Solar Citizens welcomes today’s announcement by Australia’s Energy Ministers that they will work to make plug-in solar and batteries available to all Australians, exploring “pathways to support their safe deployment”.
This means Australia will soon join Great Britain, Germany and many American States in allowing renters, low income households and people living in apartments to access cheap, safe, bill-slashing plug-in solar panels and plug in batteries, following a strong campaign from Solar Citizens.
Solar Citizens CEO Heidi Lee Douglas says:
“Renters, apartment dwellers and low income homes will soon be able to plug-in, switch-on and save, save, save.
“This commitment to make plug-in solar and plug-in batteries legal in Australia is great news for more than a third of Australians who rent or live in apartments, and also for low income households so they can access some of the bill-busting benefits that cheap clean solar home owners enjoy.
“Solar Citizens will keep working for the interests of renters, apartment dwellers and low income earners. We want to see a firm time-line and deadline by December at the next energy ministers meeting for when plug-in solar and batteries will be available for use in every state and territory.
“I want to thank more than 550 solar citizens supporters who wrote to Australian Energy and Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen asking him to raise plug-in solar and battery regulation with all State and Territory Energy Ministers when they met today.
“It shows our democracy is working when politicians listen to consumers and act in our interests.
“Australians are looking for every opportunity to bring down their power bills.
“It’s only fair that renters, apartment residents and low income households will be able to access affordable solar that’s already available to millions of people in the UK [1], Germany, and many American states, and will be available in New Zealand by late next year. [2]
“Let’s get plug-in solar and batteries legal in Australia by 1 July 2027.”
“We can’t wait to see renters and apartment residents, and more low income homes become solar citizens.”
Energy Ministers today agreed to “explore pathways to support the safe deployment of plug-in consumer energy resource devices in Australia. The Commonwealth, in partnership with states and territories, will identify measures that enable the safe use of plug-in CER and report back to Energy Ministers this year on next steps.”
What is Plug-in Solar?
Plug-in solar refers to small solar units that can literally be plugged into power points to help offset the cost of fridges, TVs and other appliances.
They can be attached to apartment balconies or installed in backyards and can be taken by renters when they move to other residences. They do not require electricians to install the appliances.
Plug-in solar systems provide around 600-800 watts of power and would likely cost between $650 - 1300.
The kits include a micro-inverter, so they can be plugged into an ordinary power socket and send electricity to power appliances that are running during the day. This could save $300 to $400 a year off the household energy bill at current tariffs.
While plug-in solar systems can currently be sold in Australia, they cannot legally be plugged in and used.
There are important safety and regulatory issues that need to be resolved, which is why Australia’s Energy Ministers should work together now to develop clear, nationally consistent rules.
Plug-in Batteries
Plug-in batteries are small, portable household batteries that you can plug into a normal power outlet, rather than having an electrician permanently wire a conventional home battery into the switchboard.
Think of them as the battery equivalent of plug-in or balcony solar. A typical system can:
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Charge from rooftop/balcony solar or the grid when electricity is cheap or abundant.
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Store that electricity in a portable battery.
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Supply electricity back to household appliances, reducing how much electricity the household buys from the grid.
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In some designs, combine plug-in solar + battery, which is particularly interesting for renters and apartment residents because the equipment can potentially move with them.
Expert View
Solar and battery engineer Glen Morris, Director of Smart Energy Lab and a member of the Standards Australia committees that write the solar and battery installation rules:
"The path to safe plug-in solar is not complicated. Germany has had over a million of these systems plugged in for years and the UK has just written the rules into its wiring regulations. We do not need to
invent anything. We need a product standard so the inverter shuts down instantly when unplugged, a cap of around 800 watts so it cannot overload a normal power circuit, and a simple registration with the network so they know it is there. That is a job for the Energy Ministers to hand to the regulators with a deadline."
“None of the concerns raised about plug-in solar needs new technology, they need a rule that says what is acceptable."
Read Glen Morris article on Plug-in Solar regulations and how to make it legal in Australia in Renew Economy
NOTES
[1] Households can save as plug-in solar panels come to market UK Department of Energy Security media release, 26 August, 2026
[2] Government prioritises solar review, Regulation Minister David Seymour and Energy Minister Simeon Brown, 17 August, 2026