Plug-in solar systems are small, pre-configured solar panels with microinverters that plug directly into standard household outlets to reduce electricity bills. They are easy to install on balconies, roof decks, or backyard fences and are not permanently attached. They are popular in Europe but not widely available or even legalized in most of the United States. In fact, Utah was the first state to legalize the systems in March 2025.
Plug-in solar systems require no specialized skills to install, which typically takes about an hour.
The systems generally can produce between 200 and 1,600 watts, at the upper end enough to power a small air conditioner. The price of the systems can range between a few hundred dollars to a few thousand, depending on the amount of power that they can generate and whether they include any battery storage. The largest market in the world for them is Germany, where about one in ten households use plug-in solar.
In early April, Governor Janet Mills of Maine signed into law a measure that allows electricity customers in that state to use plug-in solar systems.
The small solar power systems can offset some of a household’s electricity usage and lower monthly utility bills. According to some estimates, an 800-watt system, which might cost under $1,000, could save an average Central Maine Power Company customer more than $250 annually.
Twenty-eight states, including every state in New England as well as New York, are considering similar “balcony solar” proposals. California, long a leader in solar power, has pending legislations that eliminates utility red tape and establishes safety standards for plug-in solar.
