Plug-in balcony batteries store the solar an 800W inverter can't feed in, and some charge from cheap off-peak tariffs too. They're a big market in Germany, but in Great Britain the plug-in rules currently exclude energy storage, so these can't be self-installed. We track them while DESNZ studies their safety.
Plug-in batteries can't currently be self-installed
The UK's plug-in solar rules exclude anything designed to store energy for later use. DESNZ starts an 18-month safety study of plug-in batteries in October 2026; until the rules change, these units can only be connected as a hardwired installation by a qualified electrician. We keep them listed so you can follow the market.
Checked against the ENA Type Test Register on 28 September 2026. The rules, explained
Anker's flagship plug-in balcony battery: 5kWh usable, a huge 5,000W of PV input across four MPPTs and an 800W grid-tied output, expandable to 30kWh with add-on packs.
A 1.92kWh add-on battery for the STREAM ecosystem that also works standalone as an AC-coupled plug-in battery for off-peak charging.
Zendure's all-in-one balcony battery: 1.92kWh usable with an 800W hybrid microinverter and 2,640W of DC-coupled PV input, stackable to 11.5kWh.
A plug-in balcony battery with a built-in 800W microinverter. AC-coupled, so it charges from cheap off-peak electricity rather than panels, then powers your home at peak times.
