Government to make plug-in solar panels available in shops within months as it accelerates clean energy push

Households across Britain will soon be able to buy plug-in solar panels from high street retailers such as Lidl and Iceland, after the government announced plans to cut red tape and bring the technology to market within months as part of an accelerated push for energy independence.

The announcement, made on 24 March 2026 by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and Housing Secretary Steve Reed, comes as the government seeks to reduce the UK's exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets amid the ongoing conflict in Iran. The plug-in panels, which can be placed on balconies or in outdoor spaces and connected directly to a mains socket without professional installation, are already widely used across Europe, with Germany seeing around half a million new devices plugged in each year.

The government said it would work with the Energy Networks Association, distribution network operators and Ofgem to update the G98 distribution code and wiring regulations to allow households to connect 800W plug-in solar panels to domestic mains sockets without the need for an electrician, with tailored safety standards. Manufacturers including EcoFlow are working with ministers to bring their products to the UK market.

Future Homes Standard

Alongside the plug-in solar initiative, the government has laid regulations for the Future Homes Standard, which will require the majority of new homes in England to be built with solar panels and low-carbon heating — such as heat pumps and heat networks — as standard from 2028. Ministers said homes built under the new standard could save families up to £830 a year on energy bills compared with a standard home with an EPC rating of C, and would produce at least 75 per cent fewer carbon emissions than those built to the 2013 standards.

"The Iran War has once again shown our drive for clean power is essential for our energy security so we can escape the grip of fossil fuel markets we don't control," said Mr Miliband. "Whether through solar panels fitted as standard on new homes or making it possible for people to purchase plug-in solar in shops, we are determined to roll out clean power so we can give our country energy sovereignty."

Housing Secretary Steve Reed added: "Building 1.5 million new homes also means building high-quality homes that are cheaper to run and warmer to live in. Today's standard is what the future of housing can and should look like."

Discounted electricity on windy days

In a further move, the government announced an innovative trial — set to launch in time for winter — that would allow energy companies to offer discounted bills to customers on particularly windy days in areas where wind farms are currently paid to switch off because the grid cannot handle all the power being generated. The scheme will predominantly benefit households in Scotland and the East of England, where grid constraints are most acute.

Rather than continuing the practice of paying wind turbines to turn off — so-called "constraint payments" — the government said it would look to bring forward legislation to ensure surplus clean energy could be passed on to consumers at reduced rates. Greg Jackson, founder and CEO of Octopus Energy, welcomed the move, saying: "It's great that the government want to give homes and businesses cheap electricity on windy days instead of paying wind farms to switch off."

The announcements also come ahead of a £117 reduction in household energy bills taking effect on 1 April, which will remain in place until the end of June. Last week, the government's annual renewables auction was brought forward to July, with recent auctions having secured enough clean energy capacity to power 23 million homes.

The government has also launched a call for evidence on the next steps for the £5 billion Warm Homes Fund, part of the broader £15 billion Warm Homes Plan. The fund includes £1.7 billion already allocated to consumer loans for clean energy technology, supported by £300 million in capital investment, with a further £3.3 billion earmarked for innovative finance in building upgrades and retrofits.

The package received broad support from the energy industry and environmental groups. Chris Hewett, chief executive of Solar Energy UK, said: "Expanding solar energy and battery storage is a rapid and inexpensive solution to the looming energy crisis — for cutting bills, for the economy and for our nation's energy security." Friends of the Earth's head of policy, Mike Childs, welcomed the measures but cautioned: "We must go further to end our reliance on fossil fuels, strengthen energy security and cut the carbon pollution driving the climate crisis."