Fuse Energy is pitching a new plug-in solar kit to U.K. households that often miss out on rooftop installations, including renters, apartment residents, and people whose roofs are not suitable for a standard system.
However, the company cannot yet legally install the battery-backed setup, so interested customers can only add their name to a pre-order waitlist.
Here's what to know
As TechRadar reported, Fuse Energy's Jules package pairs a 2.5-kilowatt-hour battery with up to four 500-watt solar panels that plug into a standard socket.
The company's app decides when to store electricity and when to draw power from the battery.
The product is marketed to renters, apartment residents, and households with roofs that are shaded, structurally unsuitable, or otherwise impractical for a traditional rooftop solar system.
Rather than requiring scaffolding and a full roof installation, the equipment could be mounted on a wall, set up on a balcony, or placed in a garden, TechRadar noted.
U.S. households looking to save on energy can use EasyHome's free explorer tool to get hassle-free pricing and savings estimates from vetted installers in their area.
More background
Plug-in solar kits became legal in the U.K. in August, but Fuse said a plug-in setup that also includes battery storage is still not approved under current rules. For that reason, buyers can only join Fuse's waitlist.
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The 2.5-kWh battery would let households save some of the solar power they generate instead of using only whatever the panels produce in real time. That could help them use more of their own electricity after sunset or during periods of weak sunlight.
Fuse noted the package will cost £577 ($772) once deliveries are allowed. The company estimated about £180 ($241) a year in electricity bill savings, suggesting a breakeven rate of a little over three years.
For comparison, Fuse said its standard rooftop solar systems usually cost between £7,000 ($9,365) and £8,000 ($10,702) before installation and scaffolding are factored in.
That lower entry price could open solar power to people who can't access a typical rooftop setup.
What can be done?
U.K. shoppers need to check what is actually legal before putting money down on any plug-in solar product.
Because the Jules package runs on a standard socket and can be placed on a balcony, wall, or in a garden, the system could help more households lower energy bills without needing a detached home or a roof suitable for conventional solar.
EasyHome's free explorer tool also helps households explore options for backup battery storage alongside solar. Pairing solar with a battery maximizes savings and keeps power flowing when the grid goes down, and Fuse is trying to introduce that flexibility in a simpler format.
Fuse is not promising an immediate rollout. The company said first deliveries of Jules are "expected post legislation approval in 2027."
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