Fuse Energy Unveils UK-First Plug-In Solar and Battery System
Fuse Energy announced a £577 plug-in solar kit with a 2.5kWh battery, pending UK legislation expected in 2027.
The system allows up to four 500W solar panels to be plugged into a standard socket. The panels can be placed on a balcony, mounted on a wall or set in a garden, rather than requiring scaffolding or a suitable roof. Collected energy can be stored in an included 2.5kWh battery, with the Fuse app deciding when to store power and when to draw from the battery.
Fuse says the setup is aimed at renters, apartment residents and homeowners whose roofs are unsuitable for solar panels. The company says the product will cost £577 and save around £180 a year on electricity bills, giving a payback period of a little over three years. By comparison, Fuse says standard rooftop solar panels can cost between £7,000 and £8,000, plus scaffolding and installation.
Plug-in solar kits became legal in the UK in August 2026, according to TechRadar, but plug-in batteries have not yet cleared the legal hurdles. Fuse is accepting pre-orders through a waitlist while it waits for legislation. The company says the combination can let households use stored solar energy even when the sun is not shining.
Rival provider Octopus Energy is planning similar home battery products called the Nook Cube, with 2kWh capacity, and Nook Colossus, with 5kWh or 10kWh capacity expandable to 30kWh. Both are also due to launch in 2027, according to TechRadar. Octopus’s own plug-in solar panels have repeatedly sold out since going on sale, although they do not come with their own batteries.