DIY solar
Octopus to sell plug-in solar kits from £450 after the 27 August rule change
Octopus Energy is rolling out plug-in kits of up to 800W, in one- or two-panel versions, with a headline saving of up to £150 and a payback of around five and a half years on the two-panel kit when paired with a smart export tariff.
2 September 2026 · Source: Solar Power Portal
Plug-in solar is now sold by a major energy supplier. Octopus's kits start at £450, are limited to 800W and come in one- or two-panel versions, with a savings claim of up to £150 a year. As a Broadstairs household you should read 'up to' literally: your own figure depends on daytime use.
The payback in the coverage, five and a half years, is for a two-panel kit with a smart export tariff, and the article hedges it with 'could potentially'. Plug-in kits do not on their own qualify for SEG payments, so a rooftop MCS install remains a different product with different economics.
A plug-in battery, the Nook Cube, is planned for 2027 and is not yet available. In St Peter's or anywhere in Broadstairs, if you are unsure which way to go, price a kit and a rooftop system side by side.
Read the original: Solar Power Portal. Commentary is Broadstairs Solar's own editorial view; the original reporting is credited to its publisher.
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