You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.
Solar power has truly come of age. Dropping in cost by 99.9 per cent over the past 50 years, it is now, by far, the cheapest source of energy in history.
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
Resistant to fluctuations in the price of oil and natural gas, once installed it provides essentially free electricity for the life of the panels, at least 25 years. That’s probably why you see it popping up on houses and in farm fields across our province.
One notable exception? Condos, apartments and backyard sheds.
Your weekday lunchtime roundup of curated links, news highlights, analysis and features.
By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.
A welcome email is on its way. If you don’t see it, please check your junk folder.
The next issue of Noon News Roundup will soon be in your inbox.
We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again
Interested in more newsletters? Browse here.
As recently reported in the Herald, a new type of system aims to correct this. Known as plug-in nanogeneration, or balcony solar, it allows renters and condo owners to participate in the energy transition by placing three or four panels, typically on a balcony, and just plugging them into a wall socket.
No electrician or permit needed, and it provides up to one-third of the typical family’s power needs. Payback period on upfront costs (about $1,500 for 1200 watts) is about five to 10 years . . . after that, the electricity is essentially free.
It makes financial and environmental sense.
So much sense that in Germany, more than one million systems have been installed. But it is not just European socialists embracing the movement. The first North American jurisdiction to embrace balcony solar is one our province shares values with: Utah.
This is much more than just a climate solution. This is about choice and freedom. The freedom to make your own power and not be entirely beholden to a utility for your electricity needs. And this is about resilience and energy security, decreasing the grid’s need to continually expand, and instead relying on people’s own smart economic decisions to decrease demand from the grid.
Equally important, it’s about increasing fair access to this technology, which has previously only been available to homeowners and landowners. About a third of Albertans are renters, and 40 per cent live in multi-family dwellings such as condos and highrises. They, too, deserve an opportunity to participate in this cost-saving, freedom-raising adventure.
Ultimately, there really is only one concern that needs to be dealt with. Safety. No electrician wants to go into a space, flip the breaker and find there is still live power in the system.
Fortunately, this has been worked out by the many first adopters. A kill switch in the system is triggered if the power in the dwelling’s wiring is absent; for example, if there is a power outage or the main breaker is tripped. All products sold in Alberta will be mandated to have passed certification by a standards organization such as the Underwriters Laboratory of Canada. In Germany, there have been no safety incidents associated with their use.
So, how can we make this happen? Although technically legal now, these systems are rare, as the soft costs of installation are large, requiring an expensive interconnection permit and an electrician to install them. These costs can be removed with a stroke of the government’s pen, as has been done in five U.S. states.
The Alberta government has been a staunch supporter of rooftop solar microgeneration, and its values clearly align with those of plug-in solar. We need legislation stating that these systems do not need an interconnection permit or an electrician to install them. Because who needs an electrician to plug in an appliance?
Those interested can reach out to Utilities and Affordability Minister Nathan Neudorf and Red Tape Reduction Minister Dale Nally, and tell them that Alberta can be the first mover in Canada to embrace this new technology.
At a time of historic increasing electricity demand, this is an easy way for Albertans to jump on the electrification bandwagon. And, in turn, we become a more resilient, greener and wealthier province for all.
Jared Blustein is the executive director of the Calgary Climate Hub.
Abi Martin is chair of the City Centre Chapter of Calgary ACORN, a social and economic justice organization supporting renters across Canada.
Chris Bell is the CEO of Norfolk Housing Association, a mixed-market housing provider in Calgary.
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.
365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4
© 2026 Calgary Herald, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized distribution, transmission or republication strictly prohibited.
This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
You can manage saved articles in your account.
and save up to 100 articles!
You can manage your saved articles in your account and clicking the X located at the bottom right of the article.

source