DNO Approval for Plug in Solar and Home Batteries: What Your Network Operator Does

DNO approval is the advance permission your local distribution network operator gives before a larger generator or battery can export onto its cables, and most domestic systems never need it. Small, type-tested equipment instead follows a lighter DNO notification made after the job is finished, whereas bigger setups go through the G99 process and must wait for a decision first.

That split matters whether you are weighing a small plug in solar kit or a hardwired home battery. This is general guidance rather than legal advice, so confirm specifics with your electrician, your DNO and your energy supplier.

What is a DNO, and how is it different from your energy supplier?

A distribution network operator runs the local cables and substations that carry electricity to your street. Your supplier is separate: it sells you energy, bills you and may pay for exports. You can switch supplier, but your DNO is fixed by where you live.

Industry sources generally describe six DNO groups covering 14 licence areas in Great Britain:

• Electricity North West
• National Grid Electricity Distribution
• Northern Powergrid
• SP Energy Networks
• Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks
• UK Power Networks

How do you find out which DNO serves your address?

The Energy Networks Association offers a postcode lookup, and guidance generally notes that dialling 105, the free power cut line, also reaches the right company. Note the name early, because every notification for home generation, including any future plug in solar registration, goes to that operator.

Is DNO approval the same as a DNO notification?

No. A notification tells the operator about small, type-tested kit after it is running, while an approval asks permission for bigger or unusual equipment before it is switched on.

When is a G98 notification enough?

Engineering Recommendation G98, from the Energy Networks Association, covers generation up to 16A per phase, roughly 3.68kW single-phase; guidance generally puts the three-phase figure at about 11.04kW. Under connect-and-notify the installer informs the DNO within 28 days of commissioning, with no prior DNO approval.

• The equipment must be fully type tested, and guidance generally says it should appear on the ENA Type Test Register
• The notification goes to the network operator, not to your supplier
• The ENA Connect Direct portal can be used to send it
• Plug in solar kits are being brought under an amended version of G98 rather than a new rulebook

When do you need G99 approval first?

Systems above the G98 limit fall under G99, and the operator must agree before connection. Guidance generally describes a simplified A1-1 form for smaller Type A generators and a fast-track A1-2 form for integrated micro-generation and storage up to 32A per phase with export limitation.

Form names change, so check the current edition with your DNO. None of this touches plug in solar, because an 800W kit sits far below G99 territory.

Which grid connection requirements and regulations apply to home generation?

Grid connection requirements come in layers: law, industry codes and the national standards the law points to. That layering explains why plug in solar needed a change in the law rather than a simple product approval.

• ESQCR 2002: requires installations to follow British Standard requirements, chiefly BS 7671
• G98 and G99: ENA engineering recommendations setting connection routes and paperwork
• G100: guidance generally describes this as covering export limitation schemes that let a larger inverter cap its export
• Part P (England and Wales): controls notifiable electrical work in homes

These grid connection regulations explain the old block on plug in solar. According to the DESNZ consultation, BS 7671 was written for fixed installations, and the Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994 require BS 1363 plugs, which may not connect generating equipment.

Northern Ireland uses ESQCR (NI) 2012 and a separate G98/NI document, so readers there should check local rules before buying plug in solar.

What does the DNO look at when your paperwork arrives?

The operator cares about network safety and stability. Under G98 it mainly records that type-tested kit is connected at a known address; under G99 it looks more closely first.

Typical information it works from includes:

• Address, supply type and phase
• Inverter rated output and type-test status
• Whether export is limited, and by what method
• Protection functions such as islanding detection
• Combined capacity of solar, storage and existing generation

The DNO does not inspect your consumer unit; those checks belong to your electrician under BS 7671 and Part P. Plug in solar households are not expected to produce installer paperwork. Ask your operator directly about any charges or timescales.

How does plug in solar fit into the DNO process?

Plug in solar became legal to buy and use across Great Britain from 27 August 2026, according to a DESNZ press release, with kits capped at 800W. To make that work on the network side, the government said it would amend G98 so that kits meeting the new Interim Product Specification, or IPS, can connect to low-voltage networks.

The DESNZ safety study found representative devices behaved safely in tested UK conditions, though quality was uneven, and recommended simplified registration. That is why plug in solar is heading for a lighter path than hardwired generation.

Why does a battery follow a different path from plug in solar?

The IPS covers plug in solar without batteries only. Plug-in batteries and small wind turbines sit outside it, so a home battery that exports still falls under the standard G98 or G99 routes and must be wired in by an electrician.

The table compares output and storage, the figures that shape which route applies, for batteries and a typical plug in solar kit. If storage is your priority, the Anker SOLIX UK product page for the Solarbank 4 E5000 Pro explains its installation route.

Figures come from each brand's UK store, and from the Energy Saving Trust for the panel-only kit, as checked on 30 October 2026; prices change, so re-check them before you buy.

What does your electrician submit for a Solarbank 4 E5000 Pro?

The Anker SOLIX Solarbank 4 E5000 Pro home battery is a hardwired product in the UK today. Anker states on its UK product page, at the time of writing, that the unit has completed G98 certification and is officially listed. It adds that G99 approval is not required because the maximum AC output of 2,500VA, about 10.9A, sits below the 16A per phase threshold.

Although the hardware is designed to support plug-in connection, that is not currently permitted, so the unit must never be treated like plug in solar or connected through a socket. The sequence usually runs like this:

1. A Part P-registered electrician installs the unit on a dedicated hardwired circuit back to the consumer unit, paired with the Anker SOLIX Smart Meter Gen 2, and adds protective devices if local safety rules call for them
2. The electrician sends the G98 documentation to your DNO within 28 days of commissioning, which can be done through ENA Connect Direct
3. You email proof of the installation to Anker support
4. Anker issues an unlock password so the app can raise AC output from the 800W factory default to as much as 2,500W

Anker suggests finding an installer via MCS, NAPIT or NICEIC search tools, cross-checking at least two. Per the official Anker SOLIX datasheet, one to five units can run in parallel, so speak to your DNO before expanding.

Which records should you keep once the system is connected?

Good records help when you sell, renew insurance or change tariff. Keep copies of:

• The G98 notification confirmation, or the G99 approval letter if your system needed one
• The Electrical Installation Certificate or Minor Works Certificate confirming the work meets BS 7671
• The Building Regulations Compliance Certificate issued through your electrician's Part P scheme
• Your electrician's scheme membership details
• Anker's unlock confirmation and a copy of the product datasheet
• For plug in solar, the purchase receipt and the product's IPS labelling details

Electrical Safety First notes that homeowners and landlords must be able to prove work meets Part P. Guidance linked to Approved Document P generally says the compliance certificate should reach the occupier within 30 days of completion.

Plug in solar owners have less to file, but a tidy folder helps if you later add a battery.

Conclusion

The network operator is the quiet partner in any home energy project. Small, type-tested kit only needs telling, while larger systems need its agreement first. Knowing which side you sit on keeps the paperwork predictable.

Plug in solar now has its own lightweight path, but batteries remain firmly in hardwired territory. Whichever you choose, keep the certificates together and talk to your DNO before adding capacity later.

Explore the Solarbank 4 E5000 Pro on the Anker SOLIX UK store to review current pricing, the G98 listing and installation documents before you speak to an electrician.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I fill in the G98 form myself instead of my electrician?

For the Solarbank, Anker says the installing electrician submits the G98 documentation, which fits the wider Part P requirement for a registered installer. Because the electrician commissions the system and signs the safety certificates, they hold the details the DNO asks for. Plug in solar is expected to use a simpler registration route.

Does connect and notify apply to a block of flats?

Guidance generally says no. Where generation is fitted across multiple premises, the usual G98 connect-and-notify route does not apply; the installer applies to the DNO first using G98 Form A and then records each individual site on Form B. Check the current G98 issue with your operator before planning a multi-property project.

Will DNO approval let me get paid for exported electricity?

No. Network paperwork and export payments are separate. The Smart Export Guarantee runs through energy suppliers, according to Ofgem, and most licensees expect MCS or equivalent certified technology plus a smart meter that records exports. The Energy Saving Trust says plug in solar owners normally cannot use SEG, though some suppliers may offer a tariff.

Is the connection process the same in Northern Ireland?

Not exactly. DESNZ notes that Northern Ireland has its own connection rules, set out in ESQCR (NI) 2012 and a G98/NI document, and applying the new plug in solar changes there depends on the Northern Ireland department. Electrical Safety First adds that Northern Ireland currently has no statutory equivalent of Part P.

Can the 105 number help with anything other than power cuts?

Guidance generally describes 105 as the free power cut line that connects you to your local network operator, which makes it a quick way to confirm who your DNO is. For connection questions, the operator's own website or the ENA postcode tool is usually a better starting point before your electrician submits anything.

Why is the Solarbank limited to 800W until the paperwork is done?

According to the Anker SOLIX UK product page, the unit ships with an 800W AC output default. Higher output, up to 2,500W, is enabled only after a hardwired installation and grid notification, when you send installation proof to Anker support and receive an unlock password for the app setting.