Vermont Senate passes bill to allow portable solar panels without fees, permits

MONTPELIER, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44) – The Vermont House has already passed bills on everything from grants for farmers to vaccine recommendations. But the legislature’s upper house hadn’t given their approval to a bill so far this session – until Thursday.

The Senate approved by a vote of 29 to 0 a bill, S. 202, that will make it easier for Vermont homeowners and renters to generate their own renewable electricity.

The bill would prevent any utility company from requiring a fee or permit for portable solar panels generating up to 1200 watts.

Instead, customers would just have to complete a “simple notification form” after they install the panels.

The Vermont Natural Resources Council said that the bill’s passage was a “meaningful step forward for accessible clean energy in Vermont,” saying that the devices could save people around $20 monthly on their electric bills, and were especially important for renters or people in condos, who often don’t have the option of putting solar panels on their roof.

According to statistics from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the average U.S. household uses 10,500 kilowatt-hours of electricity each year – a rate that almost exactly comes out to 1200 watts.

Utah became the first U.S. state to explicitly allow portable solar panels without a permit last year. If the bill passes the Vermont House and is signed by Governor Phil Scott, Vermont would be the second.

For more from the 2026 Vermont Legislative session, see our video below.

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