Lowest upfront cost
Pro Compact 515W
£599
One panel, lowest price — a simple way into plug-in solar.
Ships from 28 September 2026
Buy this kitPlug-in solar · Great Britain
Seen plug-in solar on The One Show?
The technology behind that coverage is available now from SocketPower. Complete, matched plug-in solar kits from £599, designed for gardens, patios and suitable outdoor spaces in Great Britain.
- Complete matched solar kit
- G98 notification handled for you
- No fixed wiring work
- From £599
SocketPower is not endorsed by, affiliated with or approved by the BBC or The One Show. This page is independent information for people who saw plug-in solar covered in the media.
What did I just see?
Solar panels that plug into a socket.
Plug-in solar uses solar panels with a matched microinverter and a manufacturer-supplied mains lead to offset electricity your home is already using during daylight. It connects to a suitable protected outdoor socket rather than being wired into your consumer unit. In Great Britain the framework has applied since 27 August 2026 and eligible devices are limited to 800 VA AC — so it reduces part of your daytime usage, not your whole home.
Why people are interested now.
01
No traditional solar installation
Set up the supplied kit where the sun is. No roof work, no scaffolding and no fixed wiring work. Where any circuit or socket work is needed, use a qualified electrician.
02
Start from £599
A far lower entry point than a conventional roof-mounted PV system, and the kit comes complete rather than as parts you have to match yourself.
03
We handle the G98 paperwork
The DNO notification service is included with every SocketPower kit. You send three details after delivery and we file it as your agent.
Regulatory proof · ENA Connect Direct
How to check a plug-in solar kit is compliant.
A compliant plug-in solar device is listed on the Energy Networks Association Connect Direct plug-in solar device register by exact configuration — the specific panels, microinverter, lead and plug supplied together. A listing is a compliance status, not a commercial endorsement, and network operators retain their connection-review rights. Before you buy, check the register entry for the exact current configuration you are being sold rather than relying on an older or superseded listing.
Why this matters if you are buying
- Compliance attaches to the exact matched system and configuration — panels, microinverter, lead and plug as supplied.
- It is not a blanket badge for parts you assemble, extend or substitute yourself.
- The Great Britain route is G98 technical requirements, type testing, then registration before a device is placed on the market.
- Register listings change as configurations are updated, so verify the current entry for the kit you are ordering.
- SocketPower files the G98 notification with your DNO after purchase and confirms it in writing.
01
Tested for GB grid requirements
The interim government product specification requires a compliant plug-in solar device to meet G98 technical requirements and be type tested accordingly before it is placed on the market.
02
The exact system is registered
A listing covers one complete, matched configuration — panels, microinverter, lead and plug together. It is not a blanket badge for any parts you bolt together yourself.
03
Confidence and traceability
Each listing carries its own reference number on the register that network operators use, so the product you buy can be traced back to a documented entry.
04
Notification is still required
A compliant listing does not remove G98 network notification. SocketPower files the applicable notification with your DNO as your agent and confirms it in writing.
The range
Choose your SocketPower system.
All four kits share the same 799 VA AC inverter ceiling. A larger DC array does not raise that instantaneous limit — it reaches the ceiling earlier, holds it for longer and generates more in weaker light.
Two-panel starter
Pro Duo 890W
£999
Two panels at ground level for a fuller day-long output.
Back in stock soon
Buy this kit
Best for most homes
Pro Plus 1030W
£1,099
More panel capacity, so full output is reached earlier and held longer in cloud.
Ships from 28 September 2026
Buy this kit
Largest array
Pro Max 1260W
£1,199
The biggest array in the range, for the best low-light generation where space allows.
Ships from 28 September 2026
Buy this kitHow it works.
- 1
Position the kit
A firm, level, unshaded spot in a garden, on a patio or another suitable outdoor position. Ballast weights are not included and must be sourced separately.
- 2
Connect as supplied
Join the panels to the matched microinverter using the connectors in the box. Nothing in the connection path is swapped or substituted.
- 3
Plug it in
Connect the manufacturer-supplied lead and fused plug directly to a suitable protected outdoor socket on suitable RCD or RCBO protection. No extension leads, no adaptors.
- 4
Watch it generate
Pair the microinverter with the monitoring app and see live generation, daily totals and lifetime output from your phone.
Is it legal?
Yes — under the new Great Britain plug-in solar framework.
- The Great Britain framework has applied since 27 August 2026, and the device must be a compliant matched plug-in solar product.
- Current SocketPower kits are limited to 799 VA AC, inside the 800 VA ceiling.
- One plug-in solar device per household under current G98 arrangements. Kits must not be combined, extended or modified.
- DNO notification is still required — SocketPower handles it for kits we sell and confirms it in writing.
- You still need any property, tenancy, lease, landlord, freeholder or managing agent permission that applies to you.
Delivery area
Available only in England, Scotland and Wales. We do not currently supply Northern Ireland or addresses outside Great Britain.
G98 · Handled for you
The paperwork is ours.
Connecting a plug-in solar device means your network operator has to be told. We do that for you as your agent, in three simple steps.
- 01
You order your kit
Nothing extra to buy and no forms to chase. The G98 notification service is included with every eligible kit.
- 02
You send three details
After delivery we email you a secure link. You confirm your installation address, your MPAN (meter point number) and that the unit is connected. That is all we need.
- 03
We notify your DNO
We file the applicable G98 notification with your Distribution Network Operator as your agent and send you written confirmation. This is notification, not prior approval.
Notification is mandatory. Current G98 network rules can be stricter than the electrical product specification — for example one plug-in unit per household — and properties with existing solar, battery or other generation are handled manually by our compliance team. Read how the G98 service works.
Output
What changes how much you generate?
It depends on where the panels sit, the weather, your tariff and how much electricity you use during daylight. Because those vary so much between homes, we do not publish savings or payback figures.
See the kitsPlug-in solar questions.
What is plug-in solar?
Plug-in solar is a complete, pre-matched solar kit: solar panels, a small microinverter and a manufacturer-supplied mains lead and fused plug. It offsets electricity your home is already using at that moment rather than being wired into your consumer unit.
Can I really plug solar panels into a socket?
Yes, where the device is a compliant matched plug-in solar product connected directly to a suitable protected outdoor socket using the manufacturer-supplied lead. Extension leads, multiway adaptors and substituted cables must never be used.
Is plug-in solar legal in the UK?
A dedicated framework applies in Great Britain from 27 August 2026: single-phase solar PV only, a maximum inverter apparent output of 800 VA, and one plug-in solar device per household under the current G98 arrangements. Northern Ireland is not covered by that framework.
Do I need an electrician?
Not to set up the kit itself — there is no fixed wiring work. You do need a suitable existing outdoor socket on suitable RCD or RCBO protection. If a socket needs installing, altering or testing, use a qualified electrician.
Do I need to tell my DNO?
Yes. Network notification under G98 is still required for a plug-in solar device. SocketPower files the applicable notification with your Distribution Network Operator as your agent for kits bought from us, and confirms it in writing.
What is the difference between 515W, 890W, 1030W and 1260W if the inverter is limited to 799 VA?
Every kit shares the same 799 VA AC ceiling, so a larger DC array does not raise instantaneous AC output. What more panel capacity does is reach that ceiling earlier in the day, hold it for longer, and generate more in cloud and weaker light.
Can it power my whole house?
No. A plug-in solar kit offsets part of the electricity your home is using during daylight. It does not run a whole house and it does not provide back-up power in a cut.
Can renters use it?
Often, because the mounting is reversible and non-permanent. You still need any permission that applies to you from your landlord, tenancy, lease, freeholder or managing agent, and a suitable outdoor socket you are allowed to use.
Just plug in the sun.
Ready to make some of your own electricity?
Start with the system that fits your space and budget. We’ll handle the G98 notification.
SocketPower is not endorsed by, affiliated with or approved by the BBC or The One Show. This page is independent information for people who saw plug-in solar covered in the media.