Utah leads nation in legalizing plug-in solar systems despite lack of widespread use

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Utah became the first state in the nation to pass a law allowing plug-in solar systems in 2025, making it easier for residents to generate their own electricity without the expense of traditional rooftop solar.

But more than a year later, the technology — also known as balcony solar — has yet to gain widespread use.

Utah has more than 80,000 homes with rooftop solar systems, but plug-in solar offers a lower-cost alternative for renters, condominium owners and homeowners who cannot afford traditional rooftop solar.

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Plug-in, or balcony, solar systems are small and portable, allowing renters to move them from one apartment or home to another.

“The biggest obstacle to having it really take off is getting a safety standard made, and that has not happened yet,” said Utah Rep. Ray Ward.

Ward, the lawmaker who sponsored the legislation, said the lack of a finalized national safety standard means manufacturers cannot bring complete, certified plug-in solar products to market for consumers.

Ward said consumers should be able to buy a complete plug-in solar system and plug it into a standard household outlet, just like any other electric household appliance.

UL Solutions, the private company that certifies the safety of many household appliances sold in the United States, recently drafted a new safety standard, UL 3700, for plug-in solar systems. But it has not yet formed a technical committee to review, revise and vote on a final version.

Utah law requires plug-in solar systems to be certified for safety.

Until the UL committee completes its work, the current draft of UL 3700 would require a licensed electrician to install a plug-in solar system, according to Ward — a requirement he said goes against the spirit of plug-in solar.

That’s why the UL should act with more urgency, according to Ward.

“And then is really when it becomes much more possible for Walmart or IKEA or whoever to sell them,” he added.

Ward said plug-in solar has been widely adopted in several Europe, particularly Germany.

That success inspired him to spearhead the effort to pass Utah’s law, which allows residents to install plug-in solar systems that produce up to 1,200 watts without obtaining permission from their electric utility.

“My intention was just to make it so that people could buy a small panel themselves and just plug it in. You don’t have to go through an electrician or a city council or get permission,” Ward said.

Erik O’Brien is among the few Utahns already using a plug-in solar system.

Because no complete, certified plug-in solar systems are yet available in the United States, O’Brien assembled his own system using individual components purchased from different companies, including a micro inverter designed for plug-in solar systems sold outside the U.S. (In the U.S., that company only sells to Utah right now, according to it’s website).

O’Brien, a first-time homeowner and self-described do-it-yourselfer, said he looked into solar as a way to lower his power bill, especially during the summer when air conditioning drives up electricity costs.

He purchased three solar panels for about $100 each. He then bought the inverter, which converts the direct current electricity produced by the panels into the alternating current used by homes. Finally, he purchased the cables needed to connect the system and plug it into his house.

His entire system cost just under $800.

The system plugs into a standard exterior electrical outlet. A mobile app tracks how much electricity the panels generate and estimates the savings on his power bill.

“It’s turning out to be about a dollar a day, which is 30 bucks a month,” he said.

While the savings are modest, O’Brien said affordability was the biggest advantage.

He considered rooftop solar but was discouraged by the high price, which would have required a loan. While plug-in solar will not power his entire house, he said it generates enough clean electricity to reduce his monthly bill.

“If everyone had these — renters especially — and could afford them and take them with them, it would make a meaningful impact over time,” O’Brien said.

Since Utah’s law passed, lawmakers in about 30 states have introduced similar legislation. Only a few other states have since passed similar laws.

Ken Boyce, vice president of engineering for UL Solutions’ U.S. operations, said the company is eager to certify plug-in solar products, but the certification process is designed to ensure products protect consumers from fire, electrocution and other hazards.

“We establish very rigorous safety requirements that the product would have to satisfy,” Boyce said, noting there are significant differences between rooftop solar systems and plug-in solar systems.

Boyce said plug-in solar is popular in Europe, where electrical codes differ from those in the United States.

Boyce said UL is ready to evaluate products once manufacturers submit products that meet the proposed requirements. However, citing customer confidentiality, he declined to say how many products are awaiting testing or when certified products might reach the market.

He confirmed UL has not yet formed a technical committee and could not provide a timeline for when that will happen.

Boyce said manufacturers whose products receive UL certification will be subject to ongoing factory inspections.

“We will go to each factory where that product is being manufactured to make sure that ongoing production has the same critical safety attributes as the products we evaluate in our laboratory,” he said.

Advocates for plug-in solar say the certification process is moving too slowly.

Cora Stryker, a founder of the nonprofit BrightSaver, said consumers need relief from rising electricity costs now.

She said demand for plug-in solar is being driven by consumers looking for affordable ways to reduce their energy bills.

“It’s absolutely clear this movement is driven by people who need a solution to the energy affordability crisis. We’re just waiting on UL,” she said.

Stryker said she does not know why UL has not yet formed a technical committee, but she has spoken with several manufacturers who are reluctant to submit products because the current draft of UL 3700 is too restrictive.

She said manufacturers are not interested in building plug-in solar systems that require installation by a licensed electrician.

Like Ward, Stryker said UL should form the technical committee as soon as possible to make plug-in solar more widely available.

“We really can’t get to that German model of buying it at Costco and bringing it home until we have a standard that will allow an ordinary person to plug it in. Someone like me,” she said.

O’Brien agrees.

“I hope people can do what needs to happen to speed it up. The rest of the world has this. We shouldn’t be trying to catch up. We should be leading the pack,” he said.

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