{"id":7797,"date":"2026-08-26T19:09:01","date_gmt":"2026-08-26T19:09:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=7797"},"modified":"2026-08-26T19:09:01","modified_gmt":"2026-08-26T19:09:01","slug":"california-moves-closer-to-approve-plug-in-solar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=7797","title":{"rendered":"California moves closer to approve plug-in solar"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n

By Todd Woody, Bloomberg<\/strong><\/p>\n

California is the latest US state and the largest market to move toward a law allowing residents to install small plug-in solar systems on apartment balconies and in backyards to offset soaring electricity costs.<\/p>\n

Read more NBA star from Oakland giving away free backpacks<\/a><\/p>\n

A bipartisan bill approved unanimously by the state Assembly\u00a0on Tuesday now goes to the state Senate, which earlier passed the bill\u00a035-1, for a final procedural vote. It then would be sent to Governor Gavin Newsom, who has until Sept. 30 to sign it into law. Newsom hasn\u2019t taken a position on the legislation and his office declined to comment. If he does enact the bill, California will become the ninth state to legalize plug-in solar since 2025.<\/p>\n

Aside from New York and New Jersey, where plug-in solar bills that passed earlier this year await governor signatures, nearly two dozen other states\u00a0are considering such legislation.<\/p>\n

Also called balcony solar, such systems usually comprise two to four solar panels that are plugged into wall outlets. They typically cost between $300 and $2,000 or more and generate enough electricity to power a refrigerator, electronics and lights, potentially shaving several hundred dollars a year from utility bills. Some plug-in solar systems come with batteries to store power for use during peak demand when electricity rates spike or when storms or heat waves knock out the grid.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just see so much demand for plug-in solar in California that we expect this legislation to be one of the most important things to get the market kickstarted with manufacturers,\u201d said Kevin Chou, cofounder and executive director of Bright Saver, a Bay Area nonprofit that sells do-it-yourself plug-in solar systems and has pushed to legalize the technology.<\/p>\n

Like laws in other states, the California bill lets residents install plug-in solar systems without obtaining their utility\u2019s approval and paying expensive fees. But those systems can\u2019t generate more than 1.2 kilowatts or feed power back to the grid. They also must be certified by a nationally recognized testing lab and California residents must notify their utility when they install a plug-in solar system.<\/p>\n

The bill was amended, though, this month to give Californians only until Jan. 1, 2030, to install plug-in solar without utility permission. That appeared to be a concession to Pacific Gas & Electric Co., the state\u2019s largest utility, which opposed the legislation over its concerns about plug-in solar\u2019s potential\u00a0\u00a0impact on the electrical system.<\/p>\n

Read more Dolly Parton\u2019s cause of death is revealed<\/a><\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

PG&E said in a statement that it supports plug-in solar but opposed the law despite the 2030 expiration. \u201cWe believe customers deserve the protections that come from clear safety standards and established interconnection processes from the outset,\u201d the utility said.<\/p>\n

Chou said he expects lawmakers will eventually remove the 2030 provision. \u201cIf we can get a critical mass of people in California that are saving a lot of money with plug-in solar, there\u2019s going to be a lot of political will to keep this going,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Even before the law, Californians have been surreptitiously installing plug-in solar systems and the Golden State already is the largest market for provider Craftstrom, according to Stephan Scherer, chief executive officer of the Texas-based company. \u201cWe do see increased sales in other states but the dominant state will always be California with regards to adoption of solar power,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

While utilities can\u2019t stand in the way of residents plugging in solar panels, California landlords could bar the devices if they\u2019re concerned about solar panels potentially falling off balconies or changing the look of their buildings. Homeowners associations likewise may balk at solar panels popping up in backyards.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

The New Jersey bill\u00a0prohibits landlords and homeowners associations from banning plug-in solar systems while Colorado and Virginia laws give tenants the right to install plug-in solar panels.<\/p>\n

\u201cTenants\u2019 rights are another battle that we\u2019ll certainly tackle in the future in California,\u201d said Chou.<\/p>\n

Read more A longtime Learn4Life educator says she was fired for cancer treatment. She blames these 3 obscure companies.<\/a><\/p>\n

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com<\/p>\n

\u00a92026 Bloomberg L.P.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

States across the country are letting residents install small solar systems without utility permission.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7796,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7797","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business"],"yoast_head":"\nCalifornia moves closer to approve plug-in solar - Next City Digest<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=7797\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"California moves closer to approve plug-in solar - Next City Digest\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"States across the country are letting residents install small solar systems without utility permission.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=7797\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Next City Digest\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-08-26T19:09:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=7797#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=7797\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/13065d40d633843429ac57d4e5c06f9b\"},\"headline\":\"California moves closer to approve plug-in solar\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-26T19:09:01+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=7797\"},\"wordCount\":698,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=7797#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/19db3d1de9d4dc0490ad293c0ba478ef.webp\",\"articleSection\":[\"Business\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=7797#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=7797\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=7797\",\"name\":\"California moves closer to approve plug-in solar - Next City Digest\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=7797#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=7797#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/19db3d1de9d4dc0490ad293c0ba478ef.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-26T19:09:01+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/13065d40d633843429ac57d4e5c06f9b\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=7797#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=7797\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=7797#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/19db3d1de9d4dc0490ad293c0ba478ef.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/19db3d1de9d4dc0490ad293c0ba478ef.webp\",\"width\":2000,\"height\":1334},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=7797#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"California moves closer to approve plug-in solar\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Next City Digest\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/13065d40d633843429ac57d4e5c06f9b\",\"name\":\"admin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"admin\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?author=1\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"California moves closer to approve plug-in solar - Next City Digest","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=7797","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"California moves closer to approve plug-in solar - Next City Digest","og_description":"States across the country are letting residents install small solar systems without utility permission.","og_url":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=7797","og_site_name":"Next City Digest","article_published_time":"2026-08-26T19:09:01+00:00","author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=7797#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=7797"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/#\/schema\/person\/13065d40d633843429ac57d4e5c06f9b"},"headline":"California moves closer to approve plug-in solar","datePublished":"2026-08-26T19:09:01+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=7797"},"wordCount":698,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=7797#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/19db3d1de9d4dc0490ad293c0ba478ef.webp","articleSection":["Business"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=7797#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=7797","url":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=7797","name":"California moves closer to approve plug-in solar - Next City Digest","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=7797#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=7797#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/19db3d1de9d4dc0490ad293c0ba478ef.webp","datePublished":"2026-08-26T19:09:01+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/#\/schema\/person\/13065d40d633843429ac57d4e5c06f9b"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=7797#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=7797"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=7797#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/19db3d1de9d4dc0490ad293c0ba478ef.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/19db3d1de9d4dc0490ad293c0ba478ef.webp","width":2000,"height":1334},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=7797#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"California moves closer to approve plug-in solar"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/","name":"Next City Digest","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/#\/schema\/person\/13065d40d633843429ac57d4e5c06f9b","name":"admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"admin"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/nextcitydigest.com"],"url":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?author=1"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7797","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7797"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7797\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7796"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7797"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7797"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7797"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}