A Turning Point for Home Energy: How Policy and Government Are Driving Change

Over the past month, a wave of significant government announcements across the UK has reshaped the landscape for home energy, with solar and heat pumps now firmly at the centre of future housing policy. From plug‑in solar becoming newly available in shops to the long‑awaited Future Homes Standard, and with Wales introducing its own mandate for rooftop solar, momentum is accelerating rapidly.

To help make sense of what it all means for households, developers and landlords, we sat down with our Product Manager, Tom, to unpack the implications.

Plug‑In Solar: Coming to Retailers Within Months

The UK Government has confirmed that plug-in solar panels, already hugely popular across Europe, will be available in UK shops “within months” after updates to wiring regulations and grid connection rules. Major retailers, including Lidl, Amazon, Sainsbury’s, and Currys, are already preparing to stock them, pending rule updates.

The government is working with manufacturers such as EcoFlow to fast‑track availability, intending to help households cut bills and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. This retail rollout comes as part of a broader push for clean, homegrown energy in response to the Middle East conflict and rising global energy prices.

Carbon Brief’s recent analysis shows that a plug‑in system (around 800W) could save households £110 a year on electricity and up to £1,100 over its lifetime, depending on placement and usage.

But is plug‑in solar worth it? Tom’s take: It depends.

The initiative is designed to make access to solar installations quicker and cheaper, for more types of homes (such as flats with balconies), and follows the successful rollout of a similar programme in other countries such as Germany.

A core part of how this is achieved is by limiting the installations to relatively small systems: the 800W number quoted at present is typically equivalent to two normal-sized (1.1×1.7m) panels. In principle, this reduces the risk that electricity circuits (particularly older ones) are overloaded by the amount of electricity generation being distributed around a home’s circuits.

One of the consequences of this is that plug-in solar is very unlikely to cover your overall electricity consumption: even if the panels were generating at maximum power output, this still wouldn’t meet the power required to boil a kettle; you would still need to import electricity from the grid.

By comparison, a ‘typical’ solar and battery install in the UK might be more like 10-12 solar panels and a medium-sized battery, with a reasonably powerful inverter. In numbers that might be a 4kW solar panel installation, with a 13kWh battery, and a 5kW inverter. That normally covers the majority of a home’s electricity demand and would definitely be enough to boil the kettle! Whilst a professional installation can also earn a home money for any excess energy exported, the route to doing this with a plug-in solar system isn’t completely clear at the moment.

So if you plan on staying in your home for a long time, have high electricity consumption (for example, you have a large house, an electric vehicle, a heat pump or another form of electric heating), and a big roof that is perfect for solar, a professionally installed system is quite likely to be the better option for you.

However, if you have low electricity consumption, limited roof space, or don’t intend to stay in your home too long, plug-in solar, potentially with the addition of a relatively small battery, might be a great way to quickly reduce your bills for a low upfront cost. In most circumstances, there will be the added benefit that you can take it with you to your next home.

What should I consider as a resident/homeowner or landlord?

Before installing, check your home’s electrical system; even though these systems are designed to be simple, safety still matters. Get an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) or ask your landlord for one first.

For landlords, he stresses the importance of setting clear ground rules: ensuring residents don’t install systems in ways that could create other issues, like leaking roofs or fire risks.

It’s not yet clear how plug in solar will be treated in relation to EPC score, but even if it did become an acceptable measure, as a small system the SAP score uplift will be relatively minor.

Future Homes Standard: A Clear Shift Away From Gas by 2028

The UK Government has now published the long‑awaited Future Homes Standard, confirming that from 2028:

  • No new homes will be connected to the gas network
  • All new homes must use heat pumps or be connected to a heat network
  • Roofs must include solar panels covering an area equivalent to at least 40% of the building’s ground‑floor space.

Homes built under the new standard are expected to emit 75% less carbon and could save families around £830 per year on energy bills compared to a typical EPC C home.

Developers have expressed concern about the scale of solar required, but the government and industry stakeholders have been clear: this is a crucial step toward certainty, lower running costs and long‑term energy security.

Tom’s perspective on the Standard: Tom sees this as a positive step:

  • It will make low running costs the default expectation for new homes, achieved with well installed solar systems and electrified heating.
  • It strengthens the supply chain: when PV and electrified heating is standard, the market will get better at doing it consistently well, and at lower cost.
  • It forces suppliers and developers to consider value for money, not just lowest‑cost installation.
  • It avoids the need to retrofit later, a process that is nearly always more expensive and more disruptive.

He also emphasises that proper installation and good resident onboarding will be key to realising savings: “Technology is only half the story. People need to be supported in using it properly to see the full financial, comfort and health benefits.”

Wales Goes Further: Rooftop Solar Mandatory from March 2027

The Welsh Government has announced that from 4 March 2027, all new buildings must install an onsite renewable electricity system, which in practice means rooftop solar in almost every case.  The rules include sensible safeguards, such as a requirement for systems to generate at least 720 kWh per year, preventing “token” installations. Exemptions where shading or grid limitations make compliance unviable.

In this respect Wales is being more ambitious than England and signals a strong regional commitment to accelerating clean energy adoption.

Why Consumer Interest Is Surging Again

Recent geopolitical turmoil and rising gas prices have triggered a sharp increase in public interest in solar and electrification. Retailers and installers such as Octopus Energy and Good Energy have already reported a post‑crisis uplift in demand.

The government has reinforced that message by positioning clean British energy as essential for energy security and resilience. Now when it feels a little easier to win hearts and minds, it’s about how do we address the challenges we know hold back delivery faster – skills/supply chain, funding and affordability.

Will all of this accelerate adoption? Absolutely. We came away from our discussion agreeing on one thing above all: we’ve reached a meaningful inflexion point.

Here’s why:

  • New homes will embed solar and heat pumps by default, creating a new normal
  • Consumers can now try solar easily and cheaply through plug‑in systems, a gateway to deeper retrofits
  • Clearer standards and mandates reduce uncertainty for developers, manufacturers and installers
  • Rising energy prices and global instability are pushing households to seek energy independence
  • Demonstration of real‑world savings and comfort benefits will drive further uptake.

For the first time, solar isn’t just an environmental choice; it’s the practical, expected, and increasingly affordable choice.

And as Tom notes: “If we install well and support residents to use clean energy technology, we can show real savings, and that’s what will make low-carbon homes the preferred homes.”

One final important hurdle the government is trying to tackle

One critical issue that still needs to be addressed if this momentum is to translate into mass adoption of electrified heating: the price gap between electricity and gas. Today, electricity prices remain artificially high because they are still largely set by gas prices, despite an ever-growing share of UK power being generated by much cheaper renewables. The government’s recent announcement of plans to weaken this link, including moving older renewable generation onto fixed‑price contracts, is an important step in the right direction. If delivered effectively, these reforms could materially improve the running costs of heat pumps and strengthen the consumer case for electrification. Tackling the so‑called “spark gap” won’t solve every barrier, but it could be one of the most important enablers of widespread adoption.

 

Tom, Product Manager