California sends balcony solar bill to governor for signature

California lawmakers have passed a bill, called the Plug and Play Solar Act, that would let homeowners and renters buy small "balcony solar" panels and plug them in at home without first getting a formal interconnection agreement from their utility. That approval process has been slow and costly, and has kept these small systems out of many apartments, condos and houses. The bill now goes to Governor Gavin Newsom, who has 30 days to sign or veto it.

The systems covered by the bill are capped at 1,200 watts, enough to run everyday items like a fridge, lights, a Wi-Fi router, or an AC unit. They would still need to meet safety rules, including certification by UL or an equivalent testing lab, and an automatic shutoff within seconds if the power grid goes down, to protect utility workers. One change added late in the process would end the interconnection exemption on January 1, 2030, unless lawmakers act again to extend it, giving the market about four years to grow under the new rules.

California would not be the first state to do this. Utah passed similar legislation in 2025, and eight other states have followed. New York has its own balcony solar bill awaiting its governor's signature. If California's version becomes law, it would open its large market to a lower-cost way for people who rent or can't install rooftop solar to generate some of their own power, though the actual products and pricing available to consumers would depend on what retailers offer once the rules take effect.