Plug-in solar — panels you set up yourself and plug into an ordinary wall outlet — is having a moment in the United States. Utah made it available first in 2025; by the fall of 2026 eight more states had followed and it was moving forward in more than two dozen others. Here is a sample of the coverage.
Video: “Small plug-in solar panels gain traction as an affordable way to cut electricity bills.”
New Jersey just made plug-in solar panels legal
Electrek · September 1, 2026
Governor Mikie Sherrill signed the Garden State Balcony Solar Act, clearing the way for solar systems up to 1,200 watts that plug into a standard 120-volt outlet — with no utility approval, permit, or interconnection agreement required, and new protections for tenants against landlord bans.
California plug-in solar bill SB 868 earns approval of both legislative houses, nears governor’s desk
pv magazine USA · August 26, 2026
California’s legislature approved the Plug and Play Solar Act (SB 868, Sen. Scott Wiener), sending it to Gov. Newsom with a September 30 decision deadline. It would let renters and homeowners plug in a system up to 1,200 watts with no utility interconnection agreement or fees, and would take effect January 1, 2027 if signed.
The balcony solar boom is coming to the US
MIT Technology Review · May 7, 2026
Dozens of states are weighing measures to allow plug-in solar systems that are already common in Europe, a shift that could finally make solar accessible to renters — provided the new UL Solutions testing standards for circuit loading and touch safety are met.
Balcony solar is taking state legislatures by storm
Canary Media · February 26, 2026
Officials in 28 states and Washington, D.C. have moved to allow plug-and-play solar that residents can set up without utility permission, building on Utah’s first-in-the-nation approach — pitched as an affordable way for renters and homeowners to cut their electricity bills.
Small plug-in solar panels gain traction as an affordable way to cut electricity bills
PBS News · December 7, 2025
Compact, low-cost solar kits are giving renters, apartment dwellers, and people who can’t afford a rooftop system a way to lower their power bills — often for a few hundred dollars, with payback in a few years. Utah passed a law exempting them from costly utility registration, and similar bills are advancing in other states.
Forget rooftops — Bay Area residents are plugging solar into the wall
KQED · July 28, 2025
Small plug-in solar systems that connect to a standard outlet are drawing interest in the Bay Area as a cheaper alternative to rooftop panels, especially for renters and people without a suitable roof. Advocates see big potential, while pointing to hurdles like California’s utility registration rules — the kind of barrier Utah has already removed.
External links are provided for reference and go to third-party news sites; Sundrop Solar is not affiliated with these publications and does not control their content. Coverage describes plug-in solar generally — eligibility varies by state, utility, and system configuration. See our Currently Available page for current details.
