Plug-in solar panels went on sale in Great Britain for the first time this week. The government changed the rules to allow the devices to be sold legally, opening the door for DIY retailers and high street chains to stock them.
Argos was first chain of the gate on 27 August, while Amazon, Currys, B&Q and Screwfix are expected to begin selling them within the next few weeks.
So, what is all the fuss with these new solar panels? Unlike conventional rooftop arrays, these systems are plugged straight into a standard wall socket, converting sunlight into electricity that flows directly into a household's circuit.
They are already a familiar sight on balconies across some other European countries, like Germany and Spain, but this marks the first time that they will be available in the UK.
Their arrival on British shores will give flat dwellers and renters without roof access a way into solar generation that has previously eluded them.
