Guides: plug in solar, batteries, power stations
Plug in solar
Yield, the 800 W rule, registration and what is allowed in each country.
Plug in solar: how much it really produces and what is allowedYield by orientation and mounting, shading, the 800 W rule and registration in the UK, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France and Belgium.800 VA, 960 Wp or 2,000 Wp? The German law and the German standard do not say the same thingGerman law allows 2,000 Wp of panels behind an 800 VA inverter. The new product standard accepts that only with a special plug. What this means in practice.A 3000 W plug in solar kit: why it is not plug and playWhat a household socket can carry, why kits stay around 800 W, the CACSI declaration in France at any power, and what a larger system needs instead.Is plug in solar legal in the UK? The rules since 27 August 2026What the new route allows, what it excludes, how to register within 28 days, and why batteries are left out until at least 2028.Declaring a plug in solar kit in France and BelgiumIn France every kit is declared to Enedis, even without feed in. In Belgium the inverter must be on the Synergrid list and each region has its own rule.Balcony solar in Austria: 800 W, registration, VAT and subsidiesUp to 800 W without a permit, notice to the grid operator two weeks ahead, what the inverter needs, the end of zero VAT and where subsidies stand.Balcony solar in Switzerland: why 600 W still appliesSwitzerland still follows the 2014 ESTI rule of 600 W per circuit. A federal report of February 2026 proposes new categories that include small batteries.Balcony solar in a rented flat or a shared building in GermanySince October 2024, landlords and owners' associations in Germany can no longer refuse a balcony system without good reason. What that means and how to ask.Plug in solar in a rented or jointly owned flat in FranceWhat a tenant may do without the landlord, when a flat owner needs the general assembly's vote under article 25 b of the 1965 law, and why the Enedis declaration applies in every case.
Batteries
Whether a battery pays off, what is legal, cost per stored kWh, safety and lifetime.
Home batteries: worth it with or without solar?Own use with and without a battery, payback, efficiency beyond the data sheet, ageing and safe placement.Are plug in batteries legal? UK, Germany, France and morePanels up to 800 VA are accepted in most of Europe. Batteries are a grey zone almost everywhere. What is confirmed, what is not, as of 8 November 2026.Adding a battery to plug in solar you already haveDC batteries between panels and micro inverter, all in one units and AC batteries on a socket: what each means for your inverter, the 800 W limit and registration.Battery cost per kWh: the fair way to compare (price per stored kWh)Price per watt hour ignores cycles, aging and losses. How we calculate the cost of each kWh a battery delivers over its life, with a worked example.Battery prices in 2027: what the Chinese export rebate change meansChina is ending the export VAT rebate on batteries on 1 January 2027. What is documented, what is only expected, and how to decide without pressure.Plug in solar batteries in winter and outdoors: frost, rain and standbyWhy LFP batteries must not charge in frost, what the makers state for temperature and IP rating, where to place the unit, and why standby draw matters in winter.LFP vs NMC: which battery is safer at home?Lithium iron phosphate and nickel manganese cobalt cells behave differently in a fire. What a 2024 study measured, and where to place a battery either way.How long do home batteries last? Eight years of field dataA 2024 study in Nature Energy followed 21 home batteries for up to eight years. What it found and what it means for the cycle figures on the box.Home battery without solar in the UK: when charging at night paysCharging from the grid on a cheap rate and using it at peak: the price spread, round trip losses and cost per stored kWh in a worked example, plus the rules in Great Britain.New EU rules for batteries and connected devices: what changes for buyers in 2026 and 2027The Battery Regulation brings QR codes and battery passports from February 2027. The Cyber Resilience Act covers devices with an app. What is certain and what is still our reading.
Power stations
Usable capacity, real runtime and sizing for power cuts and camping.
Portable power stations: how to choose one that really lastsUsable capacity, inverter draw, battery chemistry and cost per stored kWh explained with measured data.What size power station do you need for power cuts?List what must keep running, add up watt hours, allow for losses, and check the output power. A simple method with a worked example.Power station vs generator: safety, noise, fuel and cost per kWhWhy a petrol generator must never run indoors, how noise, fuel storage and upkeep compare, a worked example of the cost per kWh, and when a generator is still the better tool.Power stations for camping and campervans: size, charging and cold nightsHow much capacity a weekend needs, what a car socket, solar panels and a campsite hookup can deliver, weight, charging in the cold, and the airline limits for lithium batteries.Power station or balcony battery: which one fits your situation?Two products that look alike and do different jobs. How they differ in use, legality, efficiency and price per stored kWh.