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Topic:Solar Energy
Western Australia is set to become the first state or territory to lift the ban on plug-in solar and batteries. (Supplied: Holger's Pictures)
Western Australia has announced the start of consultation on a safety standard for plug-in solar panels and batteries, including how to ensure they do not overload power circuits.
Last month, Australia's energy ministers agreed to explore how to safely roll out plug-in solar across the nation.
The national first will help renters and apartment dwellers save hundreds of dollars on their power bills. 
Renters and apartment dwellers could save hundreds of dollars on their power bills when Western Australia becomes the first state to legalise plug-in solar panels and batteries.
WA is set to unlock access to the technology commonly known as "balcony solar", used by millions of people in Europe and the United Kingdom.
Overseas, the technology is usually attached to apartment balconies or installed in backyards, typically costing up to $1,300, plus extra for a plug-in battery.
In September, Australia's energy ministers agreed to explore how to safely roll out plug-in solar across the nation.
But WA is the first state or territory to give the technology the green light, announcing consultations on a safety standard for the energy-saving devices, including how to ensure they don't overload power circuits.
Plug-in solar panels are a popular choice for people who live in apartments or those who do not own their home. (Unsplash: Yuma Solar)
"For too long, the benefits of cheap solar have been out of reach for anyone who doesn't own their roof. That isn't fair," Energy and Decarbonisation Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said.
As the name suggests, they plug into regular power points and don't require an electrician to install.
The panels feed power into the home network via an inverter and a standard plug, helping offset electricity used by appliances.
Thousands of households with batteries installed under the federal government's scheme are choosing not to sign up to be a so-called virtual power plant that sells stored energy back to the grid.
That means renters, who have no incentive to spend thousands putting solar panels on their rental's roof, can now benefit from solar energy.
People living in apartments with a balcony or another reliable spot in the sun can also benefit.
The state government estimated a typical plug-in solar system could save households $240 a year on their electricity bill, and up to $500 if they have a battery as well.
But industry experts believe the payback period for plug-in solar systems ranges from four to 10 years.
Solar Citizens, a community organisation that has been pushing for the legalisation of the technology, has previously said an average plug-in solar panel would save people $300-400 a year, and double that with a plug-in battery.
On top of that, renters can take the device with them when they move out.
An apartment building with plug-in solar panels on the balconies. (Supplied: AlexGo)
Ms Sanderson said WA was leading the nation in technology uptake. 
"Western Australians are already taking up solar and batteries in record numbers, and this will ensure even more families can see the savings from the energy transition."
Amber-Jade Sanderson says people who don't own their home deserve access to the benefits of cheap solar. (ABC News: Courtney Withers)
Solar Citizens CEO Heidi Lee Douglas welcomed the move and called for plug-in solar to be made safely available across Australia by mid-2027.
"WA's announcement starts a 'race to the top', and puts a rocket up the need for the federal government to announce a nationally coordinated approach for the release of this money-saving technology across Australia by July next year," she said.
"Plug-in solar and batteries are an anti-inflationary energy reform … At scale, these technologies could help lower energy system costs for everyone, not just those who own them."
More than 40 per cent of homes in the South West Interconnected System, WA's main electricity grid, have solar panels.
The state government will now need to bring landlords and body corporates on board to allow plug-in solar to be hung on balconies or set up in backyards.
The UK legalised plug-in solar earlier this year, and New Zealand is looking to do the same within 12 months.
Germany is a world leader in plug-in solar, with an estimated one in 10 households having a system installed.
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