Balcony & plug-in solar in the UK — honestly explained.

BS 7671 Amendment 4 came into force on 15 April 2026 and reclassifies microgeneration up to 800W as a portable appliance. But the full plug-and-play DIY pathway isn’t in place yet — here’s what is actually legal in your flat today, and what’s changing over the next few months.

Is plug-in solar legal now? → G98 notification walkthrough

Quick answer: Yes, plug-in / balcony solar up to 800W is legal in the UK after BS 7671 Amendment 4 came into force on 15 April 2026, but the supply chain hasn’t fully caught up — until a BSI product standard for DIY plug-in kits lands (expected around July 2026), the cleanest legal route is an 800W hardwired install by a CPS-registered electrician with a free G98 Connect & Notify to your DNO. Average UK rate ~27–28p/kWh; payback 3–4 years.

What this site does

BalconySolarHub tracks the UK balcony / plug-in solar transition in plain English. We cover the parts that matter for a flat-owner or tenant deciding whether to install a kit in 2026:

  • Legal status — the BS 7671 Amendment 4 timeline, the 800W cap, RCD and anti-islanding requirements, and the gap between “ratified” and “DIY-installable”.
  • G98 notification — a step-by-step walkthrough of telling your DNO (UK Power Networks, SSEN, NGED, etc.). Free, online, and not an approval gate.
  • Kits — what’s actually available in the UK right now (EcoFlow STREAM, Anker SOLIX, Zendure SolarFlow, APsystems EZ1, Hoymiles HMS-800), with honest “watch” framing where UK stock or compliance is unclear.
  • Savings & payback — UK rate (~27–28p/kWh, energy price cap), self-consumption only, no SEG / FIT.

Is it legal in the UK?

BS 7671 Amendment 4, what changed on 15 April 2026, what’s still pending, and what you can do today.

Read the flagship guide →

G98 notification walkthrough

How to tell your DNO you’ve installed a microgeneration unit. Free, online, takes ~10 minutes.

Step-by-step →

UK savings calculator (£)

Estimate yearly savings and payback at the current UK energy price cap.

Run the numbers →

Latest guides

Best UK balcony solar kits (2026)

EcoFlow STREAM (most mainstream UK), Anker SOLIX Solarbank, Zendure SolarFlow 800, APsystems EZ1-M (~£120), Hoymiles HMS-800 (~£107) — with honest UK availability notes.

The 800W limit, explained

Why 800W AC inverter output is the UK’s line, why it differs from panel watts, and what happens above the cap.

Can you plug solar into a normal socket?

RCD protection, outdoor-rated sockets, and why “just plug it in” isn’t (yet) the legal pathway in the UK.

Plug-in battery storage UK

EcoFlow STREAM Ultra, Anker SOLIX Solarbank, Zendure SolarFlow — how AC-coupled batteries fit the 800W rule.

Cost & payback (UK)

Kit prices from £200–£1,000, expected output 600–900 kWh/yr, self-consumption only — what realistic payback looks like.

Best portable power stations (UK)

Bluetti AC180, Anker SOLIX C1000/C2000, Jackery 1000 v2, EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus — backup for power cuts, paired with balcony solar. Real £ prices.

Balcony solar accessories under £50

15 UK add-ons: smart plugs, MC4 cables, rail mounts, RCD & surge protection — the small parts that make a kit work.

EcoFlow STREAM vs Anker SOLIX

UK balcony battery head-to-head: capacity, expandability, stock and £ price — which to buy.

UK plug-in solar FAQ

Quick answers on legality, planning permission, leasehold, RCD, anti-islanding, and SEG eligibility.

✅ Editorial principles. We don’t publish “just plug it in, fully legal now” copy. The UK is in a real, documented transition window between BS 7671 Amendment 4 (15 April 2026) and the expected BSI product standard for DIY kits (~July 2026, transitional period through ~October 2026). When we don’t know something, we say so. When a kit’s UK availability is unclear, we mark it “watch” instead of hiding the gap.