Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation to make it easier for Californians to install plug-in solar panels. Models that meet state standards are expected to go on sale in mid-2027. September 30, 2026 Updated at 5:37 pm PTA cable connected to solar panels plugs into an outlet in Agnes Chan’s backyard in Berkeley, California, on August 23, 2026. (Tâm Vũ for KQED) California is transitioning to clean energy. KQED reports on what this means for you. What works? No? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by donating today. Governor. Gavin Newsom signed a bill Wednesday legalizing balcony or “plug-in” solar power. The device is a variation on rooftop solar: smaller, portable and relatively inexpensive. Solar kits for balconies consist of a few panels, an inverter that converts solar energy into that used in the home, and cables. In places where the technology is popular, such as Germany, it can be plugged into a standard wall outlet. The new law comes as Californians struggle to pay skyrocketing electricity bills, which have increased substantially in recent years. Plug-in devices open the solar market to renters, people with inadequate roofs, and those who don’t have the money to invest in a roof system. “These small, easy-to-use solar panels will give everyone, including renters, desperately needed relief from our exorbitant energy bills,” said state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) in a press release. Wiener authored the legislation. Plug-in solar panels sit atop an accessory dwelling unit in Agnes Chan’s backyard in Berkeley, California, for KQED on August 23, 2026. (Tâm Vũ for KQED) The bill received overwhelming bipartisan support from state lawmakers before landing on Newsom’s desk. The panels can be hung from a balcony, window, or placed in a tent in the backyard. Existing models range from $300 to $2,200, depending on size. One of the reasons the technology is substantially less expensive than rooftop solar is that it reduces installation costs. Customers set it up themselves, which some have said is easy and others have found more challenging than advertised. However, California law has a catch. Plug-in solar panels must be certified by a third-party safety organization. Since the technology is new to the US, Underwriters Laboratories only offers one certification. Depending on how manufacturers innovate and deploy products, some may require the help of an electrician to install, while others may be truly “plug and play.” Electrical experts and other proponents of California’s new law still consider its passage a major victory and hope the safety certification will evolve and eventually allow plug-in panels to plug into a standard wall outlet. “We’re celebrating,” said Cora Stryker, co-founder of the plug-in solar advocacy group Bright Saver. “The market is sending a clear signal to manufacturers that they need to develop a system in California.” The new law will exempt plug-in panels from the typical way rooftop solar must be registered with utility companies. Instead of paying over a hundred dollars and waiting days or weeks, the new registration process will be free, simple and immediate. A handful of states have passed similar laws in the past 18 months. Utah was first, with a law passed in March 2025. Rupert Mayer installs power inverters on the solar panels of Matthew Milner’s home in Kensington on May 23, 2025. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED) Proponents of the technology say it can meet up to 20% of a home’s electricity needs and save up to $500 a year on a small apartment. The new law outlines several requirements for the devices. Balcony solar systems should generate no more than 1,200 watts per home (enough energy to power a window air conditioning unit) and offset electricity use at the customer’s location. They must be certified by a third-party safety organization and have a feature that prevents electricity from returning to the grid if there is a power outage. Plug-in solar products currently on the market do not yet meet the described requirements and therefore customers are still required to register available systems as if they were rooftop solar panels. The sale of non-compliant systems will be illegal in 2030. The groups that sponsored the bill said there are some companies already developing systems that meet California-specific standards and expect these models to hit the market in the spring. The legislation will go into effect in 2027 and expire on Jan. 1, 2030, “making it an ongoing fight,” Stryker said. From KQED’s climate bureau, “Flipping the Switch” documents California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? No? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by donating today.
