UK households free to install plug-in balcony solar panels from end of August

British households will be able to buy plug-in solar panels from 27 August after the government changed the law to allow retailers to sell them for the first time in the UK.

The legislation, passed last week, means renters and flat owners can now join millions across Europe in generating their own electricity using balcony solar panels. Unlike traditional rooftop systems, these panels plug directly into a standard three-prong wall socket and can be installed on balconies, terraces, shed roofs or other outdoor spaces without professional help.

Major retailers including Currys, B&Q, Asda, Screwfix, Wickes and Amazon met with the government earlier this summer to discuss sales guidelines. The panels are expected to cost at least £400 and could reduce energy bills by up to £110 per year.

Chris Hewett, chief executive of Solar Energy UK, said the change will bring "cheap, clean power to households that have not been able to access these benefits before". The clean energy flows directly into homes when the sun is shining.

Gilbert