New Jersey residents have a new option to save on their electric bills.
Portable solar panels that meet safety standards are now legal to buy online or at local home improvement stores, Gov. Mikie Sherrill announced on Tuesday.
The law exempts these plug-in energy generators under 1,200 watts from utility interconnection and metering requirements. Depending on wattage, models can range in price between a few hundred dollars and $1,500.
"These units cost a fraction as much as rooftop solar, but they can still shave up to $50 off the typical monthly bill," Sherrill said. That's savings of $600 a year. She said there are more than 1 million of these panels in Germany alone.
Often placed on balconies or backyards, most portable solar panels have attached microinverters that go out to a regular plug. They plug into standard 120-volt wall outlets, allowing other appliances and devices in the home to draw from that power.
Under the new law, residents who use balcony solar panels don't have to notify or get approval from their power companies. The law also stops landlords and homeowner associations from banning them. Municipalities can't ban or require permits for them either.
The change gives New Jersey homeowners and renters a new option for generating some of their own electricity without taking on the cost and complexity of a traditional rooftop solar installation.
It also removes several potential roadblocks that could otherwise prevent residents from using the systems.
Only six months passed between when the bill (S2368) was introduced and its signing on Tuesday, a relatively speedy journey in Trenton. It passed unanimously. This makes New Jersey the 9th state to legalize balcony solar, according to PlugInSolarUS.
The Garden State Balcony Solar Act is one of several laws the Sherrill administration has passed to counter the spike in New Jersey energy bills, which was the highest increase in the nation last year.
Gallery Credit: New Jersey 101.5
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Gallery Credit: Erin Vogt

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