Plug-in solar, area by area

Why location changes the answer

The kit you buy is the same in Plymouth as it is in Aberdeen. Three things around it are not, and all three cost people money when they get them wrong.

Who you notify

Great Britain's grid is split between five distribution network operators across fourteen licence areas. Your DNO is determined by your property’s local network- not your electricity supplier. Postcodes are a useful guide, but a few areas cross boundaries. You cannot choose it, and switching electricity supplier does not change it. After installing  a compliant plug-in solar kit, its connection must be notified to that operator under G98, normally within 28 days. It is free and it takes a few minutes, but it has to go to the right company, and the boundaries are not obvious. Liverpool is not on the same operator as Manchester. Aberdeen is not on the same one as Glasgow.

What the panel will actually make

Plymouth yields roughly 20% more annual output than Glasgow using identical hardware. However, how you mount your panel matters even more than where you live: placing it flat against a vertical balcony railing yields roughly a third less energy than mounting it on a properly angled frame. The numbers on each city page are cautious estimates based on irradiance modeling for an 800W panel setup. These figures are long-term projections, not guaranteed outputs—actual generation will vary based on weather and specific local conditions.

Who has to say yes first

This is where people often get caught out. Property rules vary wildly by region and building type: a Glasgow tenement is governed by title deeds and the Tenements (Scotland) Act; a London flat lease might explicitly ban items attached to balcony railings; and properties in Edinburgh’s New Town often face strict conservation and listed-building consents. Furthermore, plug-in solar systems must never be installed on buildings undergoing fire-safety remediation. These are the exact legal and structural hurdles you need to verify first.

What applies everywhere

From 27 August 2026, compliant plug-in solar devices can be connected via a standard UK socket in Great Britain. This framework applies exclusively to complete devices that meet the government’s interim product specification—not to an standalone inverter with a UKCA mark, nor to European kits modified with a UK plug.

Current limits cap inverter output at 800VA and maximum current at 3.5A. The framework covers solar generation only; plug-in batteries and battery-integrated solar kits are excluded. You must use the manufacturer-supplied fused plug only; extension leads, multiway adaptors, and plug-in RCD adaptors are strictly prohibited. Additionally, current G98 network rules limit households to one plug-in solar device.

Do not install these devices on ACM, MCM, HPL, or timber cladding, timber balconies, or buildings undergoing external-wall fire-safety remediation. If you already have rooftop solar or battery storage, check with your Distribution Network Operator (DNO) before adding a plug-in kit, as your existing connection agreement may need to be updated.