Octopus Energy has to order more plug-in solar panels after running out

• The UK’s biggest energy supplier runs out of plug-in solar panels for the second time
• Company says it’s been “blown away” by popularity of plug-in solar panels
• Octopus will be offering plug-in panels with its Nook battery package next year

Octopus Energy’s plug-in solar panel offering has proved so popular that it ran out and has had to order more.

That’s according to data the UK’s biggest energy company put out this week. The energy giant has had to restock for the second time in less than four weeks to keep up with demand, after the first 500 plug-in solar panel kits were gone in just two weeks.

The government gave plug-in solar the green light at the end of August, and demand in the past month has been huge in the past month.

With no electrician or professional installation needed, customers can set it up themselves and start powering appliances like tellies, washing machines and laptops straight away.

It’s ideal for renters and people who live in flats, who can now get in on solar savings without needing a roof of their own – and even take their kit with them if they move.

Any power they don’t use can be sent back to the grid, with plug-in solar customers pocketing roughly £150 a year on Octopus’s Outgoing export tariff.

Rebecca Dibb-Simkin, Chief Customer Officer at Octopus, said the company has been “blown away” by the popularity of plug-in solar.

“It’s [plug-in solar] flown off the shelves and we’ve had to restock, but fear not – there’s more on the way.”

Octopus’ plug-in solar bundles start at £450 for one panel or £650 for two panels, including mounting and everything customers need to set them up themselves.

The dual-panel setup is proving a hit, with 9 in 10 (89%) customers opting to size up and soak up even more free power.

As the only major energy supplier currently selling plug-in solar, Octopus customers are among the first in the country to experience the new technology – with kits landing on doorsteps this week.

The company is also gearing up to expand its plug-in offering, with its own Octopus ‘Nook Cube’ battery’ – due to launch in Q1 next year.

Written By

Maximilian Schwerdtfeger Deputy editor

Max joined The Eco Experts as content manager in February 2024 and became deputy editor in 2025. He has written about sustainability issues across numerous industries, including maritime, supply chain, finance, mining, and retail. He has also written extensively for consumer titles like City AM, The Morning Star, and The Daily Express.

He has represented The Eco Experts on national television several times, including the BBC’s Sunday Morning Live and ITV Tonight .

In 2020, he covered in detail the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) legislation on sulphur emissions and its effects on the global container shipping market as online editor of Port Technology International.

He also explored the initiatives major container ports and terminals have launched in order to ship vital goods across the world without polluting the environment.

Since then, he has reported heavily on the impact made by environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices on the supply chain of minerals, with a particular focus on rare earth mining in Africa.

As part of this, in 2022 Max visited mines and ports in Angola to hone in on the challenges being faced by one of the world’s biggest producers of rare earth minerals.

His most recent sustainability-related work came much closer to home, as he investigated the eco-challenges faced by independent retailers in the UK, specifically looking at how they can cut emissions and continue to thrive.

Max lives in South London and is an avid reader of books on modern history. He has also recently learned to play the game Mahjong and takes every opportunity to do so. He is also yet to find a sport he doesn’t enjoy watching.

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