Western Australia has launched consultations on a safety standard for plug-in solar panels and batteries. The state is preparing to become the first among Australia’s states and territories to lift the ban on such systems, known as balcony solar power, ABC News reports.
The safety standard under consultation is intended to determine how to prevent electrical circuits from being overloaded by panels and batteries. Such devices are plugged into a standard power outlet, while electricity generated by the panels is fed through an inverter into the home network and offsets part of the electricity used by household appliances. According to the publication, an electrician is not required to install the system.
Western Australia’s Minister for Energy and Decarbonisation, Amber-Jade Sanderson, said that the benefits of affordable solar energy had long been unavailable to people who do not own the roof of their home. In September, Australia’s energy ministers agreed to explore the possibility of safely expanding such systems across the country.
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The systems may benefit tenants who have no incentive to spend thousands of dollars on permanent panels on the roof of a rented home, as well as apartment residents with a balcony or another sunny location. Tenants will be able to take the equipment with them when they move.
The state government estimates that a typical plug-in solar system can save a household about $240 per year, and up to $500 when combined with a battery. Industry experts estimate the payback period for such systems at four to ten years. State authorities will also need to engage landlords and apartment building management bodies to allow equipment to be installed on balconies or in courtyards.
Balcony solar systems are already used by millions of households in Europe and the United Kingdom. In Germany, such installations are estimated to be used by approximately one in ten households.
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