Plug-in home solar panels will soon be available to buy in supermarkets across the UK. The devices are expected to be available to purchase in supermarkets within the next few months, and will allow millions to generate solar power at home from their garden or balcony.
What are plug-in solar panels?
Like all solar panels, plug-in solar converts the sun’s energy into usable electrical power you can use to run appliances and devices at home.
Traditional solar panels require a suitable roof space and expert installation by a trained engineer. Plug-in solar panels, by comparison, can be set up in just a few minutes by anyone, and used in almost any outdoor space such as a balcony, the roof of your shed, a garden or a terrace.
Traditional solar panels vs Plug-in solar panels
Traditional solar panels | Plug-in solar panels | |
Where? | Suitable roofs, with enough surface area and angled to catch the sun | In any outdoor space |
Set-Up | Installed by a trained engineer and connected to your home’s wiring | Set up in minutes and plugged into a normal 3-prong socket |
Cost |
How much could I save with plug-in solar panels?
Research by the UK government shows plug-in solar panels could save households £70-£110 a year in energy bills, playing for themselves in around four years. When a plug-in solar panel is installed, your ‘always-on’ appliances such as your fridge, and any active devices, will prioritise using the solar energy in order to cut your electricity consumption from the national grid and save you money.
In comparison, traditional solar panels mounted on the roof can save households up to £480 a month. While rooftop solar is a much more significant upfront investment, for those with a suitable roof it offers the best option for home renewable power. However, for millions of households who rent their home, or live in a flat or building without a suitable roof, plug-in solar panels are a welcome option to begin generating their own electricity at home.
The UK’s switch to renewable energy
The approval of plug-in solar panels for homes is just part of a nation-wide shift towards greener and more sustainable energy production. The government has also announced that developers will now be required to install heat pumps and solar panels in new build homes as part of updated planning requirements.
Meanwhile, the popularity of green and renewable energy tariffs is driving investment in wind, tidal, solar and other sustainable energy production across the UK.
Save even more on your energy bills
Installing plug-in solar panels isn’t the only way to save money on your energy bills at home. Some other easy ways to cut your monthly electricity and gas payments are:
Reduce your home energy consumption by saving power where you can. (We have more than 100 easy energy saving tips you can read right here!)
Switch the best value available energy tariff to make sure you’re not paying for the energy you do use
Submit regular energy meter readings, or install a smart meter,to keep your bill payments accurate
