Plug-in Solar Panels: Are They Worth It for UK Homes? By DIYnot / April 28, 2026

[ericmark]

Is it not time this was updated?

 

[ericmark]

It seems the interest in plug in solar has waned, likely as it does not include batteries? I note this month only 2/3 of the output to last month, so it seems as far as solar goes, missed the boat, by September looking at 1/2 the output of peak months. Looking at March and April now before we see the output raise again.

 

[denso13]

seems the interest in plug in solar has waned, likely as it does not include batteries?

It hasn't started yet?

 

[ericmark]

It hasn't started yet?

Agreed, however we were seeing loads about people jumping the gun, and what it would or would not mean, to those buying in to the plug and pray idea.

Once we knew what was going to be permitted, it all went silent, I did look at it, as my panels are orientated south-west, so in the morning I don't get so much. Wall mounted panels south-east, would get the morning sun, but with batteries and off-peak, it is the evening when we run out, not the morning, so with off-peak as it stands today, not worth it, if off-peak or export rates change, then it may be worth getting more panels.

As yet, not seen a single report where what is to become legal only is used. They either have existing panels so get paid for export, or batteries, so no idea as to how much the punter gets, and how much free power the energy providers gets.

I see all aimed at the rental sector, since only time I rented a flat was in Hong Kong, not sure what outside sockets are normally found in a UK rented property?

The battery powered hedge cutter, brush cutter, strimmer, or lopper has resulted in little need for an outside socket. I have three, and still use a mains powered lawn mower, and hedge cutter, but as to if those outside sockets are suitable for plug in solar, not so cut and dried.

 

[denso13]

I see all aimed at the rental sector

It isn't just aimed at that, but can suit well in that situation.

and what it would or would not mean

It just means they need to buy a little less form their supplier as they use what they generate. Not really designed for much more.

 

[morqthana]

It just means they need to buy a little less form their supplier as they use what they generate. Not really designed for much more.

And on that basis the ROI is...?

If I were to consider plug in, or indeed any, solar, I'd not want it without batteries, and quite honestly f--- the regulations.

But I'm in my early 70's - what's the financial case for installing battery-backed PV?

Resilience wrt the increasingly likely flakiness of the public supply is another matter, but how does PV+batteries stack up against a generator and a few cans of diesel?

 

[ericmark]

but how does PV+batteries stack up against a generator and a few cans of diesel?

Main point is it auto kicks in, so if I am not at home, the freezers still work.

But the question is how much to back up? The more backed up, the less time the battery will run for, where with the generator you can refill the cans of petrol. The other is noise, to have an inverter generator ticking over is not too bad, but a diesel generator at 3000 revs may upset the neighbours.

But since plug in solar has no batteries included, as a back-up during a power cut, it is useless.

For me, plug in solar would start generating before the roof mounted, and could catch the winter morning sun, but it is 4 pm to half past midnight which is when I run out of battery, not 5:30 am to 10 am, so really what I need is a third battery.

So a solar panel which can't feed into the grid, but feeds into a battery, which in turn can power selected items, will likely work better for me to plug in solar. It means I can use all the power the panel produces, and not export it at 12p/kWh. And I can use the whole output of the panel, not just 800 watts. And I can do that legally now, no need to wait until the 27th August. But then why have a separate battery? May as well add one to the existing system, I have 6.4 kWh at the moment, and it can expand to 12.8 kWh, so seems little point.

So with 2 kW of panels and an 800 watt inverter when will it start and end? I would say in August full output around 11 am to 6 pm with no or little cloud cover, before and after, still get some, and I am basing it on my panels facing south-west. So around 6.4 kWh per day in summer, but if again I look at my use, likely only use ½ of that, rest exported, so 3.2 kWh of solar used, so it will likely save no more than 50p per day.

Now with three times the size of solar panels, and six times the inverter size, plus a battery, the whole situation is changed, summer zero grid use, during peak hours, so one can have a split tariff, and use only off-peak, so the gains are dependent on having all three, solar, battery, and off-peak, and for that to work looking at an inverter of 3 kW or more, and battery output of 3 kW or more, as so many items use nearly 3 kW. So the saving jumps from 50p to £3 or more a day, I have 6 kW of panels not 2 kW three times that permitted with plug in, but I get six times the saving due to batteries and off-peak, and an emergency supply thrown in.

But to have the same as me, in the main, you need to be an owner-occupier, what the plug in solar allows is for the rental sector also to gain from solar.

Pay back will depend on take up. I can adjust when I import and export, by reducing how much I charge my batteries, I can leave space for the solar latter, at the moment off-peak is 8.625p and export 12p so I can fully charge overnight, no need to work out how much to charge. But if the off-peak goes up, or export goes down I can adjust. And since the start of off-peak and solar, there have been many changes, so if loads of people start to export, then the rates will likely go down.

And as it stands, G98 has not been modified to allow plug in solar, so seems likely no payment for export.

 

[denso13]

were to consider plug in, or indeed any, solar, I'd not want it without batteries, and quite honestly f--- the regulations.

Well, yes, that has always been, and always will be, an option for everything

 

[ericmark]

I did look at battery packs, the advantage is you can take them out with you, I have an old one, used it to pump up tyres until the pump failed, and the odd jump start, but never really used the 300 watt 230 volt outlet. Has a 20 Ah lead acid battery, and any bigger would make it too heavy.

The modern type

can often allow solar panels to recharge them, but the two bits I used, the pump and jump start, now missing. But the multi-function nature of these does have some appeal.

But hardly use the old one now, kept charged for emergency use, and battery has been renewed, I would think it would power an up lighter for some time.

I expect the battery not included will kill plug in solar.