Plug-In Solar Rules in Great Britain

Yes, if the product and its use fall within the new qualifying framework.

The regulatory changes came into force on 27 August 2026 and created a route for qualifying plug-in solar in England, Scotland and Wales. The current product requirements are set out in the Plug-in Solar Device Interim Product Specification, Version 2.0, July 2026.

The word qualifying matters.

The change does not mean that:

The plug-and-socket rules and electricity-system rules were amended so that qualifying plug-in microgenerators could operate through the new route.

At the same time, the amended G98 network framework created the connection and notification process for qualifying plug-in microgeneration.

For an ordinary consumer, the practical change is simpler:

Great Britain now has a defined route for small, compliant, manufacturer-supplied plug-in solar products.

It is not a general exemption from electrical, product or property rules.

The current Product Specification treats plug-in solar as a complete manufacturer-supplied product rather than an arbitrary collection of solar components.

At a high level, that product includes the solar PV module or modules, a grid-following inverter, the manufacturer-supplied plug connection and associated components, and a mounting system.

The practical consequence is important:

The new route is for products designed and supplied as qualifying plug-in solar devices. It should not be read as permission to assemble unrelated solar and electrical components into an arrangement that feeds power back into the home's wiring.

These numbers describe different things.

The 2,000 W figure is the maximum combined rated DC power of the solar modules under the current Product Specification.

The 800 VA figure is a limit on apparent power supplied to the mains installation.

They are not two ways of describing the same panel capacity.

The legislation also uses an 800 W maximum rated AC output in its definition of a plug-in microgenerator. The detailed size page explains why the 800 W, 800 VA and panel-capacity figures should not be treated as interchangeable.

960 W is not a second maximum.

A qualifying product can have up to 2,000 W of combined PV-module DC capacity.

Above 960 W, the Product Specification requires the manufacturer to advise the consumer to consider professional assessment of the existing electrical installation before installation.

So:

960 W is an advisory threshold, not a prohibition.

It does not mean every system above 960 W automatically requires an electrician, and it does not change the 800 VA mains-side limit.

No universal electrician requirement applies simply because a product uses the qualifying plug-in solar route.

The framework is intended to allow qualifying products to be used without the conventional dedicated installation route associated with normal rooftop solar.

That does not mean professional help can never be needed.

For example, above 960 W of PV-module capacity the manufacturer must advise the consumer to consider professional assessment of the existing electrical installation. A particular property may also require electrical work or assessment for reasons separate from the plug-in product itself.

For a single qualifying plug-in device using the current G98 route, conventional prior DNO approval is not the normal process.

The route is based on connection followed by mandatory notification.

For a qualifying plug-in solar device, the current consumer route is to register it through myplugin.solar before you start using it, following Energy Saving Trust and Energy Networks Association guidance.

The underlying G98 framework separately sets a network-notification timetable of no later than 28 days after commissioning. Treat that as a backstop, not a reason to wait: register before use.

The consumer-facing process can still differ between network operators while the new plug-in solar route is being introduced, so follow the current instructions supplied with the product and by your DNO.

No conventional prior application does not mean no paperwork.

For a qualifying plug-in solar device, consumers can now use the dedicated UK Plug-In Solar Registration service: myplugin.solar

The current Energy Saving Trust guidance directs plug-in solar owners to this service and states that registering the device is a legal requirement.

The registration process asks for basic details including your name, postcode and the make and model of the device. The service handles the network notification for the qualifying plug-in solar route.

The product documentation should also explain the registration requirement.

This consumer service is specifically for the qualifying plug-in solar route. Do not assume it replaces the normal G98 processes for other types of generation.

Currently, the G98 route limits plug-in microgeneration to one device per customer installation, which for an ordinary household means one plug-in device.

This can look confusing if you read the Product Specification itself.

The Product Specification refers to one plug-in solar product per final ring circuit, but it also notes that the current G98 network rules are stricter and take precedence.

For the present route, the number that matters is one qualifying plug-in device per household under the current G98 rules.

Do not assume that having several ring circuits means several devices can currently be connected.

The manufacturer has responsibilities before a qualifying device reaches the market.

The device must be type tested against the applicable G98 requirements and registered through the relevant ENA process.

Crucially, the manufacturer must obtain confirmation that the device has been assessed and identified as compliant before placing it on the market.

That means:

"Submitted for registration" is not the same as "identified as compliant".

A retailer simply offering a product for sale is also not, by itself, evidence that the exact product satisfies the current Great Britain plug-in solar route.

This page does not assess individual products.

No, not under the current Plug-in Solar Device Interim Product Specification.

The specification excludes plug-in battery systems and plug-in solar PV devices integrated with plug-in battery systems.

That does not mean batteries in general are prohibited.

It means a plug-in battery or battery-integrated plug-in product should not be assumed to fall within this particular plug-in solar route.

No.

There are two separate questions:

Does the product qualify for the plug-in solar route?

and:

Can you use it in the place you have available?

Government guidance tells consumers to check whether permission may be needed from a landlord, building owner or freeholder and whether planning permission or listed-building consent may apply.

The national plug-in solar framework does not automatically make every balcony, rented property or proposed mounting position suitable.

Product compliance also does not establish that a particular electrical installation or physical mounting position is suitable.