Home plug-in solar
Reduce household electricity use
Start with savings and payback, then check UK rules and product evidence.
Plan home solarStart with what you want to power
Practical UK solar tools for homes, sheds, offices and camping
Choose a journey, calculate the real requirement, check the current rules and only then compare suitable products.
Important UK buying update
Plug-in solar rule change: 27 August 2026
What are you trying to power?
Each route uses a different calculation and leads to different products, safety checks and buying guides.
Shed and workshop
Power a shed
Work from lights, charging and tools to battery, inverter and panel requirements.
Build your shed shortlist
Garden workspace
Run a garden office
Plan dependable off-grid power for efficient daily workspace loads.
Plan your workspace
Camping and touring
Plan camping power
Build a trip around real appliances, reserve and realistic solar charging.
Build your camping setupPurpose-built solar calculators
The shed and garden-office journeys share an outbuilding engine but open as distinct first-class routes with the right starting context.
Appliance power checker
Can It Power This?
Check battery, inverter and solar requirements for a UK appliance.
Check an applianceMains-connected planning
Home plug-in solar calculator
Estimate generation, annual savings, unused energy and payback.
Calculate home savingsShed and workshop
Shed solar calculator
Size battery storage, inverter output and panels for shed loads.
Size a shed systemGarden workspace
Garden office solar calculator
Plan reliable power for laptops, monitors, networking and lighting.
Size an office systemPortable off-grid
Camping solar calculator
Estimate trip energy, portable battery, inverter and solar needs.
Plan a camping setupBuying guides
Move from a calculated requirement to practical product comparisons without mixing incompatible categories.
Compare solar product types
Separate grid-connected systems, off-grid kits and portable power.
Explore buying guidePortable power stations
Compare capacity, output, solar input and suitable office loads.
Explore buying guideOff-grid shed kits
Choose between an integrated station and a component-based system.
Explore buying guideGarden office solar
Turn measured office loads into a practical equipment shortlist.
Explore buying guideRules and decision guidance
Check the current UK position, understand payback and choose the correct planning tool.
Plug-in solar: rules and buying guide
See the 27 August 2026 countdown, compliance checks and safer alternatives.
Read guideWhich solar system should I buy?
Choose between plug-in, portable, off-grid and installed solar.
Read guideIs plug-in solar worth it?
Understand self-use, complete cost and conservative payback.
Read guideChoose the right solar tool
Find the correct calculator by connection type and use case.
Read guideHousehold calculator
Estimate home plug-in solar savings
Adjust panel size, total cost, direction, electricity price and daytime use. The calculator itself is unchanged.
Solar Reality Check
UK plug-in solar payback estimator
Honest numbers, not solar sales fluff
Are plug-in solar panels actually worth it?
No spreadsheets. No solar jargon. Just a realistic yes/no answer in 30 seconds.
Generation
680 kWh/yr
Likely saving
£95/yr
Payback
6.3 yrs
Your realistic annual saving
£95
Worst
£76
Likely
£95
Best
£124
Worth a serious look
Your setup has a realistic payback window. The numbers look promising if the kit price is accurate.
Calculator inputs
Build your setup
Most plug-in kits are likely to sit around 400W–800W.
800W
Use this as your target budget when comparing kits.
£599
Use your unit rate from your energy bill.
28p/kWh
Panel direction
Daytime usage
The bit most calculators hide
Unused solar energy
Used in your home50%
Used
340 kWh/yr
Likely unused
340 kWh/yr
If you run washing machines, dishwashers, dehumidifiers or charging during sunny hours, your savings improve. If the house is empty all day, payback gets worse.
Compare kits for your result
Your payback depends heavily on the kit price. Compare a few sensible options before buying — cheaper kits can often beat premium ones on return.
Portable power stations are a different product category and are not a substitute for a verified mains-connected plug-in solar system.
Compare the right product categoryShareable result
“My plug-in solar setup saves about £95/year.”
Payback: 6.3 years. Unused energy: 50%. Verdict: Worth a serious look.
Planning an off-grid outbuilding?
Size solar for a garden office or shed
Off-grid batteries and portable power stations need a different calculation from household plug-in solar savings. Start with daily watt-hours, peak appliance watts and winter charging limits.
Read the garden-office solar guide