Plug in solar (only solar) legal from 27th August

QrizB

Technically, could I literally just plug my one spare 570w bifacial panel into this inverter and then plug the inverter into my outdoor wall socket?

Putting to one side for a moment the question of complying with the Interim Product Specification for UK plugin solar PV, you'd needed to check that the solar panel meets the input envelope of the inverter.

From a bit of googling I think the EcoFlow Stream microinverter has upper limits of 60V and 16A per input.

Voc and Isc should be marked on the panel data label.

Also, note that I think that inverter is intended for two separate 400 watt inputs; it's possible that it'll clip anything over that.

I'm not saying that it's a bad idea, but (as you're not buying a kit of parts that are designed to work together) it wants a bit of thought.

pensionpawn

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82078805#Comment_82078805

So in a situation where a homeowner has a 6kW inverter and a 6kW export limit, the deployment of any other export capable system: e.g. battery, plug in solar, etc should be a notification only issue (type approval) as long as the household has the ability the cap the total instantaneous export. Powerwall systems have been doing this for a long time.

Aussie_Tips

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82079304#Comment_82079304

No on two fronts

Firstly, the export limit has nothing to do with the G98/G99 process. It's about the generation potential of the inverter. So even if export on all inverters is set to zero, the DNO must be notified of the generation potential. The export limit is there's to choose to apply

Secondly, the requirements for G98 notification or G99 approval are based upon total installed inverter capacity. So if you have a 6kw inverter on a G99 (which you should have as it's greater than 3.6kw and that's the limit for a g98) and you add an 800w plug in inverter, you'll need to reapply to your DNO for a 6.8kw G99.

Failing to do so invalidates your existing G99

NedS

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82079335#Comment_82079335

This is my interpretation too.

Qyburn

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82078686#Comment_82078686

Where do you see it restricted to ring finals, and prohibited on radials? I don't see it in the SI, and it doesn't even include the word "ring", "radial" or "circuit". The Interim Product Specification uses the term "household circuit" in some places, "final circuit" in others.

Ectophile

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82079680#Comment_82079680

It's all the people saying only one solar system per ring, on this forum and elsewhere.

Aussie_Tips

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82079680#Comment_82079680

The IPS states "Only one plug-in solar product shall be used per household final ring circuit"

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a60a03c47af652afa0c89f5/plug-in-solar-final-_interim-product-specification.pdf

NedS

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82079914#Comment_82079914

Yes, one per ring main so the total number permitted will depend on the number of ring main circuits in the house (one plug-in device per ring main), with the combined capacity not exceeding the G98 limitation (EDIT: The amended G98 regulations only permit one plug-in device per household)

Many houses may have two or three ring mains, one for downstairs sockets, one for upstairs sockets and another for kitchen sockets. Of course not all ring mains may be a convenient location into which to plug a plug-in solar inverter.

Many outbuildings are often just radial spurs with a single run of armoured cable, which are not permitted in the regulations as they are not a ring main.

Aussie_Tips

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82080379#Comment_82080379

If you read the document it's very clear it's one per household as a result of rules within the G98 process

"NOTE: While this specification permits one device per final circuit, GB network connection requirements also apply. As of publication, current network requirements Engineering Recommendation G98 Issue 2 Amendment 1 2026 restrict this to one device per household"

NedS

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82080446#Comment_82080446

Yes, you are correct - thank you.

AI told me G98 was not limited to one single device, but rather a maximum rating of 3.68kW, and this kind of made sense given installations that use micro-inverters, one per panel (such an enphase)

So it's the amended G98 regulations that specifically limit plug-in solar devices to one per property.