Plug-in solar
Plug-In Solar Kits: What's Included, and Lidl vs Aldi in the UK
A UK plug-in solar kit includes panels, an 800 W microinverter, a moulded 13 A plug and a mount. Lidl and Aldi: neither had a UK kit in November 2026.
Key facts
- A compliant UK plug-in solar kit contains one to four panels, a microinverter of up to 800 VA, DC cables, a lead with a moulded BS 1363 plug, a mounting system and a consumer unit label.
- We found no plug-in solar kit from Lidl GB or Aldi UK, and no launch announcement from either, on 3 November 2026.
- Lidl was named by the government as a retailer working on plug-in solar in March and June 2026; Aldi was not named in any announcement we read.
- In Germany, Aldi's online shop sold a balcony kit with two 440 W panels, an 800 W inverter and a 2,240 Wh battery for 899 euros in mid-2025; that design would not be allowed in the UK because of the battery and plug.
- Compliant UK kits from other sellers were listed from about £340 in October 2026.
A plug-in solar kit sold in Great Britain contains one to four panels, a microinverter rated at no more than 800 VA, the cables, a lead with a moulded 13 A plug, a mounting system and a label for your consumer unit. On Lidl versus Aldi, the honest answer on 3 November 2026 is that we found no plug-in solar kit from either discounter in Great Britain. Lidl backed the government’s plans in 2026; Aldi has said nothing we could find.
What’s included in a UK plug-in solar kit
Since 27 August 2026, every kit sold in Great Britain must meet the government’s Interim Product Specification and be listed as compliant on the Energy Networks Association (ENA) Type Test Register. The specification decides what goes in the box:
| Component | What to expect | Specification requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Solar panels | One to four panels, typically 400 to 525 W each in 2026 | Up to 2,000 W in total; no more than two in series; 120 V DC limit at the inverter |
| Microinverter | Small box behind the panels, or built into the panel | No more than 800 VA and 3.5 A output; app or display for status and faults |
| DC cables and connectors | Panel leads, sometimes extension cables | Matched connector pairs from the manufacturer; no Y-splitters |
| AC lead and plug | Lead from inverter to socket | Factory-fitted moulded BS 1363 plug, partially insulated pins, fuse 5 A or less, extra contact protection |
| Mounting system | Railing hooks, wall brackets, flat roof or ground frame | Must be supplied; structural analysis for UK wind and snow loads; no cable ties or straps as the only fixing |
| Consumer unit label | Sticker for your fuse box | Shows a plug-in solar device is connected |
| Instructions | Printed, in English | Circuit identification, permitted mountings, fire restrictions, DNO notification with a QR code |
What a compliant kit does not include: a battery (not allowed under current rules), a plug adaptor (prohibited), or an extension lead (prohibited). If a listing shows any of these, it is not a compliant plug-in device.
What you may still need to buy
A compliant kit is complete for its intended use, but some homes need more:
- An outdoor socket. If there is no suitable socket near the panels, an electrician can fit a weatherproof one. The specification requires IP55 or better for outdoor sockets; the government’s modelling assumed about £200 for this kind of minor work, needed by one buyer in five.
- A different mount. Kits often include one mounting type. A ground frame, a tilting bracket or a flat roof stand may be sold separately by the same manufacturer; only use parts the manufacturer specifies.
- Consumer unit work. If your fuse board has old rewireable fuses or no residual current protection, the specification tells you to have it checked and, where necessary, upgraded first.
Lidl vs Aldi: where each stands in the UK
| Lidl GB | Aldi UK | |
|---|---|---|
| Named in government announcements | Yes: 24 March 2026 (with Iceland) and 16 June 2026 (with Currys, B&Q and Amazon) | Not in any announcement we read |
| Public statement | Corporate affairs director backed the plans in March 2026 | None found |
| UK plug-in kit found, 3 November 2026 | None found | None found |
| Announced UK price | None; the £400 figure came from news coverage | None |
| Named as committed to stocking, 26 August 2026 | No (Amazon, Argos, Currys and Wickes were) | No |
| Sells balcony kits in Germany | Yes, through its online shop | Yes, as time-limited online offers |
Plug-in solar has been legal in Great Britain since 27 August 2026, so there is no regulatory reason either chain could not launch a kit. Any kit either sells will have to meet the same specification as every other seller’s, which narrows the room for a discounter to differ on anything except price, panel size and mounting.
What the discounters sell in Germany
Germany allows balcony kits with 800 W of inverter output, 2,000 W of panels and, with conditions, an ordinary Schuko plug, and discounters have sold them for years. Lidl’s German online shop returned 49 products for the search “Balkonkraftwerk” when we looked on 3 November 2026, although we could not read individual specifications from the page.
For Aldi, a documented example: in mid-2025 Aldi’s German online shop offered a set with two 440 W panels, an 800 W inverter and a 2,240 Wh battery for 899 euros plus delivery, as reported by the German news site t-online in an article updated on 1 June 2025. The same article noted that mounting hardware was not included and had to be bought separately.
That kit illustrates why UK shoppers cannot simply expect German offers to cross the Channel. Its battery puts it outside the UK framework entirely, its plug is not a BS 1363 plug, and it has no ENA register entry. Our German balcony solar guide in English explains the German rules.
How to compare any two plug-in solar kits
Whether you end up choosing between two supermarket offers or between specialist sellers, the comparison comes down to a few lines on the box:
-
Compliance first. Check both models are listed as compliant on the ENA Type Test Register. If one is not, the comparison ends there.
-
Panel capacity. Two panels totalling 900 to 1,000 W make better use of the 800 W inverter than one 450 W panel, especially in mornings, evenings and winter.
-
Mounting. Does the supplied mount fit your railing, wall, flat roof or garden? Can it tilt? Tilting a panel towards the sun matters more than most other differences.
-
Panel construction. Glass panels are heavier but durable; lightweight panels suit railings with load limits. Check the weight against what your balcony can carry.
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Warranty and support. The specification requires a technical support contact. Compare warranty years for panels and inverter.
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Price per watt of panel. Divide the price by the total panel watts. In October 2026 compliant kits ran from about 45p to about £1.30 per watt of panel, with many between 65p and 90p.
Our guide to choosing a plug-in solar kit in the UK goes through each criterion in more depth, and 400 W vs 800 W compares single and double panel kits.
Prices you can compare against
As of October 2026, an independent tracker listed 25 kits on sale that were verified on the ENA register, from £336 for a single 465 W panel with an 800 W microinverter to £989 for the largest kit, with 1,260 W of panels; two-panel kits started at about £444. The government’s impact assessment expected many kits at £400 to £600. A supermarket kit would need to undercut those prices to stand out. See £400 plug-in solar kits for what each price band buys.
Before you buy from any shop
- Your home. Check your lease or tenancy, the material of your balcony (timber is excluded), and your consumer unit’s residual current protection.
- One device. Network rules allow one plug-in kit per household.
- Notification. Tell your distribution network operator when you plug in and when you remove the kit; see telling your DNO.
Next steps
Frequently asked questions
What comes in a plug-in solar kit?
In Great Britain: one to four solar panels, a microinverter rated at no more than 800 VA, the DC cables and connectors, an AC lead with a factory-fitted BS 1363 plug, a mounting system for the surfaces it is sold for, a label for your consumer unit, and English instructions including how to notify your network operator.
Does Aldi sell plug-in solar panels in the UK?
Not as of 3 November 2026. We found no Aldi UK plug-in solar kit or announcement, and Aldi was not among the retailers named in the government's plug-in solar announcements. Aldi's German online shop has sold balcony kits as time-limited offers.
Lidl or Aldi: which plug-in solar kit is better?
Neither sells one in Great Britain yet, so there is nothing to compare. If either launches a kit, it must meet the same Interim Product Specification and ENA register listing as any other, so compare panel capacity, mounting, warranty and price against the market.
Can I buy an Aldi or Lidl balcony kit in Germany and use it in the UK?
Not legally in most cases. German kits use a Schuko plug and German approvals, and many are sold with batteries. UK rules require a moulded BS 1363 plug, compliance with the UK specification, a compliant listing on the ENA register and no battery.
Do plug-in solar kits include the mounting brackets?
Kits sold in Great Britain must include a mounting system, supported by a structural analysis for UK wind and snow loads. Check which surfaces it covers, such as railing, wall, flat roof or ground, because one kit rarely suits all of them.
Sources
- Plug-in Solar Device Interim Product Specification, version 2.0, July 2026
- Government to make plug-in solar available within months (24 March 2026)
- Households can save as plug-in solar panels come to market (26 August 2026)
- Lidl GB website, search results for 'solar'
- Aldi: Balkonkraftwerk mit großem Speicher (updated 1 June 2025)
- 800W plug-in solar kits UK: verified kits and prices (checked 8 October 2026)
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or electrical advice. Your utility, state and local code have the final say.