Rates vary by voltage, measurement class and time band. Its April schedule includes low-voltage unrestricted rates of approximately 28.28p–30.41p/kWh, standing charges of approximately £18.36–£23.98 per day and capacity charges in addition. Winter peak rates on seven-band products can exceed 70p/kWh.

EDF’s July 2026 half-hourly deemed rates also vary by voltage and region. Low-voltage “all other times” prices range from approximately 38.10p to 41.18p/kWh, while night rates are approximately 35.65p to 36.47p/kWh. Separate capacity and TCR-band standing charges apply.

A half-hourly business should compare costs using actual interval data, agreed capacity and the complete meter-specific charge schedule.

Published gas rates

SSE’s April 2026 monthly billed Variable Business Rate for gas customers in EUC bands 1–2 is 9.3133p/kWh plus 325p per day. Quarterly billed customers pay 9.78264p/kWh plus the same standing charge. EUC band 3 is 8.938053p/kWh plus approximately 962p per day.

EDF’s deemed business-gas rate effective from 1 July 2026 is 10.370p/kWh plus 904.24p per day.

Illustrative gas comparison

The table uses SSE’s monthly billed bands 1–2 rate and EDF’s current deemed gas price.

Annual gas use	SSE variable total	EDF deemed total
25,000kWh	£3,514.57	£5,892.98
30,000kWh	£3,980.24	£6,411.48
50,000kWh	£5,842.90	£8,485.48
100,000kWh	£10,499.55	£13,670.48
250,000kWh	£24,469.50	£29,225.48

These are default-rate illustrations rather than fixed quotations. They exclude VAT and CCL.

Can the published rates identify a winner?

No.

SSE’s prices are Variable Business Rates. EDF’s prices are deemed rates for premises supplied without an agreed contract.

A negotiated SSE Protect, SSE Choice or EDF fixed tariff could be materially lower.

The published figures are useful mainly for showing why a business should avoid remaining on default pricing.

SSE large-business plans

SSE’s large-business range includes Protect, Choice, Shaping and Cash Out.

SSE Shaping

SSE Shaping allows the customer to purchase transparent baseload products while SSE fixes or manages the remaining non-baseload volume.

The plan provides:

• access to live market prices;
• a fixed usage shape;
• staged purchasing;
• greater control over wholesale timing; and
• renewable-product options.

It may suit a large user that wants active procurement without managing every element of the demand profile internally.

SSE Cash Out

SSE Cash Out combines real-time consumption with half-hourly prices for the following day.

It can help a business:

• improve demand forecasts;
• move consumption;
• optimise batteries;
• operate on-site generation;
• respond to price changes; and
• sell electricity back where suitable flexible technology is available.

Cash Out is designed for sophisticated organisations rather than ordinary SMEs.

EDF large-business fixed contracts

EDF publishes several named fixed structures.

Fixed + Peace of Mind

This is EDF’s highest-certainty large-business product.

It is designed to fix wholesale and eligible non-energy costs for qualifying electricity supplies.

Fixed + Standard

Fixed + Standard fixes wholesale energy and EDF’s service charge, while forecast non-energy costs can vary.

Fixed + Energy Trading

This structure allows the customer to purchase blocks of electricity through EDF’s trading desk while EDF manages the remaining requirements.

Requirement	Relevant EDF option
Maximum conventional certainty	Fixed + Peace of Mind
Lower opening price with variable third-party costs	Fixed + Standard
Staged wholesale purchases	Fixed + Energy Trading
Electricity and gas under one relationship	Dual-fuel solution
Renewable or nuclear-backed electricity	Add eligible energy source

EDF therefore provides a clearer conventional progression from a fully fixed arrangement to active trading.

EDF flexible contracts

EDF’s flexible contracts allow customers to decide when energy is purchased, how much is fixed and which third-party costs remain variable.

EDF also provides market data and specialist support to help customers manage purchasing risk.

Flexible procurement can reduce the risk of fixing an entire forecast on an expensive day, but it can also leave the company exposed if markets rise before its remaining volume is purchased.

SSE versus EDF for large-business procurement

Requirement	Likely stronger fit
Fully fixed renewable contract	SSE Protect or EDF Peace of Mind with renewable source
Wholesale fixed, industry costs variable	SSE Choice or EDF Fixed + Standard
Baseload block trading	SSE Shaping
EDF trading-desk block purchases	EDF Fixed + Energy Trading
Day-ahead consumption optimisation	SSE Cash Out
Extensive traditional procurement menu	EDF
Named SSE wind or hydro asset	SSE
Nuclear-backed zero carbon	EDF
Combined fixed and flexible supply	Compare both
Virtual power and flexible assets	Compare SSE Cash Out with EDF flexibility services

SSE has a particularly distinctive day-ahead optimisation proposition.

EDF has the broader published menu of traditional fixed and flexible contract structures.

Comparing fuel mixes

SSE’s 2024/25 total business fuel mix was 64% renewable and 36% natural gas, with carbon emissions of 138g/kWh and no reported radioactive waste.

EDF’s corresponding supplier-wide mix was 18.2% renewable, 54.8% nuclear, 21% gas, 4.2% coal and 1.8% other, with emissions of 135g/kWh and radioactive waste of 0.0038g/kWh.

Source or impact	SSE Energy Solutions	EDF
Renewables	64%	18.2%
Natural gas	36%	21%
Coal	0%	4.2%
Nuclear	0%	54.8%
Other	0%	1.8%
Carbon emissions	138g/kWh	135g/kWh
Radioactive waste	0g/kWh	0.0038g/kWh

The supplier-wide carbon intensities are similar, but the generation sources are very different.

SSE relies on a combination of renewable generation and natural gas.

EDF relies heavily on nuclear power, which lowers operational carbon emissions but produces radioactive waste.

Product-level fuel mixes

SSE’s renewable products are 100% renewable and report zero market-based emissions. Its non-renewable plans and Variable Business Rates were 98% gas and 2% renewable, with emissions of 374g/kWh.

EDF’s product disclosure shows:

EDF product category	Renewable	Nuclear	Fossil and other	CO₂
Zero Carbon	0%	100%	0%	0g/kWh
Renewable	100%	0%	0%	0g/kWh
All other	0.5%	53%	46.5%	233g/kWh

A company should therefore compare product-level evidence rather than relying only on each supplier’s overall fuel mix.

Which supplier has greener electricity?

Environmental priority	Likely stronger fit
Higher supplier-wide renewable share	SSE
No coal in supplier-wide mix	SSE
No nuclear generation	SSE
Lowest supplier-wide carbon intensity	EDF, by a small margin
Renewable electricity included with fixed plans	SSE
Renewable-only four-year tariff	EDF
Nuclear-backed zero-carbon option	EDF
Named UK wind or hydro asset	SSE
No radioactive waste	SSE renewable plans
Choice between renewable and nuclear power	EDF
Direct connection with SSE generation assets	SSE
Technology-neutral low-carbon policy	EDF offers more source choice

SSE has the stronger renewable-first proposition.

EDF offers greater choice for organisations that regard nuclear electricity as an acceptable zero-carbon source.

SSE Next Generation

SSE Next Generation allocates the customer’s renewable electricity to a named SSE wind farm.

The customer receives supporting evidence and can describe its electricity as linked with a specific UK renewable asset.

This is more tangible than a generic renewable certificate and may be useful in tenders, annual reports and customer communications.

EDF Zero Carbon for Business

EDF Zero Carbon for Business is nuclear-backed rather than renewable.

EDF’s product disclosure allocates 100% nuclear electricity to its Zero Carbon category and reports zero carbon dioxide per kWh under market-based accounting.

This may suit a business that prioritises low operational carbon and accepts nuclear generation.

It will not satisfy an environmental policy requiring 100% renewable power.

Renewable business gas

SSE has a clear advantage where the company requires an environmental gas option.

SSE Green Gas

SSE Green Gas matches:

Environmental mechanism	Proportion
Renewable-gas certificates	25%
Carbon offsets	75%

SSE also pledges to plant one UK tree for each Green Gas customer.

SSE Green Gas Plus

Green Gas Plus matches 100% of consumption with renewable-gas certificates.

The physical gas reaching the premises remains part of the mixed national network. The certificates demonstrate that an equivalent amount of biomethane has entered the gas system.

EDF does not currently foreground an equivalent standard SME product with a published renewable-gas percentage.

Gas requirement	Likely stronger fit
Ordinary business gas	Compare quotations
25% renewable certificate product	SSE
100% certificate-backed renewable gas	SSE
Carbon-offset option	SSE
Conventional large-business dual fuel	EDF or SSE
Replacing gas with electrification	Compare wider project services

Gas combustion still creates direct emissions at the premises, regardless of certificates or offsets.

Energy-management platforms

SSE Clarity

SSE Clarity is available free to eligible SSE customers with smart or AMR meters.

It can:

• display half-hourly data;
• compare multiple sites;
• organise information by meter, supply, time or utility;
• send email alerts;
• identify unusual consumption;
• create reports; and
• analyse electricity, gas, heat and water data.

EDF Energy Hub and MyBusiness

EDF small-business customers with compatible smart or AMR meters can use Energy Hub to inspect and download consumption data.

Large customers can use MyBusiness to view bills, monitor energy and manage account queries.

Which has the better energy-data service?

Requirement	Likely stronger fit
Multi-site comparison	SSE Clarity
Email alerts	SSE Clarity
Electricity, gas, heat and water data	SSE Clarity
Industry benchmarking	SSE advanced Clarity reports
Simple SME usage downloads	EDF Energy Hub
Large-business billing portal	EDF MyBusiness
Procurement and market reporting	EDF
Daily operational exception reporting	SSE Clarity

SSE Clarity has the stronger conventional energy-management proposition.

EDF’s tools integrate closely with its account and procurement services.

Corporate Power Purchase Agreements

SSE CPPAs

SSE offers Named Asset and Portfolio PPAs linked with wind, solar or hydro generation.

Its Portfolio PPA can run for between two and ten years. The company can combine the PPA with SSE’s fixed or flexible energy supply.

EDF CPPAs

EDF provides renewable CPPAs supported by services such as:

• generator sourcing;
• balancing;
• shaping;
• sleeving;
• settlement;
• renewable certificates; and
• integration with the company’s supply contract.

EDF’s wider large-business service may appeal to an organisation requiring complex procurement and settlement support.

PPA requirement	Likely stronger fit
Named SSE wind, solar or hydro asset	SSE
Portfolio of SSE assets	SSE
Two- to ten-year portfolio PPA	SSE
Complex sleeving and supply integration	EDF
Renewable-generator sourcing	EDF
Combining PPA and flexible procurement	Either
Supporting new renewable generation	Compare individual project proposals

The better provider depends on the asset, term, price formula, balancing risk and credit requirements.

Commercial solar

SSE provides a particularly broad commercial-solar proposition covering rooftop, ground-mounted and other large-site systems.

Its fully funded model includes design, funding, planning, grid connection, installation, operation and maintenance. The customer purchases the electricity through a PPA lasting ten to 20 years. SSE advertises potential savings of up to 50% on electricity purchased through the PPA, although actual results depend on the project.

EDF also supports business solar, batteries and EV integration. Its SME guidance recommends combining solar with batteries or commercial chargers where appropriate, while larger projects can be delivered through EDF’s commercial energy services.

SSE versus EDF for commercial solar

Requirement	Likely stronger fit
Turnkey rooftop solar	Compare both
Ground-mounted solar	SSE
Floating solar	SSE
Fully funded ten- to 20-year PPA	SSE
Direct ownership	Both
SME solar and export package	EDF
Battery integration	Both
Solar with large infrastructure project	SSE
Solar with flexibility-market optimisation	EDF
Public-sector or complex estate project	Compare both

SSE has the more prominently documented end-to-end infrastructure service.

EDF may be attractive where solar forms part of a wider supply, export and flexibility arrangement.

Solar export payments

EDF publishes three small-business export routes.

EDF export tariff	Rate	Main condition
Export 12M Small Business	15p/kWh	EDF electricity customer
SEG Export Variable Value	5.6p/kWh	EDF electricity customer
SEG Export Variable	Variable	Open to eligible non-EDF customers

The 15p tariff is fixed for one year and carries no exit fee.

SSE does not prominently publish one universal flat commercial SEG rate on its current business-energy pages. Its commercial generation proposition instead focuses on solar PPAs, private-wire arrangements and bespoke project economics. This is an inference from SSE’s current published solar and CPPA materials.

Illustrative EDF export income

Annual export	Income at 15p/kWh
5,000kWh	£750
10,000kWh	£1,500
25,000kWh	£3,750
50,000kWh	£7,500
100,000kWh	£15,000

EDF has the advantage where the company wants a clearly published off-the-shelf export rate.

SSE may be more suitable where generation is part of a bespoke financed project or large PPA.

Electric vehicle charging

SSE promotes workplace EV charging and provides wider infrastructure for fleets and larger transport projects. Its business proposition includes charging equipment and integration with low-carbon energy services.

EDF supports small-business charger installation and larger fleet or public-sector charging projects. Its May 2026 SME guidance highlights consumption tracking, charging revenue information and smart power management with load-balancing equipment.

EV requirement	Likely stronger fit
Basic workplace chargers	Compare both
Major fleet depot	SSE may have an advantage
Bus or HGV infrastructure	SSE
Public-sector charging programme	EDF
Charging revenue and usage management	EDF
Solar and charger integration	Both
Complex network and site infrastructure	SSE
Flexible-asset participation	EDF

SSE is especially strong for the physical infrastructure around major charging sites.

EDF may be stronger where charging is connected with wider flexibility and energy-management services.

Multi-site organisations

Both suppliers can support national estates and complex meter portfolios.

SSE can combine:

• Protect, Choice, Shaping or Cash Out;
• SSE Clarity;
• renewable electricity;
• renewable gas;
• solar;
• batteries;
• EV charging;
• CPPAs; and
• named renewable assets.

EDF can combine:

• fixed and flexible procurement;
• renewable and nuclear-backed power;
• dual fuel;
• MyBusiness;
• Energy Hub;
• solar;
• batteries;
• EV charging;
• flexibility services; and
• CPPAs.

SSE may be stronger for a renewable-led estate requiring infrastructure and conventional energy analytics.

EDF may be stronger where the organisation wants extensive procurement choice and a mixture of renewable and nuclear-backed products.

Contract expiry and switching

If a business does not arrange a replacement contract, it may move onto deemed, variable or extended-supply pricing.

The published default-rate tables show that these arrangements can carry high unit rates and standing charges.

A company should normally start reviewing its contract several months before expiry and check:

• renewal dates;
• termination windows;
• automatic rollover provisions;
• default prices;
• broker authority;
• early termination charges; and
• whether a new supplier can complete the switch before the existing contract ends.

Business contract protections

Business energy agreements are not protected by the domestic energy price cap. Ofgem also states that there is no cooling-off period after agreeing a business contract, including one accepted over the telephone.

Before accepting an SSE or EDF quotation, check:

• unit rates;
• standing charges;
• contract term;
• fixed and pass-through costs;
• capacity charges;
• metering fees;
• volume tolerance;
• renewable certificates;
• nuclear content;
• broker commission;
• early termination liability;
• moving-premises rules;
• export eligibility;
• renewal procedure; and
• post-contract prices.

SSE advantages and disadvantages

EDF advantages and disadvantages

Which supplier is better for different businesses?

Business type or requirement	Likely better fit	Reason
SME wanting maximum conventional certainty	SSE Protect or EDF fixed	Compare matched quotes
SME wanting a four-year fix	EDF	Longer term
Business accepting pass-through costs	SSE Choice	Defined lower-cost structure
Company wanting renewable electricity automatically	SSE	Included with fixed plans
Company wanting nuclear-backed zero carbon	EDF	Dedicated product
Company excluding nuclear power	SSE or EDF Fixed Renewable	Renewable-only options
Company requiring renewable gas	SSE	Two defined products
Business wanting a named wind farm	SSE	Next Generation
Large user wanting baseload trading	SSE Shaping	Dedicated structure
Large user wanting staged EDF purchases	EDF	Fixed + Energy Trading
Company wanting day-ahead demand optimisation	SSE Cash Out	Core product feature
Company wanting traditional procurement choice	EDF	Wider published menu
Business needing multi-utility analytics	SSE Clarity	Electricity, gas, water and heat
Business seeking a published export rate	EDF	Up to 15p/kWh
Company wanting fully funded commercial solar	SSE	Clear ten- to 20-year PPA
Public-sector flexibility project	EDF	Broad services
HGV or major fleet infrastructure	SSE	Strong physical infrastructure proposition
Complex national estate	Compare both	Different strengths

Final verdict: SSE vs EDF

SSE Energy Solutions and EDF are both strong business suppliers, but their main advantages suit different priorities.

SSE is likely to be the better choice where the company wants:

• renewable electricity included automatically;
• a clear choice between fully and partly fixed prices;
• no nuclear allocation;
• renewable gas;
• a named UK wind or hydro asset;
• SSE Clarity;
• baseload purchasing;
• day-ahead optimisation;
• a Portfolio or Named Asset PPA;
• fully funded commercial solar; or
• substantial fleet, bus or HGV infrastructure.

EDF is likely to be stronger where the business wants:

• a fixed SME tariff lasting up to four years;
• renewable-only or nuclear-backed electricity;
• a wider choice of energy sources;
• extensive fully fixed, partly fixed and flexible procurement;
• block purchasing through a trading desk;
• a conventional large-business dual-fuel arrangement;
• a published export tariff paying 15p/kWh; or
• an integrated supply, flexibility and CPPA strategy.

The environmental comparison is nuanced.

SSE has the much higher supplier-wide renewable share:

• SSE: 64% renewable and 36% natural gas;
• EDF: 18.2% renewable, 54.8% nuclear, 21% gas and 4.2% coal.

EDF nevertheless reported slightly lower supplier-wide carbon emissions:

• SSE: 138g/kWh;
• EDF: 135g/kWh.

This is primarily because EDF’s mix contains a large amount of low-carbon nuclear generation.

At product level, both can provide renewable-only electricity:

• SSE includes renewable electricity in Protect and Choice;
• EDF offers Fixed Renewable and renewable large-business products.

The price comparison cannot be settled using the public default rates.

SSE’s Variable Business Rates and EDF’s deemed rates cover different products and effective periods. A negotiated fixed quotation from either supplier may be substantially lower.

A fair comparison should require both suppliers to quote for:

1. the same meter and postcode;
2. identical annual consumption;
3. the same contract start date;
4. an equivalent contract duration;
5. all standing charges;
6. capacity and metering costs;
7. fixed and pass-through elements;
8. equivalent renewable credentials;
9. volume-tolerance rules;
10. broker commission;
11. export income;
12. early termination liability;
13. renewal and default pricing; and
14. the complete projected annual cost.

For most companies, the conclusion is:

• choose SSE for renewable-first fixed supply, green gas, named assets and major infrastructure;
• choose EDF for longer SME fixes, nuclear-backed zero carbon, extensive procurement choice and published export payments;
• compare SSE Protect with EDF’s fully fixed products where budget certainty matters;
• compare SSE Choice with EDF Fixed + Standard where opening price matters more than complete certainty;
• compare SSE Shaping and Cash Out with EDF’s trading and flexible contracts for large users; and
• select the supplier offering the lowest realistic annual cost after every standing, capacity, metering and pass-through charge is included.

FAQ