With the threat of rising energy prices looming, taking steps to reduce how much energy you need to buy from the grid now could help you better deal with price rises down the line.
While reducing energy wastage around the home is always a good idea, another option is to generate more of your own electricity at home with solar panels. But solar panels can be hugely expensive to install and aren’t suitable for those who live in flats or rental properties.
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What are plug-in solar panels?
While all types of solar panels will take energy from the sun and convert it into electricity for your home, more traditional panels will need to be hardwired into your home’s electrics, which will need to be done by an electrician. Plug-in solar panels, on the other hand and as the name suggests, don’t need to be hardwired and can instead be plugged straight into a socket.
‘Plug-in solar panels are compact, self-install kits that connect directly to a normal wall socket, rather than hardwiring them into your home’s electrics,’ explains George Penny, Solar Panel and Energy Expert at The Solar Co. ‘They can be thought of as the entry-level version of solar, typically just one or two panels with a microinverter that turns the sun’s energy into usable power for your kettle or TV.’
Kits will ‘typically include one or two panels, a micro-inverter to convert DC to AC power, and a plug that feeds electricity straight into your home’s circuit,’ adds John Collett, Director at Quantum Renewables. ‘They’re already hugely popular in Germany and the Netherlands, and the UK is now catching up.’
By using a plug-in solar panel, you will be able to generate some of your own electricity, and reduce how much you need to buy from the grid, bringing down your monthly energy bills.
How do plug-in solar panels actually work?
Unlike more traditional solar panels, which are designed to sit on your roof, plug-in solar panels can instead be installed on balconies, fences, garden sheds or external walls. For maximum benefits, you’d ideally install them on a south-facing structure. Once placed, they simply need to be plugged into one of your home’s plug-sockets (either an indoor socket or a weatherproofed external outlet).
Once set up, the solar panels will capture sunlight and convert it into a direct current (DC). But in order to use the power through your home’s sockets, the direct current will need to be converted into an alternating current (AC). This is where the microinverter comes in.
‘When the panels generate electricity, that power is fed straight into the home and used by appliances running at the time, helping to reduce the amount of electricity drawn from the grid,’ adds Charlie Findlay, Managing Director at Mole Energy.
How are plug-in solar panels different from traditional solar panels?
While plug-in and more traditional solar panels both convert energy from the sun into electrical power to be used in the home, there are some sizable differences.
Upfront costs and installation
Traditional solar panels can cost thousands upfront to buy and have professionally installed which prevents them from being a feasible option for many. Plug-in solar panels, however, are likely to be much more affordable, costing hundreds rather than thousands.
The costs and complexities associated with solar panel installation are also removed with a plug-in solar kit, which can be set up on a DIY basis. ‘The big difference from a conventional rooftop system is that there’s no scaffolding, no structural work, no MCS-certified installer required, and no grid connection paperwork, explains John Collett. ‘You buy a kit, attach the panel to a balcony railing, south-facing wall, or flat roof edge, plug it in, and it immediately starts reducing what you draw from the grid. They make solar accessible in a way it simply hasn’t been before.’
How much energy they generate
Another huge difference between a conventional solar panel system and plug-in solar panels is how much electricity they generate.
‘A standard rooftop solar installation is hard-wired, professionally designed around your property, and can generate several thousand kilowatt-hours a year,’ explains Kian Milroy, Renewables Electrical Engineer at Heatable. ‘Plug-in solar is much smaller, probably under 800W, and it’s designed to chip away at your background daytime electricity use rather than power a whole home. Think fridges, routers, devices you leave running during the day.’
Charlie Findlay adds: ‘They don’t replace a full solar installation, but they can offer a simpler entry point into generating your own renewable energy.’
How much you can save on your energy bills
If you want a sizeable reduction in your electricity bills, it’s unlikely that you will achieve that with a plug-in solar panel kit. Instead a more traditional set up, including more panels and a solar battery, may be better suited.
Plug-in solar panels are much more likely to offer a smaller reduction in bills by reducing how much electricity you buy from the grid.
Who are plug-in solar panels best suited to?
While plug-in solar panels won’t suit every home, they do provide the ideal solar solution for some circumstances and properties.
These include:
- Renters who don’t want to make permanent changes to a property
- Those who live in flats or apartments with balconies
- Those with tight budgets could benefit from some savings by using plug-in solar panels
- Those who want to try out solar before committing to a permanent installation.
Can UK homes use plug-in solar panels yet?
While you might be seeing news about plug-in solar panels all over the place, there are some rule changes that need to happen before you can install a plug-in solar panel kit at home.
‘The government announced in March 2026 that it plans to update the grid code and wiring rules so sub-800W systems can plug into a normal domestic socket without needing an electrician, but those changes haven’t formally come into effect yet,’ explains Kian Milroy. ‘Products could be on shelves within months once the safety standards are signed off.
‘If a property has older electrics, it’s genuinely worth getting a qualified electrician to check the wiring before buying anything, even once the legislation lands. The government’s direction of travel is clear, but buying before the framework is in place is a risk people should understand.’
While you wait for plug-in panels to become available, you could try a portable solar panel, like this one from Argos (£59), to use sunlight to charge your devices.
Anker Solix Ps30 Portable Solar Panel
Whether you are camping or chilling in your garden, this portable solar panel will capture energy from the sun, which can be used to charge your phone and other devices, without adding to your energy bills.
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