Major UK retailers including Currys, B&Q, Amazon and Lidl have joined a government plan to bring plug-in solar panels to homes across the country.

The companies, as well as Asda, Screwfix and Wickes, discussed the guidelines around the sale of self-install plug-in solar panels at a round table with minister for energy consumers Martin McCluskey.

The meeting follows the government's rule change earlier in the year that will allow homeowners to install the panels in the coming months.

Plug-in solar panels can be installed on balconies, terraces, shed rooves or other outdoor spaces, providing solar power that can be used directly through a mains socket like any other device without any installation cost.

They are already used widely by households throughout Europe, the Government added.

These panels usually have a capacity of around 800 watts, or around one-fifth that of a rooftop residential solar system this means that they are unlikely to be able to power a house alone. Government research estimates that a household could save between £70 and £110 a year using the panels, with a starting cost of around £400. This means it will take between four and seven years to cover the initial outlay.

McCluskey said: “Plug-in panels can be transformative for renters or those on lower incomes, so I welcome the conversation today with household names such as B&Q and Currys showing a huge amount of support for getting the panels in people’s homes.

“This easy to install tech can cut people’s bills and help make the UK less reliant on global fossil fuel markets.”

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