The UK Government is prioritizing plug-in solar as part of an accelerated energy package to reduce reliance on fossil fuels following supply disruptions linked to the Middle East crisis
Plug-in solar systems will be sold in supermarkets for the first time, expanding access for renters and apartment owners
The government will also launch the next round of the CfD scheme (AR8) in July 2026
Plug-in solar is among the measures being prioritized by the UK Government as it responds to fossil-fuel supply disruptions linked to the Middle East crisis. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said the steps are part of a broader accelerated package of energy interventions to go ‘further and faster’ for the UK’s energy security.
Easy-to-install plug-in solar, also known as balcony solar, can be easily plugged into standard power outlets and installed on a balcony, wall, roof deck, or even in the garden. It extends access to solar for renters and flat owners, enabling them to generate free power.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said these systems will be available in UK supermarkets for the first time, allowing households to save on their energy bills. The idea follows Germany’s example, where plug-in solar installations surpassed 1 million in June 2025 (see Germany Exceeds 1 Million Balcony Solar Power Plant Installations).
Additionally, the administration will launch the Contracts for Difference (CfD) Allocation Round 8 (AR8) in July 2026, in a bid to provide certainty for clean energy investors. This will follow AR7, which delivered the highest solar capacity ever procured in a single round, in February 2026 (see UK AR7 Awards Record 4.9 GW Of Solar PV Under CfD Scheme).
As part of the package, the government will also accelerate the rollout of grants and interest-free loans for solar panels, batteries, heat pumps, and insulation under the £15 billion Warm Homes Plan introduced earlier this year (see UK’s £15 Billion Warm Homes Plan To Boost Solar & Battery Uptake). Nuclear power will also be part of the package.
“Global events demonstrate there’s not a moment to waste in our drive for clean power because there can be no energy security while we are so dependent on fossil fuels,” stressed Miliband. “Everything we are doing is about one purpose: fighting the corner of the British people by taking back control of our energy.”
The UK solar industry is happy with the accelerated energy package, especially with the CfD AR8 launch announced for July this year.
“The latest events in the Middle East have underlined the importance of weening the British economy from dependence on oil and gas as soon as possible and moving to become a fully electrified economy,” added Solar Energy UK’s Chief Executive, Chris Hewett. “I am delighted to see that solar energy will be put at the heart of the Government’s response, being the fastest and cheapest solution to rising energy bills, at the smallest and larges scales.”
The UK’s push towards clean energy amid tensions in the Middle East follows similar actions being taken or sought elsewhere in the world. In Germany, energy ministers from 7 states are urging the federal government to consistently pursue renewable energies to reduce the country’s dependence on fossil fuels and unpredictable prices (see German States Urge Stronger Renewable Energy Drive Amid Middle East Tensions).
Recently, Iraq said it will accelerate solar energy projects as part of an emergency plan amid rising tensions in the Middle East (see Iraq To Accelerate Solar Projects Amid Rising Middle East Tensions).