A homeowner installs a plug-in solar energy kit outside his home in Houston.
A homeowner installs a plug-in solar energy kit outside his home in Houston.
Here comes the sun. The winter solstice has just passed, and the sun is beginning its long trek north. As each day becomes longer, the sun will bring us additional light and warmth and enable more generation of electricity through solar panels.
As you look around, you’ll see hundreds of solar panels on roof tops and on ground mounted installations. Due to technical improvements, cost reductions and tax incentives, solar power installations in Vermont have grown to over 10,000, generating enough power for the equivalent of 76,000 homes (22.5 percent of the state’s 335,000 homes).
Locally, many apartment buildings, hotels and commercial properties have solar panels, helping reduce the electric requirements for running these properties. With these successes in place, let’s look at a promising new option for future solar power production.
First introduced in Europe about 10 years ago, plug-in solar (also known as “porch solar” or “balcony solar”) has boomed to about one million installations. Led by Germany’s “balkonkraftwerk” (“balcony power plant”) trend, small solar panels are installed on the balcony and porch railings of apartments and homes, generating electricity for residents across Europe. In addition to Germany, the Netherlands, France, Italy and Spain are seeing significant adoption of plug-in solar technology. Adoption in the U.S. is limited currently, with only Utah having legislation in place to allow for installation of plug-in solar.
HOW IT WORKS
Plug-in solar panels use the same technology as traditional home solar panels, in which electricity is generated when sunlight hits silicon cells in the panel, creating direct current (DC). The DC electricity then runs through a microinverter and is converted into alternating current (AC), which we use in our homes and businesses. The primary difference from rooftop solar is that plug-in solar devices are physically much smaller, generate less electricity, don’t require special wiring to connect to your home and are designed for the homeowner to install as a do-it-yourself project.
Due to their lower output capacity, plug-in solar panels are often installed in strings of two to four units with a maximum capacity of about 1,200 watts. This amount of electricity will not power your entire home or apartment. A typical 400-watt system might generate between 1.2 and 1.8 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per day, according to Liam Cope of EngineeringFix.com, depending on local sun hours and weather, which could offset the electric requirements for a typical refrigerator.
Getting the electricity from a plug-in solar system to your home requires a power cord and an outlet. What we commonly refer to as a 110V outlet in our homes becomes the point of input for the electricity generated by the plug-in solar system. A standard heavy duty 110V power cord runs from the micro-inverter to your outlet allowing the electricity to flow seamlessly into the grid. Once connected, you are now reducing the amount of electricity you need from your utility.
SAFETY – A CRITICAL CONSIDERATION
Whenever you are dealing with electricity, safety is an absolute must. While plug-in solar components can be cobbled together by a homeowner, it is critical that anyone considering installing this type of system consider a complete system that has been certified by Underwriters Laboratory and is available from a reputable dealer. This would include the solar panels, rack mounting system, micro-inverter, power cord and most importantly, an anti-backflow device that detects when the electricity level drops or shuts off in your home.
This last safety component prohibits your electricity from flowing backward through the meter to the outside power lines. Without this, any utility line repair person or electrician working on your home could be seriously injured or even killed.
PAYBACK ON YOUR INVESTMENT
Payback time depends on several factors, including equipment cost, capacity and ability to generate electricity (sunlight, shade, cloud cover, utility rates etc.). Initial estimates are that a DIY installed plug-in solar system will be paid back in about five years through the production of electricity by the system.
REGULATIONS — VERMONT NOT QUITE READY
All states, including Vermont, regulate how a person may connect a solar installation to the electric grid. As we noted above, Utah is currently the only state that has a law in place that allows for a resident to install plug-in solar.
Several states, including Vermont, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and New York, are considering similar laws. In Vermont, the proposed legislation for the 2026 session is being sponsored by Sen. Anne Watson (D/P-Washington) and Rep. Kathleen James (D-Bennington). Contact these legislators for details.
Plug-in solar is an exciting technology that will help Vermonters inch forward toward a greener environment. But, with legislation still pending to allow plug-in solar installation, we caution you to please hold off on buying a system from any retailer at this time.
To participate in Williston’s energy future, reach out to your Williston Energy Committee at energy@willistonvt.org or attend a public meeting held on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month. The agenda for upcoming meetings is posted on the Town of Williston website (www.town.williston.vt.us). For more information, visit: https://www.willistonvtenergycommittee.org.
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