The matter is perhaps even more pressing in New England, where electricity prices are higher than almost anywhere else in the mainland United States. Homes in the region depend heavily on oil and natural gas for heating, exposing residents to high and volatile fuel prices.
“We are looking for any possible way to bring energy bills down for my constituents,” said Rhode Island state Rep. June Speakman (D), the House sponsor of her state’s balcony solar bill.
Balcony solar has taken off in Europe — most notably in Germany — over the past few years. The systems can be purchased online or from major retailers, like Ikea, and assembled at home. They plug in to a standard exterior outlet and send energy into the wires, rather than drawing electricity out, generally producing about enough power to run a refrigerator.
Plug-in solar systems are modestly sized, which means they can fit into most any sunny spot — from a well-lit backyard to an apartment-building balcony. The kits are relatively low-priced; today, they average about $3 per watt, according to Bright Saver, and the cost is likely to fall by about half once at least five states authorize their use. These prices make them accessible to consumers who can’t afford the upfront cost of rooftop solar panels. Also unlike rooftop solar, these systems can be installed without help from an electrician or approval from a utility company, which means they are an option for renters as well as homeowners.
“It’s not only empowering, but it’s also easy, and it’s so much cheaper,” Stryker said.
In the U.S., balcony solar has inhabited a sort of regulatory gray area, neither prohibited nor expressly authorized by law. The crop of bills working through state legislatures attempts to fix that problem. Provisions vary from state to state, but all the New England measures would allow residents to install systems up to 1,200 watts without utility approval or interconnection agreements. The new rules would also require the solar equipment to be certified by a national safety testing organization, like UL Solutions, which launched a testing program for these systems earlier this year.
In addition to laying out practical rules, these bills could have a more intangible impact, supporters say. They let residents know that plug-in solar is a viable option, not just a questionable technology the internet is trying to sell you.
“Legislation sends a signal that not only is this a thing that’s available on Temu — it’s also a thing you can and should consider buying,” Evans-Brown said.
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