New York Public News Network | By Jon Campbell
New York residents would soon be able to hang small solar panels from their windows or balconies under a measure headed for Gov. Kathy Hochul’s desk.
The state Legislature approved the so-called balcony solar bill late last week, paving the way for New Yorkers to be able to legally plug the portable power panels into a standard outlet without having to get approval from the local utility company beforehand.
The bill — titled the Solar Up Now NY Act, or SUNNY Act — would authorize plug-in solar panels that can put out up to 1,200 watts of power and shave money off utility bills, so long as they comply with fire codes and are approved by an accredited testing laboratory.
Assemblymember Emily Gallagher, a Democrat from Brooklyn, said balcony solar panels have taken off in some urban centers. She said it’s time for New York City to do the same.
“I know New York City’s itching to do it, as well as several of the other cities in the state,” said Gallagher, who sponsored the bill. “And it’s going to allow people to create just a small amount of green renewable energy themselves that they can use in their own house.”
The legislation, should Hochul sign it into law, would allow apartment dwellers to take advantage of solar power. As it stands, the state’s solar-power rules cater to larger-scale solar installations for multi-dwelling buildings or standalone homes.
Utility companies have fought similar bills that have popped up in more than two dozen other states, arguing that the plug-in panels should be subject to connection agreements if they’re hooked into the state’s power grid.
But ConEd issued a memo in support of the New York bill, saying the measure strikes an “appropriate balance.”
“The bill aligns with enabling greater customer access to small-scale clean energy solutions while continuing to uphold essential standards for safety and grid reliability,” according to ConEd’s memo, which was circulated to lawmakers. “Because these portable solar generation devices are very small, they pose minimal engineering or grid impact risk.”
The New York bill does not require plug-in panel owners to enter into such an agreement with their utility company, though it does require them to notify the utility within 30 days of installation. It also doesn’t require landlords or homeowner associations to permit the panels.
Hochul hasn’t taken a position on the bill. She has until the end of the year to sign it into law or veto it.
A spokesperson said she will review the legislation.
Image: Lauren Phillips of the Bronx poses with her balcony solar panel. (Rosemary Misdary/Gothamist)