Plug-In Solar Gaining Attention as Utility Bills Rise

Residential electric customers are increasingly being drawn to easy-to-install portable solar panels that simply plug into an electrical outlet and provide enough energy to shave some money off their rising utility bills.

Also known as plug-in solar panels or balcony solar, the panels are a low-cost option that is available to renters and homeowners when a traditional residential rooftop solar system is not an option. The panels, which can be placed on a balcony, outside a window or in a backyard, cost between several hundred and $2,000 depending on size and battery storage, and backfeed power through the outlet into a home’s electric system.

They do not replace traditional electricity from the grid, but can power an appliance, like a refrigerator, shaving hundreds of dollars off of the customer’s annual bill. Solar United Neighbors estimates that Pennsylvania electric customers can cut their bills by $280 to $400 a year, allowing the system to pay for itself within several years.

While popular in Europe, and especially in Germany where more than 1 million systems are in use, portable solar is just starting to gain traction in the U.S. as energy prices have been soaring in recent years due to increasing demand.

The catch: All but one state in the U.S. requires those installing portable solar to have an interconnection agreement with the utility company, as it would for rooftop solar or any solar system that connects with the grid. However, the plug-in systems typically provide a maximum of 1,200 watts of power, insignificant by grid standards.

Legislators are now noticing, and Utah in 2025 became the first state to allow plug-in solar without an interconnection agreement. Legislation has been introduced in 29 other states to allow it, including Pennsylvania. State Rep. Chris Pielli introduced legislation in October, H.B. 1971,  to eliminate the need for an interconnection agreement for such systems.

Some electric customers aren’t waiting for legislation to be passed but instead choosing to install a plug-in panel in their homes without an interconnection agreement. However, in order for the systems to gain more acceptance, states need to remove barriers to its adoption, which will also bring the cost down significantly.

There are also some safety considerations for the technology that must be considered, and utility companies have been pushing back on allowing it, saying it could cause a shock hazard to the user or a utility worker making line repairs. Advocates say that the safety concerns are being addressed and that utilities are worried about losing revenue. 

UL Solutions (formerly Underwriters Laboratories), which certifies safety standards for products, recently began a testing and certification program for plug-in systems to receive the UL label. Utah’s plug-in solar legislation, and the bills pending in other states, would require the plug-in panels have a safety certification.

Plug-in solar may represent one of the best options for electric customers to lower their utility bills, and at the same time reduce carbon emissions and improve sustainability at an affordable price as its adoption accelerates.