Prospects for DIY solar could brighten under bill

Perhaps you’ve been intrigued by the idea of having your home use solar energy, but have been held back by the cost and commitment. Installation of rooftop panels can be expensive, and it could take years for the system to pay for itself.

Enter “plug-in solar.”

It’s now possible to install something like a single solar panel and produce electricity for your home. It’s done all over Europe, where it’s commonly called “balcony solar.”

Rep. Larry Kraft (DFL-St. Louis Park) believes that this kind of do-it-yourself solar could find a foothold in Minnesota if some state restrictions are lifted.

That’s the point of HF3555, a bill he sponsors that would remove impediments to a customer using a plug-in photovoltaic device that employs a solar panel with a maximum power output of 1,200 watts. Devices that have been certified as compliant with safety requirements established by a federally recognized testing laboratory (such as UL) would be exempt from the need to enter an interconnection agreement with a utility and from state net metering provisions.

It would also prohibit a utility from imposing any fee on or requiring any approval of a customer’s deployment of such a device.

On Tuesday, the House Energy Finance and Policy Committee laid the bill over for possible omnibus bill inclusion.

Rep. Larry Kraft

“This can make affordability and other benefits of solar energy directly accessible to many more people,” Kraft said. “Plug-in solar can connect directly into an outlet, whether that be in a backyard, on a deck or on a balcony. So solar energy can flow into your home’s electrical circuit and reduce the electricity you get from the grid.”

That said, plug-in solar won’t make a home electrically self-sufficient.

“It typically saves 5-25% of a home’s usage, so we’re talking about savings of $35 to $55 per month,” Kraft added. “And there are dramatically lower upfront costs. Systems can start sub-$1,000 and go up to a few thousand.”

Rep. Spencer Igo (R-Wabana Township) expressed concern about the do-it-yourself aspect of the systems.

“If we don’t have licensed electricians involved, I think we could open ourselves up to bigger problems,” he said.

“At this time, with UL standards, electricians do need to be involved,” Kraft replied. “It requires a special plug and a special way the circuit is set up.”