Lidl launches £250 solar battery deal - but the UK still can’t plug them in (aff)
This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.
A cheap Lidl solar battery is attracting attention across Europe but UK households still face restrictions on simple plug-and-play systems
Lidl has finally started selling a dirt-cheap solar battery, but there's just one problem - we can't have them in the UK yet.
Costing €299 in German stores, which equates to just over £250 in English currency, the battery is designed to link up to widely available solar panels, and to store the energy harvested through the day to provide free power overnight.
The German publication PV Magazine said the week-long deal was aimed at Lidl Plus app users, and included a €100 discount.
To complete a solar system, a microinverter would also have to be purchased, to convert the solar voltage into household-friendly current, but "plug and play" balcony solar systems are widely used in Germany, with many people already using simple microinverters with panels.
The battery, in this case a 2.24kWh device, just gives the setup more efficiency, with less power being wasted or fed back to the grid.
PV Magazine reports that the battery has an input power of 1,000 watts (enough for two large panels) and an output power of 800 watts, which would cover the base load of most modern homes.
Lidl has told PV Magazine that the unit is compatible with 99% of all micro-inverters and balcony solar modules.
While many parts of Europe are happily embracing plug and play solar systems, the UK is lagging behind, despite the current energy crisis.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has pledged to lift the ban on plugging solar systems straight into the wall in England, but little has been said about it since his announcement in March.
UK customers can buy basic solar setups from companies like EcoFlow, with starting prices around £800 for a basic system, and rival firm Bluetti recently launched its Balco series of solar systems in mainland Europe, which cost a similar amount.
Currently, these systems have to be wired directly to the household electrics, by a qualified electrician, but if the legislation does change, owners will be able to simply plug the devices into a mains socket.
Online marketplace eBay is a good place to look for more budget options, with basic 400w panel and inverter packages starting at just £299.
The sorts of savings you can expect from DIY solar systems varies, but even a basic setup should save as much as £1 om a sunny day, with bigger devices potentially saving up to £3 per day. Winter savings will obviously be much lower.
To find out more about the EcoFlow package, click here. And to see the eBay packages, click here.
Love books but struggle to find time to sit down and read? Amazon Audible is currently offering a 30-day free trial that could be the perfect way to work through that ever-growing reading list.
The Audible Standard plan includes one audiobook from a catalogue of more than 900,000 titles, plus unlimited access to a wide selection of podcasts and audio series. Popular titles currently available include Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, London Falling by Patrick Keeffe and Enough by Dawn French.
The free trial lasts for 30 days. After that, the Standard membership renews at £5.99 per month unless cancelled. Audible Premium Plus is also available for listeners who want monthly credits and access to an even larger collection of audiobooks and podcasts.
👉 Start an Audible free trial today and discover why millions of people have swapped page-turning for play.
Plant-based ready meals have come a long way from the bland reputation they once had, and services such as Grubby are leaning into meals that look more like comforting weeknight dinners than traditional ‘healthy eating’ options.