Faced with rising electricity prices, Americans are stealthily adding DIY solar systems. And they aren’t telling utilities
CNN
Balcony solar can be installed almost anywhere, is cheap, easy to set up and reduces bills. It’s increasingly appealing to Americans struggling with soaring energy costs, but it exists in a legal gray area
Agnes Chan is part of a stealth solar revolution bubbling up in the US. The retired teacher has a tiny solar system propped up in her backyard in Berkeley, California, and plugged into a regular outlet. It cost around $2,000, shaves about $50 off her monthly bills, and she’s evangelical about it. “I have already recommended it many times,” she said.
Originally, Chan had wanted a full rooftop solar system, but the $20,000-plus price tag was unaffordable. Plug-in solar offered a cheaper, portable and more flexible option: It was incredibly easy to set up, would help keep her 100-year-old house toasty this winter and would pay for itself in three years.
Chan is one of a growing number of Americans turning to plug-in solar — also called “balcony solar” as it’s often slung over balconies — to help bring down soaring energy bills. Even as the Trump administration seeks to squash renewable energy, the interest is spurring action in nearly 30 states that are now considering legislation to make these cheap, small systems more accessible.
There are hurdles, however. Plug-in solar currently exists in a legal “gray area,” said Cora Stryker, co-founder of Bright Saver, a non-profit that advocates for balcony solar. Almost every state requires an agreement with the local utility company, a process that can take months and add costs.
Balcony solar can be installed almost anywhere, is cheap, easy to set up and reduces bills. It’s increasingly appealing to Americans struggling with soaring energy costs, but it exists in a legal gray area
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