Short answer: you notify your network operator (DNO), not your supplier. Ofgem's G98 decision "requires customers to notify their DNO of installation or decommissioning of a Plug-in Micro-generator", with simplified forms, and Electricity North West writes: "You're legally required to register any plug-in solar panel devices before you use them in the UK."
What the sources say
- Ofgem, 11 August 2026: one plug-in microgenerator per household; customers must notify their DNO of installation or decommissioning; simplified G98 forms (decision DCRP/MP/26/02).
- Electricity North West: registration before use, via the UK plug-in solar registration website, with your name, postcode, and the device's make and model; check the model on the ENA Connect Direct register; extension cables are not permitted (ENWL plug-in solar page).
- Government response, July 2026: compliant products will be listed on the ENA G98 Type Test Register; renters, leaseholders and residents of managed buildings should obtain any permissions needed; consumers should check local planning requirements (government response).
- ENA register: on 14 November 2026 the Connect Direct register, filtered on "Plug-in Solar", showed 164 devices, each marked compliant or non-compliant.
Your energy supplier
Nothing in the documents above asks you to tell your supplier. Two cases where you may want to: if you hope to be paid for exported units, and if your tariff or smart meter terms say anything about generation. We found no export payment specific to plug-in solar.
Landlords and freeholders
The government response says renters, leaseholders and people in managed buildings "should obtain any permissions that may be required before installing a device". Balcony mounting also raises building questions, so ask before you buy.
Before buying, the Energy Saving Trust publishes a plug-in solar checklist, which Electricity North West points to. Then: the full rules, kits that plug in and what a kit would make at your home.
Frequently asked questions
Who is my DNO?
The distribution network operator that runs the local cables to your home, not the company that sends your bill. Electricity North West, for example, covers the North West of England.
Do I need to tell my energy supplier?
The official documents we read require notification to the DNO, not to the supplier. If you want to be paid for exported units, that is between you and your supplier's export tariff terms.
What do I need to register?
Electricity North West lists your name, your postcode and the make and model of the device.