The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has launched a consultation on the 1994 Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations (PSSR) to enable more UK homes to use plug-in solar panels.
The consultation runs until June 30 and was announced alongside news that a number of leading UK retailers – including Amazon, B&Q, Currys and Lidl – had expressed their support for the government’s plans to amend the law to facilitate the deployment of plug-in solar panels.
“This is a fantastic opportunity to make renewable energy more accessible to people across Britain,” said John Boumphrey, country manager for Amazon UK and Ireland. “Enabling households to generate their own electricity with self-installed plug-in solar panels is a practical step that will support household budgets and meet net zero targets.”
The current PSSR legislation is something of an obstacle to the deployment of plug-in solar energy, as it requires plugs to comply with the BS 1363 standard, which prevents positive and socket outlets from being connected to electricity-generating equipment. Although the legislation does not explicitly ban plug-in solar panels, their presence means they do not comply with PSSR legislation and cannot be legally sold in Britain or used by British households.
However, the government has taken steps to accelerate the deployment of plug-in solar systems; in March, the government has updated the wiring rules BS 7671 and the G98 codewhich arranges small-scale grid connections, and announced that plug-in solar panels would be sold at major retailers, including Amazon and Lidl.
Plug-in solar systems are part of the growing demand for residential solar systems in Britain, as consumers turn to domestic electricity generation to protect their energy prices from disruptions to the global energy sector caused by the war in the Middle East. Earlier this year, Octopus Energy reported a “fundamental shift in the national psyche when it comes to energy”while Britain on the whole 2.3 GW of new operational capacity added in the year to April 2026.
“Plug-in panels can be transformative for tenants or those on lower incomes, so I welcome the conversation today with household names like B&Q and Currys showing huge support for getting the panels into people’s homes,” said Martin McCluskey, Minister for Energy. “This easy-to-install technology could reduce people’s bills and reduce Britain’s dependence on global fossil fuel markets.”
Government efforts to accelerate the deployment of plug-in solar energy systems are following those of state governments in the US. Both this year Colorado And California have prepaid bills for so-called ‘balcony solar panels’, as reported by our colleagues at PV technology.
