Plug-in solar has finally arrived in the UK, making it much easier for households to generate their own electricity. But there is a catch: solar panels only produce power while the sun is shining, which is why battery storage could be what makes this new generation of solar truly practical.
Anker SOLIX wants to solve that problem with the Solarbank 4 Pro, a modular home battery system starting at £1,699 that’s now available to pre-order in the UK. It’s designed to store surplus solar power or cheaper electricity from the grid, then make that energy available when households need it most.
The launch follows a major change to UK regulations. As of 27 August 2026, compliant solar kits can be connected directly to a standard mains socket across Great Britain, giving renters, flat dwellers and households without suitable rooftops a much more accessible way to start generating solar energy.
For many households, though, installing a panel is only the beginning. Without a battery, any solar power that is not used as it is generated cannot be saved for later. That matters because demand often climbs in the evening, just as solar generation drops away.
Germany offers a glimpse of how the UK market could develop. Around 70% of plug-in solar systems sold there now come with a battery, according to Anker and the German plug-in solar association BVSS. By storing surplus energy during the day, those households can continue using their solar power after dark.
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The Solarbank 4 Pro has been built with that flexibility in mind. Its modular, stackable battery starts with 5kWh of storage and can be expanded to as much as 30kWh as a household’s energy needs change.
It also supports up to 5,000W of solar input from as many as 12 panels, alongside a 2,500W AC output. A dedicated off-grid port can supply up to 2,500W of backup power during an outage, helping to keep essential household appliances running.
Despite packing its inverter and battery into one unit, the Solarbank 4 Pro is roughly the size of a carry-on suitcase, making it considerably more compact than most home battery systems.
Smarter ways to store and use energy
Inside, the Solarbank 4 Pro uses Anker SOLIX’s InfiniPower™ technology and automotive-grade lithium iron phosphate cells. These are rated for 10,000 charging cycles, equivalent to charging and discharging the battery twice a day for well over a decade.
The hardware is paired with Anker Intelligence™, an AI-powered energy management platform that connects with more than 870 European electricity suppliers, including Octopus Energy.
This allows the system to respond to time-of-use electricity tariffs and automatically charge when grid energy is cheaper. That stored power can then be used when electricity prices are higher, helping households make better use of both their solar generation and lower-cost grid energy.
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When paired with the Smart Meter Gen 2, households can also monitor their energy use in real time. Anker SOLIX estimates that the full setup could save a typical UK household up to £770 a year, with a potential payback period of around 3.3 years.
What UK households need to know
There is an important distinction between the new rules for solar panels and the regulations covering batteries.
The legal changes introduced on 27 August apply to compliant plug-in solar panels without battery storage. Plug-in batteries are not currently included, which means the Solarbank 4 Pro cannot simply be connected to a standard socket in a UK home today.
Instead, it must initially be professionally installed and permanently hardwired into the property’s consumer unit by a qualified Part P-registered electrician.
Once installed, the hardwired connection gives households access to the system’s full 2,500W continuous output. The Solarbank 4 Pro is also listed in the Energy Networks Association’s Connect Direct Device Database and has passed G98 type testing, allowing certified electricians to install it in UK properties today.
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Importantly, the hardware is already designed to support a plug-in connection. If UK regulations are expanded to cover battery storage in the future, Anker SOLIX could activate that functionality without households having to replace the system.
Pre-orders are live now
The Anker SOLIX Solarbank 4 Pro is available to pre-order through the Anker SOLIX website, with prices starting at £1,699. The Solarbank 4 BP5000 Expansion Battery starts at £1,299, while every pre-order includes a Smart Meter Gen 2 at no extra cost.
There is no confirmed date for when UK regulations might allow batteries such as the Solarbank 4 Pro to use the same plug-in approach as solar panels. Until then, professional installation paves the way for households to start storing, managing and making more of their energy today.
Plug-in panels may have opened the door to more accessible solar, but battery storage is what could keep that power working long after the sun goes down.