Plug-In Solar Is Now Legal in the UK: Here Is What Actually Changed

by Karl Dyson | May 15, 2026 | DIY Solar News, Getting Started, Rules and Regulations

For years, connecting a solar panel to a standard UK wall socket sat in a regulatory grey area. Technically, the wiring rules did not permit it. That changed on 15 April 2026, when BS 7671 Amendment 4 came into force, creating a legal framework for plug-in solar...

What Is a Plug-In Solar Kit and How Does It Work?

by Karl Dyson | May 15, 2026 | DIY Solar News, Getting Started

If you have not come across plug-in solar before, the idea can sound almost too simple. Panels in your garden or on your balcony, a cable into a wall socket, and your electricity bill goes down. It really is roughly that straightforward, but understanding the...

Plug-In Solar vs Rooftop Solar: Which One Is Right for You?

by Karl Dyson | May 15, 2026 | Costs and Savings, DIY Solar News, Getting Started

The arrival of plug-in solar in the UK does not make rooftop solar irrelevant. They are different products aimed at different situations. Understanding what each one does well helps you work out which makes sense for your home, or whether there is a case for doing...

The G98 Notification: What It Is and How to Do It

by Karl Dyson | May 15, 2026 | DIY Solar News, Getting Started, Rules and Regulations

One of the steps that catches people off guard when setting up plug-in solar is the G98 notification. It sounds bureaucratic, but the process is usually quick and straightforward. Here is what it involves and why it matters. What G98 is G98 is the engineering...

How Much Sun Does the UK Actually Get? And Does It Matter for Plug-In Solar?

by Karl Dyson | May 15, 2026 | Costs and Savings, DIY Solar News, Getting Started

The most common objection to solar in the UK is the weather. It is a fair question. But the data on how much electricity solar panels actually generate in the UK might surprise you, and the answer has a bigger effect on plug-in solar payback times than most people...

Germany Has Had Plug-In Solar for Years. Here Is What the UK Can Learn

by Karl Dyson | May 15, 2026 | DIY Solar News, Getting Started

The UK is not inventing plug-in solar. Germany has had a functioning, legal, mass-market for these systems since 2023, and the results are striking. Over 1.5 million German households now run plug-in solar kits, with 426,000 new installations registered in 2025 alone....