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Short answer: no, not as a plug-in. The 2026 rules cover solar-only devices, and the battery systems we found on sale in the UK (EcoFlow STREAM, Anker SOLIX Solarbank 4, Jackery SolarVault 3) are sold for hardwiring by an electrician. And with an 800 W kit, the most a battery could add in London is about £80 a year, before battery losses [calc].
What the texts say
- A plug-in microgenerator must not be "designed to import electrical energy from a low voltage consumer's installation for the purpose of storing energy for later supply" (SI 2026/848).
- Outside the specification: "Plug-in battery systems" and "Plug-in solar PV devices integrated with battery systems" (Interim Product Specification v2.0).
- Ofgem: plug-in electricity storage devices "will therefore remain prohibited from being sold, supplied, or used in the UK" once the current proposals are in place (Ofgem, 11 August 2026).
How much would a battery save?
A battery only helps with the solar you do not use as it is made. For 920 Wp vertical on a south railing in London with a 150 W baseload, we calculate 671 kWh a year, of which 54% is used straight away and 306 kWh goes to the grid [calc]. Storing all of it and using it later would be worth at most £80 a year at 26.32p, before charging losses.
Against that, the cheapest battery system we priced was the EcoFlow STREAM Ultra at £699 for 1.92 kWh, before installation; Anker's installation partner quotes £899 for the Solarbank 4 in England. Even at £699 and the maximum saving, that is 8.7 years [calc].
Battery systems on sale in the UK
Hardwired
EcoFlow STREAM Ultra (battery only)
1.92 kWhbattery, as listed
- Panels
- none included (up to 2,000 W PV input)
- Inverter
- built in, 800 W grid-tied output
- Connection
- hardwired by a registered electrician (page)
- Battery
- 1.92 kWh
- Availability
- in stock
£699 £1,399price checked 14 Nov
Hardwired
Jackery SolarVault 3 Pro (battery only)
2.52 kWhbattery, as listed
- Panels
- none included (up to 4,000 W PV input)
- Inverter
- built in, 800 W default on-grid output
- Connection
- hardwired by a qualified electrician (page)
- Battery
- 2.52 kWh
- Availability
- in stock
£999 £1,299price checked 14 Nov
Hardwired
Anker SOLIX Solarbank 4 E5000 Pro (battery only)
5.0 kWhbattery, as listed
- Panels
- none included (up to 5,000 W PV input)
- Inverter
- built in, 2,500 W AC output
- Connection
- hardwired, Part P electrician (page)
- Battery
- 5.0 kWh
- Availability
- in stock
£1,599 £2,129price checked 14 Nov
Compared head to head: EcoFlow STREAM vs Anker SOLIX. Plug-in kits without a battery: kits compared. Your own figures: savings calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Can I plug a battery into a socket to store solar?
Not under the 2026 plug-in framework. The specification excludes plug-in battery systems and solar devices with built-in batteries, and Ofgem says plug-in electricity storage devices remain prohibited from being sold, supplied or used in the UK for now.
Will plug-in batteries be allowed later?
The government response says it recognises interest in battery-integrated products and will continue to monitor implementation; no date is given in the documents we read on 14 November 2026.