Guide
Plug-in solar on an east, west or north-facing home
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South is best, but east and west still pay. North is the one direction where a kit rarely makes sense. These are our figures for an 800 W kit with no shade, at the Ofgem cap of 26.32p a kWh:
| Where the panels go | Made a year | Saving, someone home in the day | Saving, out at work |
|---|---|---|---|
| South, tilted | 690 kWh | £113 | £82 |
| South wall or balcony, upright | 497 kWh | £94 | £65 |
| East or west, tilted | 565 kWh | £92 | £67 |
| East or west wall, upright | 379 kWh | £72 | £50 |
| North | 241 kWh | £39 | £29 |
The south-tilted and east/west wall rows follow the government's own figures (DESNZ analytical annex); the others are our estimates on the same basis.
East and west have a hidden plus
East-facing panels make power at breakfast and west-facing ones into the early evening, when many homes use more. A pair split east and west spreads output across the day.
When it isn't worth it
North-facing, or heavily shaded, a £450 kit takes over 10 years to pay back. We'd say so in the calculator, which works it out for your own home in six questions.
Plug-in solar kits worth a look
Not electrical advice. We compare products; we are not electricians. Before you connect a solar kit to your home, ask a qualified electrician to check the socket, the circuit and your consumer unit, and follow the maker's instructions.
Questions buyers ask before buying
Will it ever pay for itself?
On the government's figures an 800 W kit tilted south saves about £113 a year in a home where someone is in during the day. The cheapest register-listed kit we list is £449 (sold out at the seller today), so that is roughly 4 years, and panels usually last far longer. Your home will differ: check yours in six questions.
Is it really legal and safe to plug into a socket?
Yes in England, Wales and Scotland since 27 August 2026, for kits listed on the . We only recommend kits whose listing we could confirm, and each kit page shows it. The rules ask for a modern consumer unit and no extension leads; if your fuse box is old, get an electrician to check it first. Is plug-in solar safe?
My house doesn't face south.
East or west still works. The government's figure for an upright east or west wall is about £72 a year with the same kit. North-facing is the one case where it is rarely worth it, and our calculator says so. Every direction compared.
I rent, or I live in a flat.
Plug-in solar was designed with flats in mind: no roof, no installer. You need your landlord's or freeholder's permission, and when you move you unplug it and take it with you, telling the network operator both times.
Sounds complicated.
Fix the panels with the maker's brackets, plug the kit into an outdoor socket, and tell your network operator using the QR code on the label. No meter change and no installer for the kit itself.
Can't I add a battery to use it in the evening?
Not under the plug-in rules: batteries are outside them and need fitting by a registered electrician. A plug-in kit pays back fastest on power you use in the day. Are solar batteries safe and legal?
Ready to choose?