Balcony solar systems are quietly transforming clean energy access. Discover how plug-in solar works, its legal challenges, and why adoption is rising.

As electricity prices soar and rooftop solar subsidies vanish, some U.S. renters and homeowners are surreptitiously installing solar panels on balconies and in backyards without their utility’s ...

Column, Jan. 6 Affordable alternative It’s time for local and state leaders to start the conversation about making plug-in ...

Ben Edgerly Walsh of Vermont Public Interest Research Group showing legislative committee members the plug-in solar system on Jan. 7, 2026. Photo courtesy Anne Watson/CNS Kate Kampner is a reporter ...

Illinois could soon follow in the footsteps of Utah and Virginia with a law allowing plug-in solar arrays, often called “balcony solar.” A bill that would make it simpler to install plug-in solar ...

A bill moving in Springfield could legalize the small energy systems and expand access for people facing barriers to rooftop solar.