The Plug-in Solar Report: 11 October 2026

11 new compliant configurations approved this week

The UK plug-in solar market continues to expand. This week, the ENA marked 11 more plug-in solar kit configurations as compliant, taking the total to 120.

As of 11 October 2026, our directory records:

• 120 ENA-approved configurations listed as compliant under the UK's plug-in solar rules.
• 45 kits with verified retail listings, up from 41 last week.
• 75 compliant kits not yet on sale, or without an identified matching retail listing.

The 11 new approvals cover five configurations from Perlight Solar, four from Thunder Energy, one from Smith Bros. and one from Voltacon. We haven't yet found a matching retail listing for any of them.

While new configurations continue to receive ENA approval, retail availability is still catching up. None of this week's 11 additions have yet been identified for sale, although more approved kits are gradually making their way onto UK retailers' websites.

Our UK plug-in solar kit directory tracks all 120 configurations, including those currently available to buy and those still awaiting retail listings.

Currys adds a single-panel kit and hints at a wider range

Following last week's launch of the InstaGen ONE 870W two-panel plug-in solar kit at Currys, priced at £599, the retailer has now added a listing for the smaller InstaGen ONE 435W single-panel kit at £499.

The new listing gives consumers a more compact alternative to the two-panel system, potentially appealing to households with limited outdoor space. However, both InstaGen kits are still showing as out of stock on the Currys website.

More interestingly, a listing for the HDM Solar PSK1000 910W plug-in solar kit briefly appeared on the Currys website this week, priced at £599, before the product page was hidden.

At the same £599 price as the two-panel InstaGen kit, however, the HDM Solar model offers a notably stronger specification.

The HDM Solar kit features a dual-MPPT microinverter, allowing its two solar panels to operate independently, along with a higher combined panel capacity of 910W compared with InstaGen's 870W. Its panels also have a higher efficiency rating, while the mounting frame offers a greater range of adjustable angles.

Together, these advantages give the HDM Solar kit greater solar generation potential and more flexibility over how the panels are positioned, despite costing exactly the same.

It's unclear why the HDM Solar listing was hidden so soon after appearing, or whether the product will return at the same price. However, its brief appearance suggests Currys may be preparing to expand its plug-in solar range beyond InstaGen.

For now, we'll be watching to see when the existing InstaGen kits come into stock, whether the HDM Solar listing returns, and whether other suppliers begin appearing at one of the UK's largest electrical retailers.

Stock shortages continue as popular plug-in solar kits sell out

While the number of compliant plug-in solar kits with UK retail listings continues to grow, actually getting hold of one remains a challenge.

As of 11 October 2026, just 21 of the 45 kits we've identified with UK retail listings were showing as in stock.

City Plumbing is a particularly interesting example. Its competitively priced plug-in solar kits returned to stock last week, but the availability was short-lived. Within five days of the restock, the kits were once again showing as out of stock.

City Plumbing currently offers some of the lowest-priced compliant plug-in solar kits in the UK, including the DMEGC 475W single-panel kit at just £336 and the DMEGC 930W two-panel kit at £444, both including delivery.

With their combination of low prices and generous solar panel capacity, City Plumbing's kits offer the potential for shorter payback periods than many competing products. It's perhaps no surprise, then, that they appear to be selling out so quickly.

Stock shortages aren't limited to City Plumbing, either. Both Octopus Energy plug-in solar kits are currently showing as out of stock, while EcoFlow's UK-compliant configurations have yet to show any availability on the company's website since receiving ENA approval.

These examples highlight two different challenges facing the emerging market. Some suppliers appear to be struggling to keep popular products in stock, while others have gained compliance but have yet to make their kits available to consumers.

Although retailers don't publish sufficient stock or sales data to measure demand accurately, City Plumbing's repeated sell-outs suggest there is genuine appetite for affordable plug-in solar.

For now, the growing number of retail listings isn't translating into widespread availability. As more retailers enter the market, keeping kits in stock, particularly at the lower end of the price range, could be just as important as introducing new products.

Worldwide Solar adds 1220W and 1330W kits without mounts

In last week's Plug-in Solar Report, we highlighted that Worldwide Solar had become the first supplier to gain ENA approval for plug-in solar kits without mounting equipment, giving consumers the flexibility to choose their own mounting arrangements.

This week, Worldwide Solar added two more of these approved kits to its online store: the 1,220W kit and the larger 1,330W kit, priced at £484 and £535 respectively.

The 1,330W kit combines two 665W AIKO bifacial panels with an 800VA Hoymiles microinverter, making it the most powerful compliant plug-in solar kit we've identified for sale in the UK. Although its output is capped at 800VA, the additional panel capacity offers greater generation potential in lower-light conditions. Remarkably, the 1,330W kit was showing as sold out within just two days of being listed.

This week, we also launched a dedicated plug-in solar kits without mounts category on PluginSolarCalculator.com, bringing together compliant packages that include panels, a microinverter and cables, but no mounting equipment. The category has already become one of our most visited product category pages.

This early interest suggests that a growing number of consumers may be looking for more flexibility over how and where they install their solar panels, rather than being limited to the mounting equipment selected by the kit supplier.

Buyers should still ensure that any mounting arrangement is suitable, safe and consistent with the manufacturer's installation requirements.

Modular Solar switches to 400VA microinverters

We noticed an important specification change affecting both plug-in solar kits sold by Modular Solar this week.

Previously, the company's 340W and 475W single-panel kits were supplied with a 450VA microinverter. Both have now switched to a smaller 400VA microinverter, following the approval of updated configurations on the ENA Type Test Register.

The updated products remain compliant with the UK plug-in solar requirements, but the change has a significant impact on the potential performance of the larger kit.

For the 340W system, the reduction makes little practical difference, as the panel's rated capacity is already below the new inverter limit.

However, for the 475W Modular Solar kit, the smaller microinverter means that maximum AC output is now limited to approximately 400W, even when the solar panel is capable of generating more.

That's a reduction of 50VA in inverter capacity compared with the previous version, and means the kit can no longer make full use of its panel's peak rated output.

In practice, solar panels rarely operate at their maximum rated power for extended periods under typical UK conditions, so the effect on annual generation may be relatively modest. Nevertheless, it's an important distinction for consumers comparing different kits.

A kit advertised with a 475W solar panel does not necessarily deliver 475W of usable AC electricity. The microinverter's output rating is just as important as the panel capacity when evaluating the potential performance of a plug-in solar system.

We've updated our Modular Solar product listings to reflect the revised specifications.

What to watch next week

With more kits gaining approval but stock availability still proving a challenge, there are several developments we'll be watching closely over the coming week.

Will City Plumbing restock its popular kits again? And will we finally see the arrival of its approved dual-MPPT configurations, which have yet to receive confirmed retail listings?

Will EcoFlow begin supplying its approved UK kits? Despite gaining compliance for several configurations, its plug-in solar range has continued to show as out of stock on the company's UK website.

And will Currys expand its range further? The brief appearance of the HDM Solar kit suggests there may be more developments on the way.

We'll continue tracking these changes, along with new ENA approvals, retailer launches and price movements, in next week's Plug-in Solar Report.