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Germany has emerged as a global leader in 'plug-in' solar power
On arrival in Berlin it doesn’t take long to spot a solar panel. They adorn the roofs and balconies of many of the homes that sit along the main train route from the airport into the city.
Germany has emerged as a global leader in “plug-in solar”, with more than one million systems now registered.
These are a type of lightweight panel that can be plugged into the mains without an electrician, providing a cheaper and easier entry option for households interested in benefitting from free energy from the sun.
POLITICS
Zack Polanski, leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, has said he would much rather see left-leaning figures like Angela Rayner or Andy Burnham leading the rival party than Sir Keir Starmer.
Polanski told Sky News: “It is no secret that Burnham and Rayner would be much closer to my politics”.
He suggested that under different leadership, he could reassess a potential election pact.
However, he caveated that he did have “reservations about their policies”.
The Green Party leader admitted he would prefer a Government led by one of the more progessive Labour politicians.
“I do think it’d be a significant improvement to remove Starmer and make sure that the party as leaning more towards the left,” he said.
He added he wants to see an end to “rip-off Britain”.
Over the past decade, the
amount of time we are expected
to remain healthy for has fallen
by two years, with experts
warning the country is “going backwards”.
73%
The proportion of life a woman spends in good health declined from 77 per cent to 73 per cent between 2012 and 2014.
For men, it declined from 79 per cent to 77 per cent.
51 years
In Blackpool, the healthy life expectancy (HLE) was just 51 years old for men.
Women in Hartlepool had the same shockingly low HLE.
Unlike other comparable countries seeing steady improvement, the Health Foundation’s research found the British population’s health is poor and worsening.
In more than 90 per cent of the UK, the HLE was now lower than the state pension age, the study found.
LIFESTYLE
7 min read
These findings reveal a stark truth – the UK’s health is going backwards. The lights on the dashboard are flashing red. More people than ever before are living with chronic health conditions.
FILM
Audiences were undeterred by widespread critical panning, turning out in their droves for the opening weekend of the controversial Michael Jackson biopic.
This comes seven years after Leaving Neverland, the documentary about Jackson’s alleged sexual abuse of children.
FILM
5 min read
The singer’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, plays the titular role alongside Colman Domingo as his father, Joe.
Despite recent high-profile allegations of child sexual abuse, Jackson’s popularity endures.
The i Paper‘s film critic, Francesca Steele, argued the flick should never have been made.
Steele’s review characterised the film as an obvious attempt to rehabilitate the star’s reputation.
She added that the film was not only “misrepresentative” but also “wildly incendiary”.
More than 30 children’s toys have been recalled from major UK retailers including M&S and Primark since the beginning of the year.
Dozens of children’s sand-based toys have now been recalled over fears they may be contaminated with asbestos.
In January, Hobbycraft withdrew its Giant Box of Craft kits after a customer alerted it to asbestos traces in the bottles of sand. The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) issued new guidance on the most reliable tests, which has led to an increase in contamination concerns.
The OPSS needs to take action and ensure proper checks are being carried out to keep dangerous products off the shelves. It should also examine whether toys containing asbestos are being sold on online marketplaces
strikes
The council and union are close to striking a deal after a breakthrough in the bitter year-long dispute over jobs and pay.
Members of the Unite union walked out in a dispute over pay in March 2025. They argued council plans to remove a role in its waste recycling and collection service would lead to pay cuts.
Rubbish piled high on the streets of Birmingham, causing frustrated residents to complain of rodents, strong smells and other health hazards.
Council leader John Cotton said he is hopeful the deal will be agreed.
“I want our workforce to be able to return to work and help us deliver the quality refuse and recycling services the people of this city deserve,” Cotton said.
NEWS
5 min read
The UK Government is hoping to replicate the success of the technology in the UK. Ministers recently announced changes to safety regulations, which could see plug-in solar available in supermarkets and online retailers in time for this summer.
Berlin resident Paul describes plug-in solar as a “gateway drug into the solar life”. He now pays just €12 (£10) per month on his electricity bill due to the system he has installed in his home.
Paul and his wife Ute started by installing two plug-in solar panels on their garage roof in 2023, which he said saves him around €70 (£60) per month.
This is far more than most experts say can be saved with plug-in solar, which is less powerful than more traditional panels. The UK Government estimates a household can save up to £110 per year with plug-in.
“I know the statistics say differently, but I’d like to emphasise we did take great care about what times we were using devices and things like that,” said Paul, a self-proclaimed “statistics nerd”.
“I think getting the solar panels made us look at how we were using [electricity],” he said. “When the sun was at its highest point, we’d switch on the washing machine or set the timer….I’ve got my own robot lawn mower so that was put to good use as well.”
The plug-in solar panels inspired Paul and Ute to invest in a larger system on the south side of their roof, which has now reduced their energy bills down to an average of just £10 a month.
“We store a lot more than we actually use during the day and we use that at night so for most of the year we’ve got free electricity and it’s only in the winter months that we actually pay our electricity bill,” he said.
“It’s been great. It’s completely changed our life. I know that might sound strange, but we really didn’t think previously about how much electricity we were using until we got it.”
Plug-in solar is not new in Germany. For over 20 years people have been installing DIY-systems, according to Oliver Long, owner of Sonnenrepublik, which sells plug-in panels in Berlin.
He said what started as a “guerrilla” movement has gained pace thanks to several law changes introduced by the German government.
Roughly six years ago, changes to safety regulations meant plug-in solar systems with a maximum capacity of 600W could be installed in homes. This capacity was increased to 800W in 2024.
In 2024, the government introduced new rights for tenants and flat owners to make it significantly harder for landlords and building owners to refuse permission for solar installs.
Long said these changes have led to a steady increase in sales, but the biggest “boom” came in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the impact on energy bills.
“I think we had double turnover that year,” Long said.
The shop is currently noticing a “slight increase” following the US-Israeli war on Iran as Germans once again become worried about the impact of war on their bills.
“Everybody’s talking about the energy crisis, increasing energy prices and people are afraid of power cuts and things like that,” he said.
The UK is years behind Germany in changing its safety regulations to allow plug-in solar, but the Government has vowed to catch up quickly.
Ministers have captured the attention of the public by promising plug-in solar panels will be available in the middle aisle of Lidl by the summer, with several other retailers also now signed on.
However, questions remain over whether plug-in solar will be as popular as in Germany, particularly given the fact that UK tenants and leaseholders do not have the same rights as Germans when it comes to installing solar on their home.
The climate minister, Katie White, told The i Paper the Government will smooth out any “friction” points, suggesting further reform could come down the line.
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