Plug-In Solar Panels vs a Full Solar Installation

Since 27 August 2026, plug-in solar panels that meet the new UK requirements have been legal to use in Great Britain. They plug into an ordinary socket, are limited to an output of 800 watts, and don’t need an electrician to install. For a flat or a rented home with no roof of your own, they can be a useful way to make some of your own electricity. But they produce far less than a rooftop system, can’t include a battery, and usually can’t be paid for exports.

We install full rooftop systems rather than plug-in kits, so here is a fair comparison of the two.

Key points

• Plug-in solar became legal in Great Britain on 27 August 2026. It isn’t yet legal in Northern Ireland.

• Systems are limited to 800 watts of output and plug into a standard socket.

• You must register a plug-in device before using it, and you can only have one per home.

• Qualifying plug-in systems can’t include a battery that stores electricity for later.

• Without an MCS certificate you normally can’t be paid for exported electricity.

• A rooftop system is many times larger, can include a battery, and can earn export payments.

What plug-in solar is

A plug-in solar kit is one or two solar panels with a small built-in inverter and a plug. You place the panels somewhere sunny, such as a garden, a wall or, with permission, a balcony, and plug them into a socket. The electricity they make is used by appliances in your home first.

The law that made them legal, an amendment to the regulations covering plugs and sockets, created a product specification for these devices. The Energy Saving Trust says compliant devices are limited to a maximum output of 800 watts on average, and that you can only have one plug-in device in your home; linking several together isn’t allowed.

The rules you need to follow

According to the Energy Saving Trust:

• Buy a compliant model. Check the product is on the register of approved models before you buy.

• Register it. You’re legally required to register a plug-in solar device on the UK Plug-in Solar Registration website before you use it.

• One device per home. You can’t daisy-chain several kits together.

• Fix it securely. Use a proper frame or mounting on a safe, sturdy surface. A panel that blows off a balcony is dangerous.

• Get permission if you need it. Renters and flat owners need permission from their landlord or freeholder, and a balcony installation needs a suitable frame and fixings.

The Energy Saving Trust also notes that current UK devices are generally more suited to gardens than balconies.

What plug-in solar can and can’t do

What it does well. It needs no installer, no scaffolding and no roof. It can move with you. For a flat with a sunny garden or balcony, it can reduce how much electricity you buy during the day.

Its limits.

• Size. 800 watts is a small fraction of a typical rooftop system, so the electricity it makes is modest.

• No battery. Qualifying systems can’t include a battery designed to store electricity for later, so any output you don’t use straight away goes to the grid.

• Usually no export payments. The Smart Export Guarantee normally needs an MCS certificate, which plug-in kits don’t have. Some suppliers may make exceptions, so ask yours.

• Siting. Panels on a balcony rail or a garden stand are often shaded by railings, walls, fences or neighbouring buildings, and they’re rarely at the best angle.

How a full rooftop system compares

Our guides to the Smart Export Guarantee, G98 and G99 grid connections and planning permission for solar in London explain how a full installation works.

Which makes sense for you?

Plug-in solar can make sense if you rent, live in a flat without access to the roof, or want a small, portable system and have a sunny garden or a balcony you’re allowed to use.

A rooftop system makes more sense if you own a house with a reasonably sunny roof, want to cover a meaningful share of your electricity, want a battery, or want to be paid for exports. Our guide to whether your London roof is suitable for solar is a good place to start.

If you already have rooftop solar, check with your installer before adding a plug-in kit, as it changes how much your home can generate and export.

Frequently asked questions

Are plug-in solar panels legal in the UK?

They have been legal in Great Britain since 27 August 2026, as long as the device meets the new requirements. They aren’t yet legal in Northern Ireland.

Do I need an electrician for plug-in solar?

No. Compliant devices plug into a standard socket. You do need to register the device and mount it securely.

Can I have more than one plug-in panel?

You can only have one plug-in device per home, according to the Energy Saving Trust. Some devices have two panels.

Can I add a battery to plug-in solar?

Not to a qualifying plug-in system. The rules exclude batteries that store electricity for later use.

Can I get paid for what plug-in solar exports?

Not normally, because the Smart Export Guarantee usually needs an MCS certificate. Ask your supplier.

Can I put plug-in solar on a balcony?

Possibly, with permission from your landlord or freeholder and a suitable frame and fixings. The Energy Saving Trust says current devices are generally better suited to gardens.

Request a solar and battery quotation. If you own your home and have a usable roof, we’ll show you what a full system could do.