Balcony solar, or plug-in solar for us Yankees, may actually become a thing in California. The state legislature passed plug-in solar legislation this August and sent the law onto Governor Newsom for his signature. (See California Legislature passes balcony solar bill.)
There’s no word from Newsom’s office on whether he will or will not sign the popular measure. Regardless, the market seems to be moving with or without him.
Interest is high in the Golden State where a startup non-profit Bright Saver has been aggressively promoting inexpensive balcony solar kits. The NGO offers mail order kits of small 180 watt solar panels, inverter, connecting cables, and the all important standard NEMA-15 plug for plugging the inverter into a 15-amp or 20-amp outlet.
Bright Saver’s co-founder Rupert Mayer has a short video on YouTube.com showing why plug-in solar is so popular. It’s easy to assemble. And once positioned to catch the sun, you simply plug it in. (See Bright Saver Balcony Solar Installation with Third Party Mounting Brackets.)
The movement started in Germany where plug-in solar is called Balcony Solar in part because many Germans live in multi-unit apartment buildings where they can’t install traditional rooftop solar systems. Instead, they mount a few solar panels on their balconies and plug them directly into a nearby outlet. Balcony solar systems registered in Germany surpassed 1.2 million systems earlier this year.
In an odd twist, Bright Saver’s Mayer is of Austrian descent, and the Bundesverband Steckersolar or the German Plug-in Solar Association is led by Craig Morris, of American descent.
