It has been announced that the Future Homes Standard (FHS) will mandate that most new homes built from 2028 must include on-site renewable energy generation as standard.

While it has been on the cards for some time, the government has now published details of its FHS, moving new regulatory requirements from policy into implementation.

Under the FHS, all new homes – with some exceptions such as high-rise buildings – must include on-site renewables, mainly rooftop solar, along with low-carbon heating such as heat pumps and heat networks.

This higher standard for new homes will come into force from 2028, a year later than anticipated.

As outlined in the updated planning requirements, developers will need to install solar panels equivalent in size to at least 40% of the building’s floor area. Where this is not possible, a “reasonable” amount of solar must be installed. There is some flexibility with this, however, such as homes with excessive overhead tree cover.

According to the government, these new measures could save households up to £830 a year on energy bills, compared with a standard home with an EPC rating of C. These new homes are also expected to create at least 75% less carbon emissions than those built to 2013 standards.

As part of the drive “to end dependence on fossil fuel markets and accelerate the drive for clean, homegrown power”, the government has also announced the roll-out of “plug-in” solar panels. Popular in other European countries such as Germany, these low-cost, portable panels can be placed on balconies or terraces and plugged into a mains socket to generate electricity for the home’s electrical system.

The government says it is working with retailers including Lidl and Amazon, alongside manufacturers such as EcoFlow, to bring these devices to the UK market “within months”. 

Energy secretary Ed Miliband said: “The Iran war has once again shown our drive for clean power is essential for our energy security so we can escape the grip of fossil fuel markets we don’t control. 

“Whether through solar panels fitted as standard on new homes or making it possible for people to purchase plug-in solar in shops, we are determined to roll out clean power so we can give our country energy sovereignty.”

Housing secretary Steve Reed said: “As we make the switch to clean, homegrown energy, today’s standard is what the future of housing can and should look like. Not only will these changes protect hardworking families from shocks abroad, they will also slash hundreds of pounds off their energy bills every year.”

By this winter, the government is also set to launch a new initiative that will enable energy companies to offer discounted energy bills to customers on windy days. This is to prevent the default practice of curtailment. The volume of power available from wind turbines is sometimes curtailed (reduced or switched off at source) due to limited grid capacity to transfer the power. As such, generators are instructed by the system operator to turn down or switch off their output. According to a report published in January 2026, over 12 Terawatt hours of renewable power was curtailed in 2025.

The government says it will look to bring forward new legislation to ensure more of this clean energy is passed on as discounted electricity to homeowners predominantly in Scotland and the east of England. This would also be a more cost-effective option compared to turning turbines off.

All these new announcements have been largely welcomed by industry. Greg Jackson, founder and CEO of Octopus Energy, said that since the conflict in the Middle East began, Octopus has seen interest in solar shoot up by 50%. He said the FHS will enable homes to “produce and use their own electricity, and cut their bills further by selling the excess back to us”.

Chris Norbury, chief executive of E.ON UK, said: “Cutting red tape on plug-in solar is an encouraging move and we will help ensure it works alongside, or as part of, whole-home solutions that genuinely empower people to take control of their energy use and cut bills.”

However, the pressure that all these new renewable technologies will put on the electricity grid is a concern for some. Dr Jon Hiscock, strategic advisor at Fundamentals, part of EA Technology, which specialises in intelligent grid voltage control, said: “Expanding rooftop and plug-in solar alongside clean heating will increase pressure on local electricity networks, with homes both generating and consuming electricity in response to the same conditions. These systems were never designed for that level of dynamic, two-way flow. 

“If this policy is to succeed, the focus must go beyond what is installed in homes to how the grid is operated. Making better use of existing infrastructure through active voltage control can reduce bills and unlock capacity, while improving flexibility and resilience. Scaling clean power will only work if the network beneath it is ready to support it.” 

Meanwhile, Luke Osborne, technical director of Electrical Safety First, offers some sage warnings about plug-in solar panels and the risk they pose to household circuits. He said: “While the risk remains low, without wiring regulation changes and under certain conditions plug-in solar PV systems connected to standard household sockets can cause overheating or impair the operation of protective devices such as residual current devices in a property. 

“We are pleased to see the government intends to address these issues, and we believe new safety standards should be introduced rapidly to ensure households can safely enjoy the benefits of plug-in solar.”