New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill has signed the Garden State Balcony Solar Act, exempting plug-in solar devices of up to 1,200 watts from utility interconnection requirements and barring landlords and municipalities from prohibiting their use.Ā
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill has signed the Garden State Balcony Solar Act, removing interconnection and metering requirements that previously limited the use of portable plug-in solar panels in the state.Ā Ā
The law exempts qualifying devices of up to 1,200 watts from utility fees, approvals, and equipment mandates, and prevents landlords, homeowner associations, and municipalities from prohibiting their use or requiring permits for installation.Ā
Balcony solar devices plug into a standard 120-volt outlet and feed electricity directly into a home’s existing electrical system, helping offset energy consumption and reduce utility bills without requiring professional installation or utility approval.Ā Ā
The devices and accompanying microinverters are available for purchase online and in home improvement stores.Ā
“From day one, Iāve been laser-focused on driving down energy costs through an all-of-the-above approach, and that includes putting clean, affordable solar power that you can simply plug in directly into the hands of New Jerseyans,” said Governor Sherrill in aĀ statement.Ā
The legislation builds on a broader energy agenda from the Sherrill Administration that has included freezing utility rate hikes,Ā approvingĀ 18 new solar and battery storage projects, and announcing a historic expansion ofĀ community solarĀ toĀ 3,000 megawatts. Together, these actions are estimated to save New Jersey ratepayersĀ $1 billionĀ annually.Ā
New Jersey joinsĀ California, which recently passed its own plug-in solar legislation,Ā SB 868, as one of the first U.S. states to remove regulatory barriers to balcony solar adoption.Ā
Read moreĀ here.
