Plug-in solar, also known as Balcony Solar, uses portable solar panels that simply plug into a regular wall outlet. Popular in Europe, it is now coming to the United States.
One panel can power a refrigerator, a home computer, and a few lights. Combine a few panels together, and you’d have enough power to run a window-unit air conditioner on a sunny day. Balcony Solar can safely, cheaply, and easily reduce a consumer’s electricity bill.
Renters and homeowners alike can hang these off balconies, lean them against an outside wall, or install them in the back yard.
SB 868, the Plug and Play Solar Act, recently passed the Legislature and was sent to Gov. Newsom’s desk. If signed, consumers will be allowed to safely use Plug-In Solar systems without fees or permission from the utility, provided the Plug-In solar meets state and national safety standards.
Gov. Newsom’s approval is by no means assured. PG&E and the other investor-owned utilities oppose this bill. Even if you are not personally interested, this is worth supporting to allow people to generate their own green energy and ultimately save a few bucks in the process. The ways to contact Gov. Newsom are at the bottom of this page. He must act by Sept. 30 so it is best to send support promptly.
Michael Kluk
Davis
Your comment has been submitted.
Reported
There was a problem reporting this.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
Error! There was an error processing your request.
Have the latest local news delivered every afternoon so you don’t miss out on updates.
Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.
We recommend switching to one of the following browsers:
Sorry, an error occurred.
Already Subscribed!
Cancel anytime
Account processing issue – the email address may already exist
Must be at least 8 characters, not contain repeating characters (e.g., 111), and not contain sequential numbers (e.g., 123).
Have the latest local news delivered every afternoon so you don’t miss out on updates.
Each day’s obituaries, delivered to your inbox.
Receive occasional local offers from our website and its advertisers.
Get the latest headlines on local sports!
Get our expert short-term forecast, summary of the weather details and news of any severe weather.
We’ll send breaking news and news alerts to you as they happen!
Receive our newspaper electronically with the e-Edition email.
Best trending stories from the week.
Thank you .
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Invalid password or account does not exist
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account.
No promotional rates found.
Secure & Encrypted
Must be at least 8 characters, not contain repeating characters (e.g., 111), and not contain sequential numbers (e.g., 123).
Secure transaction. Secure transaction. Cancel anytime.
Thank you.
Your gift purchase was successful! Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
A receipt was sent to your email.
