GoKawiilPlug-in batteries: putting power in people’s hands
Rooftop solar and home battery systems are a well-established pillar of the government’s net zero and energy security strategy. But to date, systems that can be plugged into a regular wall socket have not been legal in Great Britain. This is in stark contrast to mainland Europe, where plug-in systems are commonplace and can be bought off the shelf from Ikea or Lidl.
Plug-in solar has been available for almost a decade in Germany, where there are now more than a million systems in place. In March this year, the UK government announced regulation changes to make plug-in solar panels available ‘within months’, as part of its response to the rise in energy costs caused by the US war in Iran. However, the announcement was noticeably quiet on plug-in batteries.
In this insight piece, we discuss:
What a plug-in battery is and how they work
How much households could save
Who would benefit (spoiler, it’s those currently cut out from the benefits of home batteries)
The wider energy system benefits
The next steps for government on safety and regulation.
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