Is plug-in solar a sellout or the entry point to renewables for millions of UK homes? Live from the LONGi stand at Solar & Storage Live 2026, Dan Holliday and Michael Stott sit down with Aaron from Anker SOLIX. YouTuber Cory Mac from Oy Electrical explains why he called the plug-in brands "sellouts", then went to Germany to see it for himself.

Aaron shows the new Anker SOLIX XE and explains why he'd rather call it "entry-point solar". Michael pushes him on who's actually going to be plugging these in. Cory's verdict after meeting German owners with three generations of systems: "Bodgers are gonna bodge." Sarah Wallace from LONGi argues the real mistake was announcing it before the rules were ready.

In this episode:

• The new Anker SOLIX XE: 7 kWh, expandable to 42 kWh, 3 MPPTs, AI tariff control

• Cory Mac: "You're all sellouts", and the U-turn

• "Don't call it balcony solar": entry-point solar

• Who's plugging it in? The installer's safety worry

• 5.6 million homes on under £36k: who it's really for

• Announced before the rules were ready

• "The XE's little brother", plus support you can actually ring

• The payback numbers

Chapters

0:00 Cold open

0:52 Welcome to Only Panels Season 3

1:05 What's new from Anker SOLIX

4:44 Cory Mac: why I called plug-in solar brands sellouts

7:26 Don't call it balcony solar: entry-point solar

8:08 Who's plugging it in? The installer's worry

10:35 Investigating plug-in solar in Germany

12:08 Who it's really for: 5.6 million homes priced out

13:25 Announced before the rules were ready

14:26 The XE's little brother

17:00 Support you can actually ring

18:53 The payback numbers

19:16 Wrap-up

Guests: Aaron (Anker SOLIX), Cory Mac (Oy Electrical), Sarah Wallace (LONGi)

Hosts: Dan Holliday (DMH) & Michael Stott (East Renewables)

Recorded on the LONGi stand at Solar & Storage Live 2026, NEC Birmingham.

Show supporters: LONGi · A121 Training

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