Missouri, get with the times so we can save money with plug-in solar panels | Opinion
Imagine if you could lower your energy bills in the time it takes you to run a load of laundry. If that sounds too good to be true, it is. But it doesn’t have to be. Missouri lawmakers are considering legislation that would enable residents to go out and buy plug-in solar panels at their local hardware store, bring them home and start saving money right away.
Plug-in solar panel systems range from one to four panels that connect directly to a power outlet and supply solar electricity to your home. This reduces what you need to buy from your utility, lowering your electric bill. These systems do not have to be installed permanently on a home’s roof. They can be placed on a balcony, in a front or backyard, or on a deck. The panels themselves weigh about 50 pounds and measure roughly 6 feet by 4 feet each. This makes plug-in solar a great option to help more people lower their electricity bills, no matter where they live. Plus, if you move, you can unplug your panels and take them with you.
A typical plug-in system will generate enough electricity to power a refrigerator or a set of small appliances. This can cut your electricity bills by several hundred dollars per year. Adding battery storage ensures you can keep important electronics such as medical equipment running if the power goes out. The average payback time for one of these systems bought in Missouri today is about six years. However, the cost for plug-in solar, and thus the payback time, could drop by 80% as soon as a critical mass of states enable their residents to buy them. With legislation pending in more than 20 states this year, this should happen soon.
Look to Germany to see how this market can grow. In 2019, the country changed its laws to allow plug-in solar. Today 1 in 10 German households use what they call balkonkraftwerk — balcony power plants — to provide some electricity to their homes.
Missouri, and other states, need to pass legislation to enable plug-in solar because current law treats them the same as a larger, traditionally-installed solar system. It requires an unnecessary and expensive approval and utility interconnection process before a homeowner can use them. These outdated rules are preventing plug-in solar from being a budget-friendly option for Americans. Lawmakers have an opportunity this year to put aside partisan politics and open the door for market innovation and provide Missourians with affordable energy choices.
Utah was the first state to change its laws to allow plug-in solar. The bill passed last year without opposition. It’s easy to see why. Plug-in solar is a no-cost way for lawmakers to help their constituents lower their energy bills.
Now it’s Missouri’s turn. State Reps. Mark Matthiesen, a Republican, and Mark Boyko, a Democrat, have introduced legislation to cut the red tape, set safety standards and make plug-in solar accessible to Missourians. Their colleagues in the General Assembly should pass this legislation that puts people over politics.
Erin Hellkamp is Associate Director of the National Solar Activist Network and Policy at 501(c)4 nonprofit Solar United Neighbors Action.