Many may have noticed Ed Miliband popping up in a variety of news and broadcast outlets, commenting on the state of the UK energy market in response to the log-jam in the Straits of Hormuz and uncertainties around the new Gulf War.
On Sunday 15 March the Energy Secretary launched ways to go: “further and faster” in becoming energy secure, outlining a package of measures in response to events in the Middle East.
Number one measure is the introduction of low-cost solar panels: plug-in solar. These generate free solar energy via a plug-in, reducing a household’s electricity drawn from the grid. The Government says units will be available from supermarkets to fit on balconies or walls, or in gardens.
In Europe, balcony solar systems are long established and have become an increasingly popular solution for renters and apartment dwellers seeking to generate electricity and lower bills. The compact plug-in units can be installed easily and usually generate enough electricity to pay for themselves within a few years. They also present the opportunity for clean, as well as efficient energy use.
UK - plug-in solar panels
The panels are to be available in the UK for the first time, but as yet no launch timeframe has been announced. Government is working “at pace” to introduce new standards and amend regulations to get them onto the market “as soon as possible”.
The reason why they haven’t been available in the UK’s supermarket middle aisles previously is a lack of regulatory framework to support them. At present they do not comply with BS 7671 wiring regulations.
Kitesh Patel, Director of Risk, Places for People: “the safety case is the main reason why plug‑in solar isn’t permitted under UK electrical regulations. Back‑feeding through standard plugs and sockets creates real risks around electric shock, isolation, and how protective devices (including RCDs) behave under bidirectional current. For Places for People, that’s a clear compliance and landlord‑duty issue, particularly in older blocks where the condition and configuration of the electrical installation can vary significantly.”
However, as Patel comments: “there is a genuine opportunity here and it’s moving in the right direction.” The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has commissioned a formal Plug‑in Solar PV Study, due to report this spring, to assess whether they can be made safe without changes to building wiring.
Patel: “If regulations evolve, plugin solar could open up access for tenants in flats and homes without viable roof space, with a potential knock on benefit on affordability, resilience, and (over time) reduced reliance on traditional energy suppliers. It’s also an area where European adoption is helping to drive down costs”.
Germany - plug-in solar panels
Germany has the most mature and largest plug-in solar market in Europe. Around 1.15million plug-in solar devices with a cumulative output of around 1.14 gigawatts peak, were registered with the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) in Germany in December 2025.
There has been a surge in appliances since the new international product standard (DIN VDE V 0126-95) defined a plug-in solar device and the requirements for solar modules connected to the home grid via Type F (or Schuko) plugs.
In 2025 the international regulatory and insurance framework for plug-in solar became more standardised, leading to heightened interest in Europe, which may open the door to adoption in the UK.
Landlords and tenants
Local authorities, social housing landlords and student accommodation providers will watch this government initiative with interest. Plug-in solar may provide a neat option for renters to off-set electricity bills, but as with any resident-installed technology, permission will be required from landlords, with the assurance that electrical regulations (and health and safety guidance) are complied with.
That may mean that like rooftop solar panels, landlords may prefer to install the units themselves and take responsibility for their compliance and maintenance. With the government behind the concept of plug-in solar, landlords may find the units become part of dwelling installations in the same way rooftop panels are.
The Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3 (2025-2028) is now closed and was over-subscribed by more than £1billion of applications. It included rooftop solar installations but did not include funding for plug-in solar. As one of the main aims of Wave 3 was to reduce energy bills for social tenants, government may look to fill this funding gap in the future to enable this new initiative.
Opportunity
Patel remains positive about the possibilities of plug-in solar in social housing: “It’s a credible emerging opportunity - provided the safety and regulatory framework catches up, and we’re clear on how it would work across our building types and responsibilities.”
Practical considerations for landlords:
- Tenant permission and extra lease clauses.
- Fixings to balconies or façades – design and safety.
- Electrical safety compliance.
- Unit maintenance and replacement.
- Insurance, liability and risk management.
- Power limit on units - likely to be up to 800Watt.
Risk ownership considerations:
- Does the tenant or landlord own the system?
- What are the façade or balcony structural risks?
- Does installation impact cladding material safety compliance?
- What is the fire and electrical liability inside the dwelling circuit?
- Does the unit count as portable equipment or building infrastructure?
- Is planning (or other) permission required for installation?