Plug-in solar comes to Great Britain: Does that mean anyone can simply buy one and plug it in?

At the end of August, the Government announced that plug-in solar panels can now be purchased and used in Great Britain. Its headline, ‘Households can save as plug-in solar panels come to market’, captures the push to put savings back in households’ pockets and follows other measures to save on energy bills.

The change to the rules follows new safety testing, and the Government says the technology could help households generate their own electricity and potentially save them up to £110 per year. The saving will vary between homes, so this is a government estimate rather than a guarantee.

Working with major retailers, plug-in panels will now be available from Amazon, Currys, B&Q and Screwfix and are being promoted as easy-to-install kits with “no installation cost”. There is still a cost for the kit itself, but professional installation is not required.

The Government says that one kit could provide up to 20% of an average home’s electricity use, potentially powering an array of household appliances while the sun is shining.

The introduction of the new panels is intended to make the benefits of solar-powered, self-generated clean electricity available to more people, widening access to more households.

Before buying and installing, consumers do need to check whether they need to seek permission. If you’re renting, you need to check with your landlord, for example, or seek consent if you live in a listed building. The press release encourages the public to consult the full guidance on installing panels and permissions which may be required for their property.

Plug-in solar panels represent a significant change in how households can generate electricity, potentially making solar more accessible to people who couldn’t install conventional rooftop systems due to access or installation costs. With major retailers now preparing to stock the technology, it is likely to become more visible and available to a wider range of consumers. But there is that very practical question to consider first: Does that mean anyone can simply buy one and plug it in?