Small plug-in solar panels gain traction as an affordable way to cut electricity bills

John Yang:

For years, solar power at home was mostly limited to people who owned their rooftops and could afford the steep upfront costs. But that's changing. A new generation of small, affordable systems, often called plug in solar, are making clean energy more accessible. The technology is already widespread in Germany and the movement is gaining momentum in the United States. Our report is from Laura Klivans of PBS member station KQED in San Francisco.

Laura Klivans:

Agnes Chan is a retired teacher in Berkeley, California. She wanted to install solar panels on her home construction, but was limited by her fixed income budget.

Agnes Chan, Plug-in Solar User:

I've lived for a long time and even consulted my roofer, but there's no way that I can afford that.

Laura Klivans:

So she found a cheaper workaround and is one of the newest adopters of plug-in solar. She hopes to rein in bills that run into the hundreds, even with a thermostat set to 60.

Agnes Chan:

It's a great house that I have lived in for over 35 years, but there's no way to insulate it. So I'm shivering in my own house.

Laura Klivans:

Instead of tens of thousands of dollars for rooftop solar, Jan's setup costs $400 and took less than an hour to install.

Agnes Chan:

This is the app which will show me how much the panel is generating.

Laura Klivans:

And rather than taking a decade or so to pay it back, it will likely take her two to three years.

Cora Stryker, Co-Founder, Bright Saver:

We are systematically removing the barriers.

Laura Klivans:

Cora Stryker Co leads the nonprofit that provided Chan with her panels. They bring plug in solar to renters, plus people in multifamily housing and other Americans shut out of rooftop systems.

Cora Stryker:

These things are modular. They're tiny. You can put them just about anywhere. You can add on as time goes on so it's less big. Upfront investment all at once.

Woman:

Introducing Gizmo Power's patented mobile electricity generator.

Laura Klivans:

From plug in carports to balconies, entrepreneurs are investing in this emerging market.

Man:

Now that you've seen the possibilities for installations in various scenarios.

Laura Klivans:

But there's a major hurdle to widespread adoption. In most of the U.S. it's not legal to just set up these systems and plug them in as envisioned.

Man:

Our next topic on the agenda so called plug in Solar.

Laura Klivans:

At a recent online forum hosted by California's utility regulator, Eamon Hoffman, who works for the state's largest utility, PG&E, said customers must comply with regulations and pay fees as if they were setting up a rooftop system.

Utilities say that helps them manage energy supply and demand. But plug in solar advocates say their systems should have a simpler registration process.

Bill Brooks, Brooks Engineering:

This is the world headquarters of Brooks Engineering.

Laura Klivans:

We asked an independent expert to weigh in.

Bill Brooks:

These panels were from early 1980s.

Laura Klivans:

Bill Brooks is an electrical engineer who specialized in Solar for 37 years. He helped write California's code that governs how solar connects to the grid.

Bill Brooks:

There are 78 solar panels. I call it my solar garden.

Laura Klivans:

He says there are risks to plug in solar.

Bill Brooks:

If the product didn't have the proper certifications, then there would be the possibility that somebody could energize a downed power line that could injure linemen.

Laura Klivans:

But Brooks says the barriers can be overcome by updating existing tools.

Bill Brooks:

This is a microinverter used in things like plug in Solar and it has a certification and we have the National Electrical Code.

Laura Klivans:

When these safeguards are in place, Brooks doesn't see a need for a lengthy or costly registration. And he says independent organizations are working on a safety standard for the technology.

Man:

We dropship this to our customers, but.

Laura Klivans:

Plug in solar companies and their customers aren't waiting for regulators.

Man:

Here's the instructions.

Laura Klivans:

Bay Area resident Joe Tenenbaum considered rooftop solar when his electricity bills started rising.

Joe Tenenbaum, Plug-in Solar User:

A good amount of sun even from the morning on, and then it's going to move.

Laura Klivans:

But it would require replacing the roof too. And costs quickly ballooned.

Joe Tenenbaum:

And we don't own this house. This is my parents' home. My wife and kids and I moved in with them when my mom got sick. It's not feasible for them to make $100,000 investment in a rooftop system and it isn't either for us.

Laura Klivans:

Tenenbaum liked the idea that they'd be able to take their panels with them if they moved. For $1,600, he bought an 800 watt DIY kit from Craftstrom.

Joe Tenenbaum:

All right, should we build it?

Man:

Yep.

Laura Klivans:

He liked how they built safety measures into their technology. The company also advises customers to register their systems. The panels won't power the whole house, but will keep Tenenbaum's refrigerator humming and small appliances charged. He expects to save five to on his monthly utility bill.

Man:

So it can grow with your energy.

Laura Klivans:

Craftstrom co-founders and brothers Michael and Steven Scherer say demand for plug-in solar is growing.

Michael Scherer, COO, Craftstrom:

Especially here in California. People are telling us about the time of use rates that double as they come home and actually use power.

Michael Scherer:

And then the second motivation is becoming part of the Green Revolution.

Woman:

House Bill 340 --

Laura Klivans:

Legislators across the country are taking note.

Raymond Ward (R) Utah State Representative: We know there are safe just because they've been doing this for three or four years now and it's worked out well in Europe.

Laura Klivans:

Earlier this year, Utah passed the first legislation nationwide that will allow plug-in solar with no registration when certain safety standards and codes are set. Similar legislation is in the works in several other states, including New York, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Vermont.

Agnes Chan:

My panel is producing 645 watts per hour.

Laura Klivans:

As for Agnes Chan in California, she's hoping to stay warmer this winter.

Agnes Chan:

I expect to be comfortable instead of shivering in my own house wearing a down jacket and a blanket to watch TV.

Laura Klivans:

Even if everyone in the U.S. had these panels, plug-in solar could only cover a slice of national energy demand. But experts say every bit of renewable energy counts.

Joe Tenenbaum:

Big moment here. I'm very excited about this new system. Just unboxing it felt like opening up a gift. We have solar.

Michael Scherer:

That's all there is to it.

Laura Klivans:

For PBS News Weekend, I'm Laura Klivans in Northern California.