At a roundtable of some of the biggest retailers in the country, with a combined total of almost four thousand stores and significant online presence, Minister for Energy Consumers Martin McCluskey discussed the crucial role of plug-in solar in the clean energy revolution.
Those in attendance included Amazon, Asda, B&Q, Currys, Screwfix and Wickes, who discussed the technology and how it can offer a cheaper route for people to save money on bills.
This follows rule changes announced by the government earlier this year that will allow UK homeowners to self-install plug-in solar panels in the coming months and builds on savings of up to £480 consumers can already make from rooftop panels.
An independent report commissioned by DESNZ, released yesterday (Tuesday 16th June), adds that certain technical and quality measures should be implemented, based on the results of extensive safety testing. “The development of a clearly bounded, standards led implementation framework should be progressed that translates the technical feasibility demonstrated in this study into a safe and enforceable real-world deployment model,” it states.
An interim product specification that will permit only safe and compliant plug-in solar systems to be sold in the UK has also been published.
“Plug-in panels can be transformative for renters or those on lower incomes, so I welcome the conversation today with household names such as B&Q and Currys showing a huge amount of support for getting the panels in people’s homes” said Mr McCluskey. “This easy to install tech can cut people’s bills and help make the UK less reliant on global fossil fuel markets.”
Plug-in solar systems have been wildly successful on the continent. In Germany alone, over 1.2 million were registered by the end of last year, the market growing more than tenfold in two and a half years. Their total installed capacity now comes to almost a gigawatts.
The low-cost panels can be put on balconies or in any outdoor space, providing free solar power that can be used directly through a mains socket like any other device, without an installation cost, thereby reducing the amount of electricity taken from the grid.
“DESNZ’s progress in introducing plug-in solar systems to the UK market is most welcome, as is the independent reassurance of their safety and compatibility with household electrical systems” added Chris Hewett, Chief Executive of the trade association Solar Energy UK. “We would like to see similar progress for the sister product of plug-in batteries. Forming a new frontier of the solar market, they will play a much-needed role in cutting household bills for flats and rented accommodation, alongside other households that cannot currently access the technology. As their capacity is expected to be limited to only 800 watts, a full-scale rooftop system from an installer registered with the standards body MCS will always be the better option where possible, as they generate far more power.”
Over two million smaller-scale full size solar installations are now online, largely on homes, according to MCS data. They are now typically installed alongside battery energy storage, allowing energy produced in the day to be used or exported in the evening.
The draft rules for plug-in solar will not allow use with batteries. Solar Energy UK calls on DESNZ to commission a similar safety study for this technology, with a view to allowing its use as soon as possible.
“We welcome the introduction of plug-in solar panels to the UK market, which will help households to generate their own energy and reduce their bills” said Graham Bell, CEO of B&Q. “This builds on our existing range of portable solar and battery solutions. We are working closely with government and suppliers to understand and help shape the guidance, ensuring any products we offer are safe, compliant and straightforward to install. We look forward to making plug-in solar available to our customers as soon as possible.
Households across Britain are already embracing solar power in record numbers. 2025 saw a record 269,000 solar installations completed in the UK - the highest total ever recorded in a calendar year and 37 percent larger than the year before.
Around 255,000 of these were rooftop solar - meaning at least 95 percent of all new solar was installed on homes, businesses and other buildings. This equates to a new rooftop solar installation every two minutes throughout 2025.
“At Lidl GB, we want to make sustainable choices affordable and accessible to every household which is why we are supporting DESNZ’s latest steps toward modernising regulations for ‘plug-and-play’ technology” said Georgina Hall, corporate affairs director at Lidl GB. “By establishing a clear, robust framework to bring plug-in solar to market safely and efficiently, it could unlock a highly effective, low-cost route for people to reduce their energy bills. We welcome this consultation and look forward to working alongside the government and industry partners to explore how these products can safely play their role in the UK’s clean energy revolution.”
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