In countries like Germany, balcony-mounted solar panels are all the rage. But from breaker-masking to voltage mismatches, America’s grid isn’t ready for it—yet.
Part is regulations. Utah, of all places, recently passed legislation that requires utilities to allow small solar systems to plug into home systems without an application or fee from the utility.
Where I live, you can buy solar, but the energy isn’t yours. You can’t install a battery and the energy generated only gets you a discount, but never gets you below zero. Essentially you’re buying the energy company some equipment for a discount on your bill.
The other part is lack of tenant rights. Which Utah will not be a leader on anytime soon. Our leases have half page long restrictions on what can and can’t be on your balcony and the legislature isn’t about to back up renters.
It took me a while to reply to this. I thought it was a really good comment though.
I didn’t think about landlords doing their usual douchey thing. But of course this is going to happen because anything that disturbs some apartment owners arbitrary aesthetic vision is going to be banned easily.
I read the legislation. it’s only five pages. It is really biased for single home owners without being explicit about that.
I think I did the estimate correctly, under typical sunny Utah conditions you would only make about a dollar worth of electricity a day at current rates with the maximum allowed system.
Yes, 1.2kWac. Did I do the estimate correctly? My quick estimate of the power yield under Utah conditions is anywhere between a dollar and $1.50 a day? Does that seem to be in the ballpark?
Part is regulations. Utah, of all places, recently passed legislation that requires utilities to allow small solar systems to plug into home systems without an application or fee from the utility.
up to 1200kWac
Where I live, you can buy solar, but the energy isn’t yours. You can’t install a battery and the energy generated only gets you a discount, but never gets you below zero. Essentially you’re buying the energy company some equipment for a discount on your bill.
@P00ptart That’s shitty
The other part is lack of tenant rights. Which Utah will not be a leader on anytime soon. Our leases have half page long restrictions on what can and can’t be on your balcony and the legislature isn’t about to back up renters.
It took me a while to reply to this. I thought it was a really good comment though.
I didn’t think about landlords doing their usual douchey thing. But of course this is going to happen because anything that disturbs some apartment owners arbitrary aesthetic vision is going to be banned easily.
I read the legislation. it’s only five pages. It is really biased for single home owners without being explicit about that.
The actual law
I think I did the estimate correctly, under typical sunny Utah conditions you would only make about a dollar worth of electricity a day at current rates with the maximum allowed system.
Up to 1.2kW hopefully.
Yes, 1.2kWac. Did I do the estimate correctly? My quick estimate of the power yield under Utah conditions is anywhere between a dollar and $1.50 a day? Does that seem to be in the ballpark?