California lawmakers officially passed a bill allowing the use of plug-in solar panels, with great bipartisan support. Now, the bill awaits Governor Newsom's signature.
Unlike traditional rooftop solar panels, these panels can be plugged into standard electrical outlets, making them relatively inexpensive and easy to install. This would allow a wider range of individuals to have access to solar power, including renters and people whose homes don’t support traditional rooftop solar systems.
“We're in an era of very high cost of living that is having huge political ramifications in this country, and that is causing people to lose faith in the system as a whole,” said Senator Scott Weiner, presenting the bill to the Senate in March. “This is a very straightforward way to help people lower their monthly electric bills in a tangible way that they will see every single month.”
If signed into law, California’s bill would allow plug-in solar devices up to 1,200 watts per residence. That’s powerful enough to run devices like refrigerators, Wi-Fi routers, microwaves and lights.
Additionally, the “Plug and Play” bill would allow for residents to install solar devices without the current interconnection procedure, which requires a utility company to assist in connecting an individual’s solar system to the local power grid.
However, even this has an expiration date. Starting in 2030, Californians will again need their utilities’ approval to install new plug-in solar systems.
Organizations like PG&E, California Professional Firefighters, the California State Association Of Electrical Workers and the California Municipal Utilities Association opposed the bill.
“We have concerns about prohibitions on publicly owned electric utilities [...] not being able to do inspections or having interconnection agreements with customers,” said Derek Dolfie, Senior Director of Energy at the California Municipal Utilities Association. “Really, it just boils down to safety for us.”
Paul Doherty, the Manager of Clean Energy and Innovation Communications at PG&E told KALW, “it's our responsibility to ensure the safety of the electric system, then our coworkers, the linemen, the electricians that work on that system and the first responders that are involved in those responses when it comes to outages”
Senator Weiner noted that the plug-in solar technology is already widely used: “This is not some newfangled technology,” he said. “This is being deployed in other states, in other countries, and there are absolutely safety standards here.”
Governor Newsom has 30 days to sign or veto the bill.
