MONTPELIER, VT – Today, State Senator Anne Watson, the Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG), Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC), and the balcony solar nonprofit Bright Saver, announced the launch of a campaign to pass legislation enabling plug-in solar in Vermont. The effort would make Vermont one of the first states in the nation to follow Utah, which earlier this year passed plug-in solar legislation with unanimous bipartisan support. Pennsylvania also announced their plan to introduce plug-in solar legislation last month.  

“Vermonters want practical, affordable climate solutions,” said Senator Anne Watson, Chair of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Energy. “This campaign is about empowering residents, cutting energy costs, and reducing emissions – while updating our rules to match the realities of new, safe, proven technologies.”

“Step by step, we need to make it easier for Vermonters to save money by switching to clean energy,” said Kathleen James, Chair of the House Committee on Energy and Digital Infrastructure. “Quite a few constituents have reached out to me about plug-in solar. They’re excited about this new technology and hope Vermont will take some simple steps to help make it happen here.”

Plug-in “balcony” solar, already widely adopted in Europe, allows households to generate their own clean energy by simply plugging a certified solar system into a standard wall outlet. By updating outdated regulations, Vermont can open the door to affordable, at-home solar for renters, condo owners, and homeowners who have long been left out of the clean energy transition.

“The residents of Vermont deserve every opportunity to take part in the clean energy transition,” said Ben Edgerly Walsh, Climate & Energy Program Director at VPIRG. “Plug-in solar makes it easier and more affordable for households across the state to generate their own power – especially those who have had the hardest time going solar to date, like renters. That’s why we’re joining this campaign to enable it in law.”

“The potential of portable solar to unlock the economic and environmental benefits of cleaner, less costly power for far more Vermonters is exciting,” said Johanna Miller, Energy and Climate Program Director at the Vermont Natural Resources Council. “There is growing interest in portable solar across Vermont, and I’m eager to work with key stakeholders, community leaders and policy makers to help make it happen in a moment where we need clean energy progress more than ever.”

“REV wholeheartedly supports efforts that extend the benefits of going solar to more Vermonters,” said Peter Sterling of Renewable Energy Vermont. “With the Trump Administration and Congress’s continuing opposition to helping our nation transition to renewable energy, it becomes even more important that Vermont act swiftly to take down barriers that discourage bringing new wind, solar and energy storage projects on line.”

“When we do outreach in our town, we find that people are really eager to DO something – to save energy, to save money, to cut emissions,” said Linda Gray, a member of the Norwich Energy Committee. “Portable solar is another tool in the save-energy and clean-energy toolbox.”

A Growing National Movement

Bright Saver, a new nonprofit that launched earlier this year, has been leading efforts to bring plug-in solar to the U.S. With Utah already on board and Vermont launching this campaign, advocates say momentum is building for a nationwide shift.

“Vermont has the chance to show that clean energy can be simple, affordable, and accessible,” said Rupert Mayer, cofounder of Bright Saver. “Plug-in solar gives every Vermonter the ability to cut costs and take part in the clean energy transition, no matter where they live or what kind of home they live in.”

The Effort in Vermont

Currently, Vermont’s rules for connecting generation to the grid were designed for larger, rooftop and backyard solar systems which are unnecessarily complex and costly for these small-scale plug-in systems. The campaign calls for legislation that would:

• Establish a “Right to Plug In” so households can connect certified systems without submitting applications or paying fees.
• Require clear safety standards, ensuring all systems meet national benchmarks like those from Underwriters Laboratories (UL).
• Provide simple, transparent rules for residents, landlords, and utilities.

Plug-in solar breaks down the biggest barriers to solar adoption and can accommodate both owners and renters:

• Renters can set up systems on balconies or patios without altering their building.
• Condo owners gain a personal, independent solution even without rooftop access.
• Homeowners with shaded or unsuitable roofs can still generate clean energy if they have some alternate space to place a panel.

When placed in a sunny area, the panels produce electricity that flows into the home’s wiring, powering appliances and reducing the amount of electricity pulled from the grid – lowering monthly bills and carbon emissions.