Solarly · The Current
Independent coverage of plug-in solar.
News, analysis, and commentary on the changing economics of plug-in solar. Updated as the market moves.
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New state laws, safety certifications, and honest math on plug-in solar. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
The New York Times covered California’s plug-in solar vote: bipartisan passage over utility opposition, set against electricity bills that are up 5% nationally in a year. Their count of states embracing the technology’s legalization: nearly a dozen. Read their coverage → or see our state-by-state tracker.
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Where to Actually Buy Plug-In Solar Right Now
Three things changed this summer, and the obvious place to shop quietly became the worst one. Five ways to buy, what a watt really costs, and the December date that should shape…
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What Can You Actually Power With a Plug-In Solar Panel?
A panel doesn’t power one thing, it powers a little of everything. Here’s what one sunny day actually buys, and how to spend it well.
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California Passed the Plug and Play Solar Act With Over 90% Support. Now It’s Up to Newsom.
SB 868 cleared the Assembly August 25 and the Senate August 26, five days before the deadline, with over 90% support in both chambers. The largest plug-in solar market in the country…
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Beyond the Panel: What’s Actually Shipping in Plug-In Solar Hardware
Storage-integrated balcony kits, app-connected microinverters, and wattage limits that already outpace most state laws. A hedged, source-checked look at where plug-in solar hardware is actually headed, not where it might be.
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Can Your HOA Ban Plug-In Solar? The Law, State by State, and a Playbook for Getting Approved
Nobody else in plug-in solar has published a real HOA and condo playbook. Here’s what the law actually says state by state (Colorado and New Jersey specifically address HOA bans), a step-by-step…
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What the US Can Learn From Germany’s Balcony Solar Boom
Germany has over a million balcony solar systems plugged in nationwide. We break down what made that boom possible (simplified registration, higher wattage caps, no landlord veto in most cases, and mainstream…
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32 Million Americans Now Live Where Plug-In Solar Is Legal: Here’s the Math
We added up who lives in the states with a plug-in solar law, and what that number means if you rent.
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Insurance and Liability for Balcony Solar: What to Know Before You Plug In
Every plug-in solar site tells you to call your insurer. We looked at what to ask, what policies say, and who pays if something fails.
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New Jersey Makes Three, APsystems Claims a Real Certification, and Washington Throws Two Curveballs
New Jersey’s legislature sent a balcony solar bill to the governor, APsystems claimed a real certification, and Washington threw two curveballs.
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The First Product Built for UL 3700 Is Here, But “Compliant” Isn’t “Certified”
Hoymiles released the HiFlow Pro, the first US microinverter built for UL 3700. Here’s why ‘compliant’ and ‘certified’ aren’t the same thing.
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Three States Enacted, Two Down to the Wire, and The Times Weighs In on Certification
Connecticut, Vermont and New Hampshire enacted plug-in solar protections, two more states went down to the wire, and The Times weighed in.
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Maine’s Plug-In Solar Law Takes Effect This Month. Here’s Exactly What Changes.
Maine’s LD 1730 takes effect in July 2026, making it the fifth US state where the utility can’t block a compliant plug-in solar system. Here’s exactly what the law covers, what it…
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New York Just Passed the SUNNY Act. Here’s What Renters Actually Need to Know.
The SUNNY Act passed New York’s legislature unanimously and now awaits Governor Hochul’s signature. Here’s what the bill does, what it doesn’t do, and what New York renters can act on right…
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California’s Plug-In Solar Bill Passed the Senate 35-1. Here’s What It Means for Renters.
SB 868, the Plug and Play Solar Act, cleared the California Senate with a near-unanimous vote. With the second-highest electricity rates in the nation and 17 million renters, here’s what this bill…
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22 States Now Have Active Plug-In Solar Bills. Here’s the Map.
Update, September 19, 2026: Since this ran, the number of states with an enacted plug-in solar law has grown from five to nine, and California’s SB 868 and New York’s SUNNY Act…
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Five States Down, Eight More Queued: Plug-In Solar Hits Its Legislative Inflection Point
A year ago one state had a plug-in solar law. By late June it was five, with eight more bills queued.
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A new California bill would let you buy plug-in solar at Costco and plug it in. No utility permission required.
Update: SB 868 passed the full California Senate 35–1 in May 2026. It cleared Assembly committees unanimously and is now awaiting Governor Newsom’s signature by October 2026. The earlier committee votes and…
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How Solar Panels Work: From Photons to Your Power Bill
The sun has been fusing hydrogen in its core for 5 billion years. Every hour, enough of that energy lands on Earth to power all of human civilization for a year. Solar…
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A Solar Cell Just Produced More Energy Than It Received. Here’s How.
Researchers at Kyushu University pushed past a 65-year-old ceiling in solar physics. Their system hit 130% quantum yield. Here’s what that actually means.
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The New York Times Makes the Case for Plug-In Solar
When Robinson Meyer’s opinion piece ran in the Sunday Times, we read it twice. Here’s what it gets right about plug-in solar.
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The plug-in solar kit guide for people who’ve never bought a solar panel in their life.
What to look for, what to skip, and why the certifications matter more than the wattage number on the box.
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5 states just made plug-in solar legal and easy. Here’s exactly what changed.
Between 2024 and 2026, a wave of state laws quietly rewrote the rules for renters and small-scale solar. What passed, what it means, and what’s still coming.
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Is plug-in solar actually worth it in 2026? We ran the numbers.
The honest answer depends on where you live, what you pay for electricity, and which direction your windows face. Here’s the math, unvarnished.
