For Georgia homeowners lucky enough to have a south-facing roof unimpeded by trees, rooftop solar can offer a path to dramatically lower electricity bills.
But not everyone has the perfect, sunny roof or is fortunate enough to own their home. That’s not to mention the cost. Rooftop solar can require an investment of $20,000 or even $30,000, putting systems out of reach for many residents.
Now, a cheaper way for homeowners and renters to harness the sun and shrink their energy costs is generating buzz. It’s called “plug-in solar.”
It’s been around for years in Europe and is gaining traction in parts of the U.S. Georgia has not been an early adopter so far, but fans of the technology believe it could catch on soon — if the state adopts certain policies.
“This is a great way for people to take some control back and start chipping away at their energy bill by reducing the amount of electricity that they’re pulling from the power company,” said Jennette Gayer, the state director for Environment Georgia.
What’s ‘plug-in solar?’
Plug-in solar systems plug directly into a standard wall outlet. In most cases, that negates the need for the kind of hardwiring rooftop solar requires. Plug-in solar is also often called balcony solar, a nod to its compact size and adaptability.
The systems usually consist of just one to three panels — much less than a rooftop installation. As such, they can be positioned to capitalize on small sunny spots around a home, from an apartment balcony to a yard.
Credit: NYT
Credit: NYT
Plug-in solar systems generally aren’t capable of powering an entire home. Most produce only enough electrons to run a refrigerator and a few small appliances, experts say. Still, they can help offset a home’s energy consumption and trim power bills.
“It’s not your whole energy bill, particularly if you’ve got all the lights on and are running your dryer,” said Cora Stryker, the co-founder of Bright Saver, a solar advocacy nonprofit that also sells plug-in kits.
What they lack in output, proponents say they make up for in their relatively low price.
Systems range from a little less than $2,000 to more than $4,000 for larger ones. That means plug-ins will likely pay for themselves faster than a pricier rooftop installation.
Where are they in use now?
Europe is light-years ahead of the U.S. in adopting the technology, especially Germany, where more than a million of the systems are already in use.
It’s not clear how many of the devices are plugged in so far in the U.S., but more states are exploring how to govern their use. So far, 25 states have active bills or have already passed plug-in solar legislation, according to Bright Saver’s legislative tracker.
Georgia briefly became one of them earlier this year.
In February, Rep. Imani Barnes, D-Tucker, introduced legislation to block electricity providers from requiring that plug-in solar customers sign an interconnection agreement, and to prevent utilities from charging device users a fee. The measure also would have set safety standards and established protections for electric utilities to shield them from liability in the event of a plug-in solar malfunction.
A state House committee held a hearing on the bill, but did not take a vote.
In the hearing, Barnes said her intent was to “make it easier for Georgians to have solar in their home.”
But other members of the committee and some electricity providers, including Georgia Power and Georgia Electric Membership Corp., questioned the safety of the devices. They said they feared electricity generated by a plug-in system could flow back out of the house and onto the grid, potentially endangering line workers.
Wilson Mallard, Georgia Power’s director of renewable development, also took issue with the proposal to waive interconnection agreements for the devices.
“The notion of a blanket exemption for small systems is not something I think is prudent or something I think Georgia Power would support,” Mallard said.
Are they safe?
So is plug-in solar safe? It’s complicated, and all eyes are on a relatively obscure company called UL Solutions to help make the determination.
They’re not a household name, but you’ll find the UL Solutions logo on almost every appliance in your home — a small circle containing a “U” and an “L.”
UL Solutions evaluates the safety of a wide range of products and equipment, ranging from refrigerators and fire prevention tools to furniture and everything in between. Products with their circular logo have passed the company’s rigorous testing, a nationally-recognized standard for safety.
In a sign of how new plug-in solar is in the U.S., the company only created a certification program for the devices late last year. Ken Boyce, a vice president of engineering at UL Solutions, said they launched the program after Utah passed the country’s first plug-in solar law in 2025.
Boyce, who spearheaded the initiative, said plug-in solar could present potential safety concerns. On top of the potential risk of “backfeeding” power to the grid, he said the devices could also overload the home circuits, presenting a possible fire hazard.
To date, Boyce says UL has not certified any plug-in solar kits currently on the market, but is working with manufacturers to achieve certification. He said he expects the company will issue its first certification — which would be a sign that the product is safe and has mitigated those risks — in the next few months.
Boyce called plug-in solar an “exciting” technology that enables more people to embrace clean energy.
“We just want to make sure we keep them safe while they do it,” he said. “That’s really our focus, and we can do both.”
Where does Georgia stand?
In the meantime, plug-in solar kits are already for sale in the U.S. from several manufacturers and retailers. But without legislation on the books in Georgia, most agree the technology is in a legal gray area.
Tom Krause, the Georgia Public Service Commission’s public information officer, said the PSC has not heard any cases involving the devices, but said they appear to be legal — if equipped with safety features to ensure they don’t backfeed to the grid.
Georgia Power currently charges a $100 interconnection fee for all residential solar systems, including plug-in systems.
The company is also “evaluating an expedited application process and reduced fees” for plug-in solar, “so long as all safety and reliability requirements are met,” according to a spokesperson.
Stryker from Bright Saver said they don’t believe utilities should force plug-in solar customers to pay fees or require they go through the interconnection queue. Beyond the money, she said the interconnection process was designed for bigger rooftop systems and causes unnecessary delays for plug-in customers.
“Those big systems have very different safety considerations,” Stryker said. “They’re sending potentially a lot more electricity back to the grid.”
With the legislative session now over, it will be 2027 before Georgia can consider new bills dealing with the issue.
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
