Solar Panels news
Are solar panel prices falling? Has the Smart Export Guarantee rate changed, or the rules on permitted development and planning permission? Which solar panel makers and installers are growing or in trouble?
Every solar panel story we have reported, newest first: prices, export payments, grants, rules, products and the companies behind them. Each one links to our solar panel guides on what it means for you.
- October 2026
Budget ends zero-rated VAT for solar panels from April 2027
The 2026 Budget leaves zero-rated VAT for energy saving materials, including solar panels fitted to homes, unextended beyond the end of March 2027, alongside cuts to warm homes funding.
Plug-in solar panels approved for households in England, Scotland and Wales weeks ago
Plug-in solar panels have been approved for households in England, Scotland and Wales, with kits now sold in high street retailers for under £700 and demand reported to be high.
- September 2026
Plug-in solar panels legal in UK but RCD compatibility check needed
Plug-in solar panels are legal and on sale across Great Britain, but Electrical Safety First says many homes need a Type A bidirectional RCD before the panels can be used safely.
Article reports 2026 solar installation surge and plug-in panel launch
Nearly 172,000 solar installations have been fitted across the UK since the start of 2026, with plug-in panels now on sale and rooftop solar driving more than seven in ten July installations.
InstaGen, The Solar Centre and Octopus plug-in kits due by end of September 2026
InstaGen, The Solar Centre and Octopus Energy are preparing plug-in solar kits for UK households, with InstaGen kits due by the end of September 2026 at an RRP of £549.
Inverter 12/2k5 Smart available from September
Victron Energy's Q3 2026 Euro price list marks the Inverter 12/2k5 Smart as available from September at € 650, alongside two other September inverter lines.
Uswitch solar comparison tool launched
Uswitch has launched a solar panel comparison tool that shows personalised quotes from MCS-certified installers, alongside published cost ranges of about £4,600 to £8,000 for systems without batteries.
- August 2026
Amendments to Class A made by the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) (Amendment) Order 2026 (S.I. 2026/896) come into force
Amendments to Class A permitted development rights for solar equipment in England came into force on 27 August 2026, adding separate rules for dwellinghouses and a new restriction on plug-in solar fixed to timber.
New permitted development rules for domestic solar come into force
Amended permitted development rights for domestic solar in England took effect on 27 August 2026, splitting rules for houses and blocks of flats and clarifying plug-in solar, with a 12-month transition to 27 August 2027.
Affected product listings will expire
Solar mounting products that lost certification to the MCS 012 standard in May 2025 will have their listings expired in the MCS databases on 10 August 2026, after a final grace period extension.
Grace period begins for MCS 005 solar PV products
MCS has opened a six-month grace period for solar PV products that lose certification under updated standards, allowing existing stock to be used in certified installations until 1 February 2027.
- July 2026
Government confirms law change making plug-in solar legal for UK homes from 27 August 2026
The government has confirmed that plug-in solar becomes legal for UK homes from 27 August 2026, with kits expected to retail from around £400 and savings guidance beginning to firm up.
Government response to plug-in solar consultation published
The government has published its response to the plug-in solar consultation, confirming it intends to proceed with regulatory amendments and an interim product specification for compliant devices.
Plug-in Solar Device Interim Product Specification version 2 published
The Secretary of State published version 2 of the Plug-in Solar Device Interim Product Specification on 16 July 2026, alongside regulations that make compliant plug-in solar kits legal to connect through a standard socket.
Which? publishes response to DESNZ plug in solar consultation
Which? has told the government that safety concerns around plug in solar must be resolved before the products go on sale in the UK, while backing their potential to cut bills.
Plug-in Solar Device Interim Product Specification Version 2.0 issued
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has issued Version 2.0 of its interim product specification for plug-in solar devices, setting the technical and safety limits that will govern the products.
- June 2026
Retailers join government plans for plug-in solar and consultation launched
Retailers including B&Q, Currys, Amazon and Lidl have joined government plans for plug-in solar, as DESNZ opened a consultation on enforcing safe consumer installation rules.
Five electrotechnical bodies issue joint statement urging caution on plug-in solar panels
Five electrotechnical bodies have told Government that plug-in solar panels should not reach the mass market until product standards, enforcement and installation rules are fully in place.
Registration requirement for free warranty extension applies to new inverters commissioned on or after this date
Fronius has confirmed that new inverters commissioned from 1 June 2026 must be registered in its Solar.web portal to qualify for the free warranty extension.
- May 2026
DESNZ data shows solar installation costs falling
Government data shows the cost of small scale solar installations fell by 7% and larger systems by 9% between 2024/25 and 2025/26, as ministers prepare loan support.
Maxeon PV module warranty becomes effective
Maxeon has set an effective date of May 1, 2026 for a revised limited warranty covering its PV modules, with 40-year terms on both product and performance cover.
- April 2026
MCS Redeveloped Installer Scheme rollout began
Ofgem's Boiler Upgrade Scheme installer guidance confirms MCS is rolling out a redeveloped installer scheme through 2026 and into early 2027, alongside rule changes effective 28 April 2026.
Solis lists S6-EH3P(30-60)K-H(21A) storage inverter
Solis has listed the S6-EH3P(30-60)K-H(21A), a three phase high voltage storage inverter supporting PV input up to 100kW, in its inverter catalogue.
- March 2026
Government announces acceleration of plug-in solar plans
The government published the Future Homes Standard on 24 March 2026 and said it would accelerate plans to make plug-in solar panels available in the UK within months.
Electrical Safety First publishes statement on plug-in solar following Future Homes Standard announcement
Electrical Safety First has published a statement on plug-in solar after the Government announced plans to widen their availability, warning that such systems are not currently permitted by regulations.
Government announced plug-in solar available in UK shops within months
The government said in March 2026 that plug-in solar kits would reach UK shops within months, with regulations to be updated so households can connect sub-800W systems.
- February 2026
LuxpowerTek publishes 2026 global inverter warranty terms
LuxpowerTek has published its 2026 global warranty terms for inverters and batteries, covering products bought and installed from April 2024 onwards.
- December 2025
E.ON Next announces partnership with Allume to bring shared solar to flats
E.ON Next has announced a partnership with Australian cleantech firm Allume to offer SolShare shared rooftop solar to blocks of flats, targeting social housing providers and new build developers.
- November 2025
EDF launches limited time discount of up to £1,000 on solar and battery systems
EDF has cut up to £1,000 off the price of solar and battery systems bought before 23:59 on 23 November 2025, with smaller systems discounted by £500 or £750.
TÜV Rheinland (China) expanded its MCS certification scope
TÜV Rheinland (China) has widened its MCS product certification scope beyond solar PV to cover heat pumps, building-integrated solar PV, solar heating and solar mounting systems.