Coming up on this week's news, Ed Miliband shocks the industry with a fast-tracked standard for plug-in solar in his ongoing battle with the electrical industry. Social landlords are told they must report their electrical safety checks for the first time. And the beast has landed. We check out the first 1.5 megawatt EV charger to land in the UK. Welcome to Electrical News Weekly in association with Anker, the world's number one home solar battery storage and the solar bank 3 pro. The 1200 watt bisirectional energy storage system with four MPPTs and 2.68 kWh capacity. Whether you're listening in the van on site or down at the wholesale counter. I'm Joe Robinson and I've been through the best of the electrical industry news to save you the trouble. We're being lit by Flex 7 with a lightning fast pre-wired modular lighting connection system that keeps your installation times razor sharp. And if you think you've spotted the two words that I've been challenged to slip into this week's show, comment with them below for the chance to win this exclusive cap branded with Friends of the Show Quick Wire and Chump Tools. And while you're there, click the links in the show notes to check out what our sponsors offer. On the show notes web page, you'll also find our bonus story section covering a wide range of subjects. It's definitely worth a read and stay tuned to the end of the show to catch up on our regular features, including the weather from Joe 3PO, learner of the week, and the lighter side of the news. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has stunned the electrical industry by unveiling a UK product standard for plug-in solar. Officials fast tracked the requirements in the teeth of vocal criticism from trade bodies that the kit lacked an agreed spec. The move is part of an ongoing battle between the government and five organisations over the technology. Miliband wants the technology in supermarkets this summer, but he's facing opposition from the NIC, the ECA, the IET, Electrical Safety First, and Scottish Body Select. With the publication of the document, he'll be widely seen as having out maneuvered them in this latest skirmish. The 41 page standard is unusual in that it's been drawn up by the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero, not British Standards or the IEC. The department says it was helped by OFGEM, the Energy Networks Association, UK Power Networks, and the G98 Working Group. Its official title is a bit of a jawbreaker. It's the plug-in solar device interim product specification version one. The government says it's based on the German VDE document 0126-95. It treats plug-in solar as a self-contained microgenerator. Therefore, it says the products must have safety functions such as anti- islanding protection, grid monitoring, and protective device compatibility built into the product rather than relying on the installation. It also says that manufacturers must demonstrate that the inverters operation and any residual DC currents will not impair the performance of standard protective devices such as RCDs. The specification warns that while the product is designed to minimise these risks, electricians should consider the suitability of existing RCDs and RCBOs, particularly in older installations. The government also released a 96-page report on the safety of plug-in solar. It paid independent consultancy RKO £90,000 to test and assess the risks of the rollout. The advisers say that the systems can demonstrate safe and what they termed technically coherent behaviour. They tested plug-in systems in a range of typical circuit arrangements found in UK homes, including ring final circuits with different types of RCD. In their tests, devices kept stable operation. Protective devices continued to function and the anti- islanding tech cut the unit off within the required limits. They saw no sustained unsafe energisation following the operation of the protective device. The kit didn't overheat and there were no hotspots or conductor loading. With reverse current testing, RKO concluded that a controlled deployment of plug-in solar is both achievable and justified based on the evidence. The results of the study chime with bench tests that we at eFIXX have conducted in the last month. My colleague Gordon Routledge, seen here throwing stones at ducks in the park, debunked the myths in an acclaimed viral video. I've put the link to that in the show notes. Alongside the standard and report, the government has launched a consultation on the technology and its roll out in the UK. It wants to hear the opinion and concerns of organisations, electricians, and householders and their offspring. But what's really raising eyebrows is the length of the consultation. Typically, a government deliberation like this would be slated for 3 months. However, Miliband has ordered that it ends after a fortnight. So, if you want to give your opinion, you'll need to move fast. You have until Tuesday, the 30th of June to respond. I've put a link in the show notes. Speaking of moving fast, have you seen the new MI 3136 tester from Metrel? It's faster, more functional, and has a better screen than its predecessor, the MI 3125, which was already great. With features you'd only expect to find on a more expensive tester, this is an exponential upgrade. Check out Rick's full review video in the show notes. In other news, new rules on electrical safety checks kick in this month. Big social landlords, including local authorities and housing associations, must report the proportion of homes where all required electrical safety checks have been completed and properly recorded starting in this reporting year. If an organisation is responsible for at least 1,000 properties, it must begin revealing what EICRs has carried out. This is the first time that the UK watchdog for social housing has included electrical installations under its so-called tenant satisfaction measures. The regulator for social housing has also clarified for electricians the scope of the checks in relation of lobbies, stairwells, and corridors. It says communal installations and equipment must meet the requirements under the electrical safety standards in the private rented sector and social rented sector England regulations of 2020 in order to be considered compliant even where those regulations do not strictly apply. Smaller landlords will have to publish their electrical safety checks for their reporting years ending the 31st of March 2027 onwards. And when it comes to safety, you can put your trust in the range of high-quality smoke alarms from Kitty. From battery powered to hardwired, there's an easy to install solution that suits your customers with the latest sensing technologies to detect potential fire hazards and comply with strict European standards. Our very own Joe Hammond made a great video on the new range with one very surprising feature. You know where to find the link. And now, big news in the EV world. The beast has finally landed. Chinese motor firm BYD has unveiled its 1.5 megawatt flash charger in the UK for the first time. Up to now, the most powerful plug-in points for cars have been ABB's 480 kW Terra system and Tesla's Supercharger, which maxes out at 500 kW. The Flash charger blows them both out of the water. It can charge a compatible car from 5% to 70% in just 5 minutes. The company did a demo for the press at its premises in Oxbridge, West London. It used the flash to charge up a Denza Z9 GT, currently the only vehicle in Great Britain capable of accepting its blistering speeds. How does it deliver such astonishing power? The secret is that the charger is paired with an on-site battery. BYD says the pack can be charged from as little as 100 kW or as much as 560 kW depending on demand before delivering much higher charging power to vehicles when required. The company says its principle for charging EVs is that they be ready in 5 minutes, full in 9 minutes, and for cold weather, you only need to add 3 minutes. A kilowatt hour is set to cost 50p for BYD owners. And from flash charging to flash lighting with some seriously flexible and smoothly illuminated neon LED lighting from Ultra LED, perfect for extremely tight spaces with a dot-free seamless glow in a huge range of colours and effects. Perfect for both outdoor and indoor applications. All this and it's incredibly quick to install with their quick connect system. you know where to find the link. Coming back to charges, a reminder that Lewden's promotion for its Siena unit is in full swing. If you buy one for the list price of £399 plus VAT, you'll get a free Lewden EV consumer unit. The Sienna comes in two ratings, 7.4 kW for single phase and 22 kW for three-phase. The model is fully approved by the UK government's office for zero emission vehicles. It features optional 4G connectivity and seamless control via the Mont app. This allows customers to schedule and optimise their charging sessions. The chargers also support solar PV integration. To complement its home chargers, the company has purpose-built EV consumer units, including one rated at IP65 for outdoor use. There's also feeder pillars offering configurable power distribution from 100 amps to 630 amps for car parks and public charging zones. Also in the pipeline is the Siena Duo, a dual port charger delivering up to 22 kW per port. No launch date has been announced for that yet, but we're very excited to get our hands on it and we'll keep you posted when it becomes available. If you're heading to the installer show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham this week, check out Charge M8, who will be on stand EV4 in hall 3A. The brand will be showcasing its trio of technologies for EV charging. Libra, Sigma, and the EV Kube. Each product solves a different challenge faced by installers. Libra is a clever dynamic load balancing system. Instead of allocating a set amount of power to a building's EV chargers, Libra allows you to dynamically use any available power when the building is running below its maximum use. It features out-of-the-box integration with Plenergy, Top Electric, and SAS Charge, as well as integration with sub-zone load management, and individual phase monitoring. To commission it, you simply use the touchscreen. Next is Sigma Charge M8's contactless payment kiosk available in both pedestal and wall-mounted versions. Sigma allows a single payment terminal to serve lots of charges. This helps operators cut hardware costs while maintaining compliance. It integrates with leading payment providers including PA, NYAX, self-service technology, Neuland, and World Line. It also has built-in 4G connectivity for fast deployment. Finally, there's EV Kube. It's made from lightweight composite panels and requires no lifting gear. It has high strength stainless bolts for structural integrity and a modular design that ships flat via a courier. There's no shuttering, no wet concrete or waiting around for good weather. You dig the trench, pop in the parts, and connect them up in the hole. You then simply back fill and connect the EV charger. Three sizes are available: 300 x 300, 300 by 600, and 600x 600. The design includes pre-marked knockout panels for integrated side cutouts for cable entry and exit to make the install easy. The cube isn't tied to a single product or layout. It's designed around industry standard foot plate dimensions so you can directly mount payment pedestals and charger posts on top. It's compatible with e- park engineering stands and common pedestal formats so you can scale across different sites without reinventing the process each time. So check out the EV cube, the Libra, and Sigma for yourself at the installer show. You'll also get to meet Charge M8s's partners, including Deer, Tap Electric, E- Park Engineering, Self-Service Technology, and Charge M8's distributor friend, Kelvelec. And of course, the company will be hosting the EV Kube fast install challenge. It's throwing down the gauntlet to visiting electricians. How fast can you assemble the innovative EV Kube charger base? Specifically, can you beat the boss's record of 3 minutes? The task is straightforward. Assemble the 300 by300 small EV cube as quickly as possible. There are great prizes up for grabs, including love to shop vouchers for the fastest time and the runner up and a booby prize for the slowest brave soul willing to give it a go. The company says it's not about bragging rights, but proving that the cube can be rapidly put together by just one person. It's all happening on stand EV4 in hall 3A. Also at the installer show, this time on stand 3H10 are Sync Energy, who've updated their acclaimed range of EV chargers. They say installation is almost toolless and features a quick fix mounting bracket. Also, following feedback from electricians, the company has redesigned the tethered charge plug to sit more snugly in the charger unit, reducing the chance of boshing your hip off it in passing. The Sync Energy 7.4 kW chargers feature seamless solar integration, full app control anduling, and includes tariff sense and auto solar charge as standard. You can also personalise the charger by choosing from nine face plate colours for the premium high impact metal cover. Fast growing EV brand is currently marketing its recently unveiled Vego 2.0. The next generation unit is specifically designed for a rapid install. Its redesigned mounting system reduces drilling, wiring, and cable routing to cut installation time in half. There are multiple configurations. The VEGO 2.0 comes in tethered or untethered variants and 7.4 kW or 22 kW configurations, allowing for flexibility to site requirements. There are interchangeable face plates in five colour options to allow charges to blend in with building designs or to meet local conservation requirements. They also come with a new LED status halo and full control via the intuitive app. The app is one of the things that makes the VGO designed to appeal to your customer. That's because all chargers come equipped with Eve's grid services reward scheme, Vecflex, which rewards users up to £140 a year when they schedule charging in the app. You know where to find the link for more information. In promotion news, a reminder that Spit's special World Cup giveaway is up and running. There's three prizes, three winners, and one goal to bring football home, of course, and the prizes aren't too shabby. The top three winners will each receive a Spit 27E starter kit, which includes its acclaimed electric nail gun, a battery, a charger, and a hard case. The top winner will also get two tickets to see an England international football match in the UK. The second name out of the hat will also receive an England football shirt with his or her choice of player name and number. The closing date is World Cup final day, Sunday the 19th of July. Winners will be selected at random from all valid entries and announced on eFIXX TV on the 27th of July, 2026. I've put a link to the promo in the show notes. All the very best. Now, how about this for a bright idea? It's the Paul Russell's lamp of the week. This week, we have the electrician's favourite, a GU10. Of course, this warm white version delivers 450 lumens, which is the same light output as a traditional 60W H halogen version, except this one is LED, so it draws a mere 4.9 watt. The lamp life is 15,000 hours, about the same time it takes to speak to a human on the HMRC's helpline. Now, it's that great moment where we get to celebrate the sterling work being done by the next generation. Our learner of the week slot is brought to you by excess training with their online electrical courses for beginners and experienced sparks covering inspection and testing, solar, battery storage, EV charging, and their specialism NVQs and AM2 online prep. And our learner this week is Leighton Lynch from Whirlmere College. Leighton's been nominated by the college's Matt Pattern who wants to recognise Leighton for what he terms his outstanding commitment, professionalism, and progression in his studies. Leighton's just completed his level two diploma and has not only had a 100% attendance throughout, but also approached every task with a positive attitude. We love a positive attitude. In the workshop, Leighton works safely, methodically, and with a high level of competence. His understanding of regulations and best practices continues to grow, and he shows excellent awareness of the importance of safety and compliance in the trade. He also supports his peers when appropriate, contributes to discussions, and always maintains a professional attitude. So, all in all, Leighton is a worthy candidate for this recognition. Congratulations on being this week's learner of the week in association with excess training Leighton and we look forward to great things from you in the future. Still on young talent, eFIXX have unveiled the winners of our 30 under 30 awards, the program that celebrates young people in the trade. The glamorous ceremony was held at Doncaster Cables HQ here in the greatest county in the world. You can see interviews with the class of 26 by hitting our website and following the links. And now to the lighter side of the electrical news. Yes, it's time for a tea break with QuickWire in its range of incredibly rapid electrical connectors. Octopus Energy has unveiled a World Cup promo like no other. It's offering free power to pubs during the competition. They'll get 5 hours free electricity on nights that England and Scotland are playing. It's available for all landlords with an Octopus Energy for Business tariff and a smart meter. The company says it's like a happy hour but for pubs. I've put a link to apply for the promo in the show notes. That's the lighter side of the news in our tea break with QuickWire and their range of incredibly rapid electrical connectors. Click the link in the description to check them out for yourself. Now, just before we get to your favorite bit of the show where I reveal last week's challenge words and winners, we want to thank our premium partner. We couldn't make the news without you. They're the best thing to come out of Yorkshire since stainless steel, the home of EV Ultra and other groundbreaking and quality products. It's Doncaster Cables. Click the links in the show notes to find out more about this great brand. If you think you know the words that I've smuggled into this week's show, pop your guess into the comments. We'll take all the correct guesses and select one at random to be the winner of an eFIXX goodie bag prize. Answers submitted after about lunchtime on the Thursday after release will not be entered into the draw. Now, let's reveal the winners of last week's challenge word competition. Last week's words were submarine and deer stalker, and only a few got it right again, but the first person to come out of electronic hat was Raphael Sitar's 8125. So, well done to you, Raphael. Make sure you click the get involved link in the show notes to claim your prize. And now, it's time for this week's weather from Joe 3PO and FoxySS. Last week's weather, I got a little wrong where I said Wednesday is shaping up to be the standout day of the week. Actually, we got nothing but downpours. Sorry about that. But this week, I'm 58% confident that Chat GPT has got it right. But before we get into this week's forecast, a shout out to this week's Fox ESS premier partner, Northern Renewable Centre, who love a fox battery and coming from the Northeast, probably love a peas pudding and a Savoy sausage. And for this week's solar barometer, we're focusing on Roman way in Ancaster. If you hadn't guessed it, it's got something to do with the Romans. Still plenty of roof space and not enough panels. So, if you do happen to work in the Lincolnshshire area, there could be an opportunity crying out for you. Okay, so the weather this week, heat. And for the first time, I get to say this. Tuesday is Scorchio. As we move into Wednesday, Scorchio, Thursday and Friday, Scorchio, and it should be a little cooler by the weekend. Although sunshine is great for panels, the heat will have an impact on the efficiency. And if you are working outside, then be sure to take plenty of hydration breaks. They seem to be quite big at the moment. Uh, and my advice this week is plenty of fluids. Check on any vulnerable persons who may be impacted by the heat. And if you are working outside, then be sure to have plenty of breaks and be sure to factor 50 up so you don't burn up. Thanks for that update, Joe. This week, we've been lit by Flex 7 with their lightning fast pre-wired modular lighting connection system that keeps your installation times razor sharp. Don't forget to click the links in the show notes to find out more. Thanks for listening to this episode of Electrical News Weekly in association with Anker Solix, the world's number one plug-and-play solar battery storage brand. Make sure you subscribe to receive the next update. Thanks for listening and until next time, have a great week.