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Illinois could soon follow in the footsteps of Utah and Virginia with a law allowing plug-in solar arrays, often called “balcony solar.”
A bill that would make it simpler to install plug-in solar passed out of the state legislature’s Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee on March 12. It’s now scheduled for a hearing in the full Senate, and a House committee on utilities is also considering the bill. Advocates are hopeful that the measure will pass both Democratic-controlled chambers this legislative session, which runs through the end of May, and then be signed by the state’s Democratic governor, JB Pritzker.
People are already plugging in these kinds of off-the-shelf small solar arrays to help power their homes, experts say. But legislation would ensure that more people can access the cost-saving clean power. Illinois’ bill would mandate that utilities allow people to plug in solar systems of up to 1,200 watts, without interconnection agreements, fees, or other barriers. That’s about enough energy to run a refrigerator and a few other appliances.
In Illinois, such units could save households up to $400 a year, according to an analysis by the advocacy group Solar United Neighbors, which notes that plug-in solar currently costs about $3 per watt, or about $2,000 for a typical model. Advocates predict that the cost will come down quickly if more states pass plug-in solar laws and the market expands.
More than two dozen other states are considering such bills. The concept has enjoyed bipartisan support across the country, with Utah’s Republican-dominated legislature passing the first law in March 2025. The Virginia legislature passed its law by a unanimous vote on March 11. Illinois’ red-state neighbors — Indiana, Iowa, and Missouri — have also introduced bills.
The momentum comes as affordability concerns mount nationwide. Electricity prices have spiked in many parts of the country, driven by factors including extreme weather and wildfires, natural gas price fluctuations, and the cost of infrastructure to get power where it’s needed. In Illinois, customers are seeing their bills rise sharply because of increasing electricity demand that is driven in part by data centers.
Illinois’ plug-in solar measure would go a step further than most by stipulating that homeowners’ associations and landlords could not enact rules, fees, or insurance requirements around arrays of 391 watts or less, proponents say. This would ensure that renters and condominium owners could take advantage of the option.
Despite the fast-growing enthusiasm for plug-in solar, some bills, like one in Wyoming, have failed. Utilities have raised safety concerns, such as danger to lineworkers if the arrays don’t shut off during power outages and continue sending electricity onto the grid, or a home’s electric system becoming overloaded.
Plug-in solar proponents note that safety concerns can be managed, especially through legislation that requires specific certification, as the Illinois bill does.
“This is a disruptive technology to the American market, and all disruptive technologies are good for the consumer and bad for the power structures,” said Cora Stryker, who co-founded the nonprofit organization Bright Saver last year to sell affordable plug-in solar kits. “We believe these are strategic efforts to confuse legislators and the public, but the real motivation is the threat to the business models of very powerful entities.”
The Illinois bill would mandate that plug-in solar systems not send any electricity into the home when the larger grid has an outage. That means the panels wouldn’t help during a blackout unless paired with a battery, but they would avoid harming lineworkers. Arrays that are commercially available already typically include such safeguards as part of the built-in microinverter.
The Illinois bill would also require that plug-in units be certified by UL Solutions (formerly Underwriters Laboratories) or an equivalent entity.
Hannah Birnbaum, co-founder and chief of advocacy at the nonprofit Permit Power, which focuses on reducing the bureaucracy involved in getting rooftop solar, said that it’s crucial to pass laws that include these sorts of safety provisions. Otherwise, people will continue to install unregulated systems, she said.
In California, for example, customers are already “quietly” using portable solar panels — even though the state has yet to pass the plug-in solar bill it’s considering.
“The real risk is inaction,” Stryker said. “Now there’s so much enthusiasm for plug-in solar, people are buying whatever systems they can get. It’s a regulatory gray area.”
In Illinois, utilities have thus far not raised opposition. ComEd spokesperson David O’Dowd said the utility does not have a position on the bill. Ameren did not respond to a request for comment.
Should the bill pass in Illinois, it would add to the state’s already robust incentive program encouraging residents, businesses, churches, schools, and other nonprofits to get rooftop solar. Clean energy advocates say plug-in solar provides a more affordable and convenient option, and one that’s accessible to both renters and those whose homes aren’t conducive to rooftop solar.
“It’s an untapped resource” in meeting larger clean-energy goals, according to Nick Johnson, an associate professor of sustainability and economics at Principia College in southwestern Illinois. Johnson was among over 100 residents who filed witness slips with the legislature in support of the bill.
“It’s a drop in the bucket for what we need, but every little bit helps,” he added.
In Germany, more than a million households have plug-in solar — a fact often underscored by advocates trying to popularize the technology in the U.S., where it’s still in the early stages. Even in Utah, only a few thousand households have plugged in the devices since they became legal.
Advocates expect the systems will take off once more states make it simpler for people to adopt them.
For her part, Kavi Chintam, Illinois campaign manager for the advocacy group Vote Solar, said she plans to put a plug-in solar array in her yard after the law passes. Her mother wants a solar array on her balcony, to power her TV.
“At a time when electricity prices are rising and rising, it gives an option for people to shave off some of that cost,” Chintam said. “There is something really empowering about seeing a panel you installed on your home. As the market expands, there will be more opportunities for people just to see these things out and about.”
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