“Balcony solar,” plug-in photovoltaic panels are currently sold by Best Buy, Walmart, Home Depot and several other businesses on line. In-store pickup or delivery to your house or apartment is now available and many models are in stock.
These solar panels save money over time, and decrease the demand for electrical power from fossil fuels. Unlike rooftop solar panels, you can take them with you when you move. They are simple to install. Just mount the panels on a balcony rail or window, and plug the unit into a standard electrical outlet. No electrician needed, no interconnection agreements to sign, and no fees to pay government. Typically these systems create enough solar electricity to power a laptop or mini fridge when the sun is shining. They are currently unregulated in Ohio.
There are potential safety hazards including overloading circuits, which can damage other home devices, and cause fires. There could also be electric shocks if the standard electrical outlet where the panels are plugged in becomes wet. Plug-in solar panels need to be regulated to prevent these problems and serious risks. There is UL approval currently only for some parts of balcony solar systems, but not approval for a whole system unless a special outlet is installed by an electrician.
Utah’s state government unanimously made plug-in panels legal late last year. Since then, over 20 other states, including Ohio, have proposed bills pending. Since Utah’s law passed unanimously, Ohio’s bill creates an opportunity for successfully working across the aisle to benefit both individuals and the climate.
Write to your state representatives. Tell them to advocate for passing HB 755, and get it out of the Ohio House of Representatives Energy Committee and onto the floor for a vote. Find your state representative by going to: Ohiohouse.gov; click Ohio House of Representatives. Enter your address on the bottom of the page under Who represents me; then click contact.
