Overview
- Major retailers and suppliers, including Lidl, Amazon and EcoFlow, are preparing low-cost kits for sale after the government moved to allow plug‑in solar.
- Carbon Brief estimates a typical 800 W setup would generate about 400 kWh a year, covering roughly 15% of a typical home’s use and saving around £110.
- Without a professional installation and meter changes, households cannot earn for any excess power that flows back to the grid.
- The Institution of Engineering and Technology warns many UK safety switches are not built for two‑way current and says multiple kits could fail to shut down during an outage.
- The energy department says its tests show the kits are safe on home circuits and it has commissioned an independent study to set detailed rules before retail sales.