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What is plug-in solar?
Plug-in solar, also called balcony solar, is a small kit made up of one or more solar panels, an inverter and a factory-fitted three-pin plug that connects to a normal wall socket. The inverter turns the panels' direct current into household electricity, which your home uses as it is generated. Under the UK government's specification a qualifying device has no battery.
In England, Wales and Scotland, yes, for compliant devices. Since 27 August 2026 a qualifying plug-in solar device can be sold and plugged into a standard socket under SI 2026/848. In Northern Ireland, compliant kits can be sold but are not yet permitted to be plugged in. A kit is only lawful if it meets the government's specification, so an ordinary solar kit with a UK plug fitted is not automatically legal.
It caps what the inverter can feed into your home: up to 800 VA of apparent power and 3.5 amps. The panels can be rated higher, up to 2,000 W in total under the specification, but the inverter holds the output to 800 W, which manufacturers sometimes call clipping. The specification also says that if the panels add up to more than 960 W, a professional check of your wiring should be considered first.
How can I tell if a plug-in solar kit is compliant?
The complete device must meet the government's Plug-in Solar Device Interim Product Specification and be listed as compliant on the Energy Networks Association's Connect Direct register before it is sold. Check the exact model on that register before you buy. A listing that only says 800W or UK plug is not proof of compliance.
One per household for now. The government specification permits one device per final circuit, but the current network connection rules (Engineering Recommendation G98 Issue 2 Amendment 1 2026) restrict it to one per household unless and until they are amended. A household is one dwelling with its own consumer unit, so flats with separate consumer units count separately.
Can I use an extension lead or adaptor with plug-in solar?
No. The device must plug directly into a suitable socket. The specification and the Energy Saving Trust rule out extension leads, multi-way adaptors, travel adaptors and RCD adaptors, and the socket must be on a circuit that does not also supply lighting or fixed appliances such as a cooker or boiler. Outdoor sockets must be weatherproof and fitted by a qualified electrician.
Do I have to register plug-in solar or tell my network operator?
Yes. The Energy Saving Trust says you are legally required to register a plug-in solar device before you use it, on the UK Plug-In Solar Registration website, giving your name, postcode and the device's make and model. The government specification also requires your network operator to be notified when you connect and when you disconnect the device. Keep the confirmation you receive, and ask your network operator if you are unsure whether your registration covered that notification.
Do I need an electrician to install plug-in solar?
Not for a standard installation, because the kit is designed to be plugged in by the householder. The Energy Saving Trust advises speaking to a qualified electrician if your fuse box has older rewireable fuses, you are unsure about the wiring, you need a new or moved socket, or your panels total more than 960 W.
The Energy Saving Trust says not to install plug-in solar if your consumer unit uses older-style rewireable fuses. Look for individual switches labelled RCD, RCBO or MCB, which indicate modern protection. It also advises pressing the test button on your circuit breaker about every six months while the panels are generating, and unplugging the device and calling an electrician if it does not trip.
No. The legal definition of a plug-in microgenerator excludes devices designed to import electricity in order to store it for later, and the specification requires a warning that the device must not be used with a battery. A home battery is a separate system that is professionally installed and notified to the network operator.
Can I get paid for the electricity plug-in solar exports?
Not normally. Citizens Advice says that under the current rules you cannot be paid for unused power from a plug-in kit, so you use it or lose it. Smart Export Guarantee payments need an MCS-certified (or equivalent) installation, which a plug-in kit will not normally have, although you can ask your supplier what it offers.
The government says up to £110 a year for an 800 W kit. The Energy Saving Trust says a compliant kit can generate around 700 kWh a year and save around £100 a year if someone is home during the day, or around £70 if not. Your saving depends on how much of the power you use as it is generated, and on sunlight, direction and shade. An unshaded, south-facing spot works best, and north-facing or shaded sites are not recommended.
The specification says it must not be installed on aluminium or metal composite cladding, high-pressure laminate cladding, timber cladding or timber balconies, or on buildings undergoing external wall or building safety remediation. It also says not to fix it to walls that form a property boundary between dwellings. Fixings must be non-permanent and secure, and cable ties, rope or tape alone are not allowed.
It may. The government specification makes users responsible for checking whether the product affects their insurance, including cover for the building where relevant. The Energy Saving Trust advises contacting your buildings and contents insurer and checking whether your policy covers outdoor installations.
Can I add plug-in solar if I already have rooftop solar or a battery?
Usually, according to the Energy Saving Trust, but speak to your original installer or a qualified electrician first to check you will not overload your system. You may also need to notify your network operator if the combined set-up means your home exports more than a certain amount.
Do not repair the panels or inverter yourself, and report any faults to the manufacturer. Solar panels count as waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), so they need specialist recycling: ask the manufacturer about take-back or use a solar panel recycler such as PV CYCLE.
Should I plug in my solar kit or have it wired in?
Both can be lawful in England, Wales and Scotland. A compliant plug-in kit is designed to be plugged into a suitable socket by the householder. Having a system wired into your consumer unit by a qualified electrician costs more, but it gets its own protected circuit installed to wiring standards, which can be the safer choice in an older home or where you are unsure about the wiring. A wired-in system is not limited to 800 W and can include a battery, but it then follows the normal rules for solar: the installer notifies the network operator, and building and electrical safety rules apply.
Can a solar system be bigger than 800 W if it is wired in?
Yes. The 800 W limit applies only to the plug-in route. A system wired in by a qualified installer can use a larger inverter: up to 16 amps per phase, about 3.68 kW on a normal single-phase supply, under the G98 notification process, and above that with the network operator's approval under G99. To be paid for exported electricity under the Smart Export Guarantee, the system also needs to be installed and certified under MCS or an equivalent scheme.
The Energy Saving Trust says plug-in solar devices that meet UK regulations cost from around £450. Check that the exact model is listed as compliant on the Energy Networks Association's register before you buy.
