[Liz Galst](/meet-our-writers#397) 7 minute read # Order solar panels online. Plug in. Save. A growing number of states are authorizing the use of inexpensive plug-in solar panels people can hang on balconies and back fences. Fire escapes, too. Published: July 16, 2026 Can installing solar panels really be a DIY project? Outside Pensacola, Florida, Eric Henley got his up and running in an afternoon and is now saving about $50 a month on his electric bill. ![Solar panels attached to a fence](/sites/default/files/styles/1440px_width_scale/public/2026-07/Unknown-1.jpg?itok=ZMeZ4WPO) Solar panels on Eric Henley's back fence save him about $600 a year on his electricity bill. (*Courtesy of Eric Henley*) “I had the lowest electric bill in May that I have had since I moved here over three years ago,” Henley says. Call it “plug-in” or “balcony” solar. Made up of just a few, easily connected panels, these small systems — usually capable of powering a TV, a fridge and a few other appliances but not a whole home — don’t require professional installers. They don’t require building permits or utility interconnection agreements either — the kind of things that can make getting rooftop solar a time-consuming and expensive endeavor in the U.S. Plug-in panels turn sunshine into electricity using the same photovoltaic process that rooftop panels do. But because they’re less powerful than larger rooftop systems, rather than routing the electricity through a breaker box, with a plug-in system, you send the electricity through a regular outlet. And because electric lines inside American homes can safely incorporate the amount of electricity a plug-in system can produce, they won’t blow your breakers or fuses. Across the country, these small solar power systems are gaining popularity fast. Plug-in solar is now officially authorized in eight states. Twenty-six more have legislation waiting on governors’ desks or bills working their way through state houses. (Technically, plug-in solar is not illegal anywhere in the U.S.) Utah was the first state to authorize plug-in solar in March 2025, with near-unanimous, bipartisan support. (Six legislators abstained.) What could bring Republicans and Democrats together at this time in history? “Utility bills keep going up and the production cost of solar keeps going down,” explains Cora Stryker of the plug-in solar advocacy group Bright Saver. “The technology is one of those win-wins we keep talking about in relation to solar power,” says Ted Kelly, who leads the clean energy program at the global nonprofit Environmental Defense Fund. “Plug-in solar is a relatively easy lift that can save people money and reduce climate and air pollution, all at the same time.” Topics - [ Business and innovation ](/all-stories?topic=30&subcategory=30) - [ Climate and energy ](/all-stories?topic=21&subcategory=21) - [ Clean energy ](/all-stories?topic=21&subcategory=27) - [ Science ](/all-stories?topic=30&subcategory=58) Share - [ LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://vitalsigns.edf.org/story/order-solar-panels-online-plug-save "Share this on LinkedIn") - [ Twitter ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://vitalsigns.edf.org/story/order-solar-panels-online-plug-save&text=Plug-in solar panels are a cheaper, easier alternative to rooftop solar that can help generate power and lower your electric bills.  "Share this on Twitter") - [ Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://vitalsigns.edf.org/story/order-solar-panels-online-plug-save "Share this on Facebook") - [ Pocket ](https://getpocket.com/edit?url=https://vitalsigns.edf.org/story/order-solar-panels-online-plug-save "Share this on Pocket") - [ Flipboard ](https://share.flipboard.com/bookmarklet/popout?v=2&title=Order solar panels online. Plug in. Save. &url=https://vitalsigns.edf.org/story/order-solar-panels-online-plug-save "Share this on Flipboard") - [ Telegram ](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https://vitalsigns.edf.org/story/order-solar-panels-online-plug-save&text=Plug-in solar panels are a cheaper, easier alternative to rooftop solar that can help generate power and lower your electric bills.  "Share this on Telegram") ## Environmental news that matters, straight to your inbox ## A brief history of plug-in solar Plug-in solar got its start in Germany in 2010, as a result of high electricity prices and popular interest in [clean energy](https://www.edf.org/issue/clean-energy). About a decade later, installations in the country, now numbering an estimated 4 million, really took off thanks to the plummeting cost of solar panels, even higher electricity prices resulting from the war in Ukraine, and concern about global warming, explains Lucas Meissner, a research associate at Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin, a technical university. ![Two people looking over their balcony that has red flowers and solar panels](/sites/default/files/styles/1440px_width_scale/public/2026-07/GettyImages-1628472133%20%282%29.jpg?itok=G0vaEZsW) Balcony solar panels in Germany have gotten so popular, they produce around the same amount of energy as a nuclear power plant during the day. (*Getty*) As these systems have gained in popularity, prices for the equipment in Europe have fallen significantly, from about $600 for a 400-watt panel in 2022 to $285 today, making the payback period between 1-3 years. It’s a price drop advocates anticipate will happen in the U.S. as the market for plug-in solar expands. Another plug-in solar advantage, especially for renters: The panels, often affixed only with zip ties, can easily pack up and go with their owners should they move. These days, balcony solar’s popularity in Germany is also helping keep electricity prices down by replacing the need for some new power plants. The approximately 1.5 million owners who’ve gone to the trouble of registering their systems on a government website, Meissner says, produce about as much daytime energy as an entire nuclear power facility. ## The U.S. gets into the plug-in solar market Word about balcony solar’s success spread to the U.S. in the earlier part of this decade. Stryker heard about it from the writings of Bill McKibben, the well-known climate advocate. “And like everyone else, I was, like, 'Wow, what a cool thing! Why don’t we have it here?’” she says. Her group, which got its start in January 2025, aims to be both “the AARP and the Costco of clean energy,” she says. In addition to working on state policy, it recently started selling 180-watt and 360-watt systems at cost (plus a $29 membership fee) to residents of 47 states. Already, the movement’s success with lawmakers is pretty unprecedented. “Usually, you introduce a bill in a state legislature and it takes at least a year for legislators to even get used to the idea,” says EDF’s Kelly. “These easy wins for plug-in solar are huge.” So is the technology’s potential. Bright Saver estimates the country could host 60 million plug-in solar installations by 2035. “It is available to a totally different group of people who have really been shut out of clean energy generation to offset their electric bills,” Stryker says. “Because it doesn’t often require any building alterations, this is available to renters. It’s available to the kind of people who can’t afford the upfront cost of a rooftop solar system.” - [**These small-town neighbors teamed up to get discounted solar panels and cut their electric bills**](/story/these-small-town-neighbors-teamed-get-discounted-solar-panels-and-cut-their-electric-bills "These small-town neighbors teamed up to get discounted solar panels and cut their electric bills") - [**Free electricity? Australia’s got it, thanks to solar. Could the US be next?**](/story/free-electricity-australias-got-it-thanks-solar-could-us-be-next "Free electricity? Australia’s got it, thanks to solar. Could the US be next? ") ## Comparing rooftop to plug-in solar Just to be clear, the 25-year cost savings that come with rooftop solar far exceed those of its plug-in counterpart. “You’re comparing $600 a year in savings to $6,000-15,000 a year,” says Kristina Zagame of EnergySage, which offers consumers free consulting on solar power, electric vehicle charging and heat pump options. “But you’re also comparing a $500–1,000 setup with $30,000 in panels.” ![Solar panels hanging on a balcony](/sites/default/files/styles/1440px_width_scale/public/2026-07/Energy%20Sage%20filters_quality%2891%29.jpg?itok=8tuVYi0Z) Balcony solar can be an option for renters. (*Energy Sage*) Some of the price difference is attributable to the size of each kind of system — plug-in systems are smaller than rooftop systems, and generally run from 180 watts to about 1.2 kilowatts, whereas the average rooftop system in the U.S., which can power an entire home, is about 7.5 kilowatts. With rooftop solar, you also have to factor in the cost of the electrical work needed to hook up 7.5 kilowatts of power — something that shouldn’t be done by amateurs — as well as costly building permits and permission from the local utility to interconnect with your area’s electric grid. With plug-in solar, none of those are needed. The only thing required for plug-in solar is enough sunlight and an outdoor dedicated circuit — an outlet that has no other electrical activity on the line. (You might need an electrician to install one, at a cost of up to $300.) These systems should also be UL-certified, according to all of the states authorizing plug-in solar so far. Plug-in systems have other benefits, too. Like rooftop solar, they can plug into battery packs to supply power during emergencies or to use during certain times of day, like the early evening, when electricity prices tend to be particularly high. For Bronx, New York resident Priya Mulgaonkar, the process of getting and setting up plug-in solar this spring was actually pretty simple. (Though she doesn’t have a balcony, she does have a fire escape.) She ordered her 180-watt panel online. “I was a little intimidated at first because this enormous box kind of showed up on my doorstep. But it was quite lightweight.” She found it relatively simple to follow the installation instructions, she says. “I think the most nerve-wracking part was just getting it out my window onto my fire escape.” Now, she’s looking forward to some noticeable electricity bill savings. And she figures her solar panels — like Henley’s — may inspire her neighbors with a glimpse of what the clean energy future might look like. She says, “Imagine \[everyone\] walking by a multistory building and seeing balconies and thinking, ‘You could put a solar panel there.’” ## What to know before you buy plug-in solar ### How much money can I save with balcony solar? Bright Saver has a user-friendly [online calculator](https://www.brightsaver.org/balcony-solar-savings) that can help you figure that out. It even factors in a variety of possible increases in electricity prices. Wonkier folks might want to take a look at the [calculator](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/14he-PxlZnDHV1hQ9mXhuD_CfbibwUpEy8A0ZkUEP0qM/edit?gid=0) put out by the Clean Energy States Alliance. ### Does my home get enough sun? To take best advantage of plug-in solar, you need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight a day. You can ascertain that the old-fashioned way, simply by spending a day watching the sun. Or check out online tools like [SunTrace3D.com](https://www.suntrace3d.com/). Southern exposures work best. East and west can work, too. Be on the lookout for trees and other things that might cast shadows on the panels, which can limit your electricity production. ### What kind of outlet do I need? It’s safest to plug your solar system into a dedicated outdoor outlet — one that has no other electricity-using appliances or devices attached. Without one, you have to run the system’s electric cord through an open window, which will make your home use more electricity in the long run. ### Where can I mount my panels? Depending on their dimensions — many run about 34” by 46” — you can place panels almost anywhere you can zip tie them on or screw them in: a balcony, a railing, a fence, a wall. They even work in backyards or on patios, if you attach them to a ground-mounted frame. Either way, be sure to attach them securely so they don’t blow away in a storm. ### How many watts do I need? The answer depends on how much electricity you can reasonably use during the day. (Unless you plug your system into a battery pack, you can only use the power when it’s being produced – daylight hours, rain or shine. And you can’t sell any excess power back to your utility. It’s use it or lose it.) An average fridge uses about 200 watts of power, a TV runs on less, and smaller appliances like an internet router and most computers, use less than 20 watts. A very efficient washing machine can get by on 400 watts, but some gobble up as many as 1,400. (Check out a machine’s UL label for exact usage.) You probably wouldn’t be able to run a dishwasher off plug-in solar alone, as it can require as many as 2,500 watts of power. If you are thinking about getting a battery pack, check local laws to see if they’re allowed in homes in your area. ### Is plug-in solar legal in my state? Plug-in solar isn’t technically illegal anywhere in the U.S. But using it in a state that has yet to officially authorize it “is in a legal gray area,” says Cora Stryker from the plug-in solar advocacy group Bright Saver. To date, eight states — Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, Utah, Vermont and Virginia — have laws authorizing plug-in systems, although some of these laws don’t go into effect until January 1, 2027. ### Want to learn more about whether plug-in solar is right for you? Contact [EnergySage](https://www.energysage.com/). It offers consumers free consulting on clean energy projects, including home solar systems, electric vehicle chargers and heat pumps. ## Environmental news that matters, straight to your inbox Topics - [ Business and innovation ](/all-stories?topic=30&subcategory=30) - [ Climate and energy ](/all-stories?topic=21&subcategory=21) - [ Clean energy ](/all-stories?topic=21&subcategory=27) - [ Science ](/all-stories?topic=30&subcategory=58) - [ LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://vitalsigns.edf.org/story/order-solar-panels-online-plug-save "Share this on LinkedIn") - [ Twitter ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://vitalsigns.edf.org/story/order-solar-panels-online-plug-save&text=Plug-in solar panels are a cheaper, easier alternative to rooftop solar that can help generate power and lower your electric bills.  "Share this on Twitter") - [ Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://vitalsigns.edf.org/story/order-solar-panels-online-plug-save "Share this on Facebook") - [ Pocket ](https://getpocket.com/edit?url=https://vitalsigns.edf.org/story/order-solar-panels-online-plug-save "Share this on Pocket") - [ Flipboard ](https://share.flipboard.com/bookmarklet/popout?v=2&title=Order solar panels online. Plug in. Save. &url=https://vitalsigns.edf.org/story/order-solar-panels-online-plug-save "Share this on Flipboard") - [ Telegram ](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https://vitalsigns.edf.org/story/order-solar-panels-online-plug-save&text=Plug-in solar panels are a cheaper, easier alternative to rooftop solar that can help generate power and lower your electric bills.  "Share this on Telegram")