The great advantage of plug-in solar panels is their simplicity. You just need to plug them into an outlet and you can immediately use the generated electricity, for example, by running the washing machine. Anyone can buy them – including people who live in an apartment or a rented home.

No official installer is needed, and you don't even have to report it to distribution system operator Fluvius. The same applies to the plug-in battery that will soon be available for purchase.

Important: per household, a maximum capacity of 800 watts applies to the plug-in panels and the battery combined. You can choose to only use plug-in panels, but then you must ensure that you do not exceed 800 watts with the inverter.

"It will depend on the capacity how many panels you can use," says Marc Malbrancke of Synergrid, the umbrella organization for Belgian electricity and gas grid operators, to VRT NWS. "On the official list of approved installations, there will also be some with a capacity of, say, 600 or 1,000 watts," he warns.

In principle, plug-and-play panels will come onto the market that we now know from solar panels on roofs. These usually have a capacity of 360 watts, which would allow you to connect 2 of them.

Experts state that you should definitely stick to the maximum of 800 watts. If you install more panels or batteries than the system can handle, it could damage the electrical circuit and even cause a fire. "The maximum capacity applies to panels and batteries combined. So if you already have 800 watts of panels, you cannot add a battery," says Koen Vanthournout, energy expert at VITO/EnergyVille.

Moreover, the limit ensures that the electricity grid does not become overloaded during high production, on sunny days.

• Of course, you need to have the space to install the panels, a place that can also catch enough sunlight. If you live in an apartment on the north side, it's not such a good idea. If you live on the east or west side, keep in mind that it's best to consume that energy in the morning or evening, respectively, for the highest possible efficiency.
• For example, you can hang it on a balcony, although it's best to discuss this first with the HOA (Homeowners Association) if you live in an apartment. It's also a good idea to check with the municipality. Of course, the panel must be installed safely so that it cannot fall or come loose in strong winds.
• Buy an approved model with the correct certificate. Synergrid will publish a list of approved installations on Monday, March 17. When installing the panel, also pay attention to loose wires.
• Don't forget that this involves electricity, so it's not without danger. So be sure to stick to the maximum capacity, as outlined above. Also, check whether your installation has been inspected and approved.

The balcony solar panels are generally available for purchase from Monday. You can only start using them from April 17, says VEKA, the Flemish Energy and Climate Agency.

It is not yet clear whether the plug-and-play solar panels will be in stores in Flanders on Monday. But they are already available online. In neighboring countries Germany and the Netherlands, they have been common for longer. Since they are the same panels as those typically used on roofs, they come in rather large packages. But when buying, pay attention to whether the panel is approved.

Experts estimate that you can earn back the purchase price of the panels after about five years. Keep in mind, however, that the payback effect is difficult to calculate. How efficiently is the panel aimed at the sun, how much sun do you even get on your balcony? And then there are the parameters on which that estimate is based.

"You should know that the calculation was made based on a purchase price of 1,000 euros for those 800 watts (you can find all sorts of prices and sizes online, ed.). If price breakers were to enter the market and offer the panels at half the price, you would earn them back much faster. The price of electricity can also fluctuate. The higher it gets, the faster you earn back," says Koen Vanthournout.

It is also important to consume enough of the generated electricity immediately yourself to profit from it. "To achieve sufficient returns, you must consume slightly more than half of the output, but with average households, that should certainly be achievable." Moreover, to reach 50 percent, an average family often needs to change little or nothing in their behavior, but higher returns are, of course, even better.