28 States Push Balcony Solar to Cut Power Bills 20%

Lauren Phillips just turned her Bronx balcony into a power plant using nothing but zip ties and a wall outlet.

The attorney and mother of two installed what might be her borough's first plug-and-play solar panel a few weeks ago. The 220-watt device, secured to her railing like holiday lights, will save her family roughly $100 yearly while generating up to 20 percent of their electricity.

"I have an enormous childcare bill every month," Phillips said. "Everywhere you turn, things are only getting more expensive."

Phillips paid nothing for her roughly $400 panel, which came from nonprofit Bright Saver. But thousands of Americans are now buying their own after Utah became the first state to explicitly legalize these DIY systems in March 2025.

The breakthrough? These panels plug straight into regular wall outlets. No electrician needed, no rooftop required, and no landlord permission necessary in states that allow them.

Lawmakers in 28 states and Washington, D.C., have introduced similar legislation since Utah's law passed. Both Democrats and Republicans are backing the bills as rising utility costs squeeze household budgets nationwide.

An 800-watt system costing about $1,100 can power a refrigerator or several small appliances during sunny hours. In New York, that setup would save the average household $279 yearly, with savings climbing to $327 by 2035 as electricity prices rise.

New York Assemblymember Emily Gallagher, who introduced her state's bill last September, said constituents are "extremely enthusiastic" about the technology. She's a renter who wants a system herself.

The panels are already huge in Europe. Four million German households have installed them, available through stores like Ikea.

But most U.S. utilities still require users to sign interconnection agreements before plugging in solar, the same paperwork needed for full rooftop arrays. Those agreements can cost fees and take months to process.

Utah eliminated that requirement for systems certified safe by nationally recognized testing labs. Every other state bill would do the same.

The Ripple Effect

Beyond individual savings, balcony solar could democratize clean energy access. Renters and apartment dwellers, traditionally locked out of rooftop solar programs, can finally generate their own carbon-free electricity.

UL Solutions launched safety testing protocols in January, and experts are refining them now. As standards solidify and more states pass laws, manufacturers expect prices to drop further.

Phillips called installing her panel "an act of solar civil disobedience" since New York hasn't officially legalized the systems yet. But she's amazed each time she looks at it: "This is just a thing that I plugged in, and I'm generating my own power."

Clean energy is coming to balconies, one zip tie at a time.