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- Mainstream media outlets say plug-in panels are going to be available soon
- Ministers still working on final details of rollout plan
- Electricians are still worried about safety, especially in older homes
Plug-in solar panels could be available on supermarket shelves by 27th August after the government approved the necessary changes that will allow them to be plugged directly into a standard household socket.
This follows a consultation in which 85% of respondents backed being able to connect solar PV systems directly into standard household plugs and sockets.
This means a month from now British consumers could be buying plug-in solar panels from the shelves at Lidl, B&Q, Wicks and others, including Amazon.
This follows months of talks between ministers and retailers about how best to make plug-in solar panels accessible. They currently retail for £400, but the government is hoping to convince retailers to offer discounts. There is even the possibility of plug-in solar panels being included in the Warm Homes Plan, but we don't know the details of that yet.
A spokesperson for the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero was quoted in The Sun earlier in July saying plug-in solar panels would be "available to buy this summer".
"This technology, already widely used by households throughout Europe, is easy to install and could save many households significant amounts on their energy bills," the spokesperson said.
In March the government said it was planning to get plug-in solar panels on supermarket shelves by the end of 2026. This is in response to the need for consumers to be able to access clean energy amid the US-Iran war, which has caused gas prices to balloon and pushed the energy price cap to £1,862.
What is different about plug-in solar panels UK shoppers can buy?
Plug-in solar panels are different to traditional rooftop solar panels because you can simply plug them into the mains socket in your wall. They require no installation and you can start running your home using solar energy straight away.
Government data suggests that on average you could save between £100 and £200 a year because they reduce the amount of energy you need to take from the grid.
Will plug-in solar panels be ready by August?
Yes, it’s very likely that you’ll be able to buy plug-in solar panels and connect them after 27th August.
After announcing in April that it was planning to update the law and allow households to generate their own energy through a "plug-in microgenerator" (in other words, a plug-in solar panel).
A "plug-in microgenerator", in the government's words:
- generates electricity from the direct conversion of sunlight into electricity,
- has a maximum rated alternating current output not exceeding 800 watts,
- is intended for connection to a low-voltage consumer installation by means of a standard plug and socket,
- is designed to operate in parallel with a distributor’s network, and
- is not designed to import electrical energy from a low voltage consumer’s installation for the purpose of storing energy for later supply, other than for control or auxiliary functions permitted by the Plug-in Solar Device Interim Product Specification
The last bullet ("for the purpose of storing energy for later supply") refers to battery storage.
Because household ring mains (a household wiring method used predominantly in the UK) to deliver power to appliances, not the other way around. Essentially, the big safety concern is that sockets could overheat with energy flowing in the opposite direction.
Even though the law is changing to allow plug-in solar, there are still other regulatory issues to think about.
- You still need to notify your Distribution Network Operator (DNO) when you plug in
- For the time being, you also need to get a qualified electrician, one registered under the Competent Person Scheme (CPS)
In June 2026, the Electrical Contractors' Association (ECA), Electrical Safety First (ESF) and the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) released a joint statement saying it was "unclear how plug-in solar panels will interact with millions of existing electrical installations in UK homes".
They warned that particularly older properties where wiring might have deteriorated are at greater risk of “fire and danger to life” due to the “inability of the circuit to deal with the importation of power”.
