Power surge: law changes could soon bring balcony solar to millions across US | US news

AAcquiring solar panels at home can be costly for Americans. But small, simple, rechargeable solar panels for use on balconies will soon be available to millions of Americans, with advocates hoping the technology will become widespread quickly.

Earlier this year, Utah became the first state in the country to pass legislation allowing people to purchase and install small, portable solar panels that plug into a standard wall outlet.

When attached outside on a home’s balcony or patio, these panels can provide enough power for residents to run household appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines and Wi-Fi for free without spending money on electricity from the grid.

Solar panels for balconies are now widespread in countries like Germany – where more than a million homes are equipped with them – but have until now been blocked in the United States by national regulations. That’s about to change, with lawmakers in New York and Pennsylvania filing bills to join Utah in adopting permitting for the signs, with Vermont, Maryland and New Hampshire set to follow suit soon.

“Rechargeable solar energy is a powerful tool to provide increased energy independence and affordability to millions of New Yorkers who are currently priced out of the solar economy,” said Liz Krueger, a New York state senator who sponsored a bill to allow solar power on balconies.

Krueger said his change to state law “will be a game-changer for renters, low-income New Yorkers and many others who cannot install rooftop solar.”

Five more states could join the rush in the coming months, according to Kevin Chou, executive director of Bright Saver, a nonprofit that advocates for the adoption of solar panels on balconies.

“There is now so much interest in this,” Chou said. “The federal government has been so negative about clean energy that people have asked, ‘OK, what can we do at the state level?’ and it was one of those things.

“There’s real momentum behind this right now. In states where electricity is more expensive, especially, I think we’ll see market forces go that far.”

As with solar panels attached to the roof of a building or placed in fields, solar panels on balconies absorb the sun, although on a smaller scale. It then injects this clean energy, via an inverter, into the wall socket. The panels themselves are smaller than standard roof panels and can be attached in place without professional installation.

They sell for the equivalent of about $300 in Germany, with more expensive versions at $1,500 and up, which include a storage battery that can continue to power the home with solar energy after the sun disappears for the day.

All that power is enough to run most appliances for free, although it’s not enough for large family homes with large air conditioning units or requiring electric vehicle charging.

“If you are a single person living at home, this can meet all your needs, but not for a family of six,” Chou said. “It’s not a silver bullet or anything, it could maybe reduce emissions by 5%. But it’s an easy thing to do, it’s practical and it can save people money. At the moment there aren’t many climate victories and this can be one of them.”

However, a major barrier to balcony solar is the regulatory system in all states, which generally requires anyone installing solar panels to enter into an agreement with the local utility for the energy they feed back into the grid.

Installation of panels also generally must be done by contractors and is inspected. This regime, coupled with inconsistent federal and state incentives for solar energy, means that only about 7 percent of U.S. homes have rooftop solar panels, far fewer than some other countries. In Australia, for example, more than one in three homes has a solar system on their roof.

In Utah, state legislator Raymond Ward became intrigued after reading about balcony solar and realized that a minor tweak to the law would allow Utahns to purchase the technology. His legislation included an exemption from interconnection agreements for people producing 1.2 kilowatts of electricity or less.

“State law says if you put electricity back on the grid, even an electron, you need a contract with the utility, which is just crazy,” said Ward, who is a Republican.

“No one opposed the change. I expect 10 more legislatures in 2026 will introduce a bill like this, and more and more people will become interested in it. It will definitely happen.”

The pro-fossil fuel Trump administration has sought to crush some solar and wind projects, while some utilities in the United States have made it difficult for residents to adopt solar power, fearing it would cut into their profits.