• Tech Tech

Surprisingly cheap plug-and-play solar panels may soon take over US markets: 'No need to rewire anything'

"Perfect for renters or anyone on a budget!"

There are now plug-and-play solar panels that make it easy for anyone to get affordable solar power at home.

Photo Credit: iStock

A Redditor attracted attention online by sharing a video about new plug-and-play solar panels that are making home solar more accessible for both homeowners and renters. 

The video, which depicted a "PBS NewsHour" segment, showcased how plug-and-play solar panels work and how they have made solar power affordable for many people who previously thought that home solar was unattainable. (Click here to see the video if an embed does not appear.) 

"For years, solar power at home was mostly limited to people who own their rooftops and could afford the steep upfront costs, but that's changing," the PBS newscaster explains in the video. "A new generation of small, affordable systems, often called plug-in solar, are making clean energy more accessible." 

Redditors flooded the comments with their takes on plug-in solar systems. 


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"Small plug-in solar panels are perfect for renters or anyone on a budget!" said one commenter. "No need to rewire anything. They're low-barrier and flexible!"

"I would absolutely add one of these systems to the roof of my shed or make a very cheap mount somewhere in my garden," chimed in another. 

Home solar panels have long been one of the best ways to save money on utility bills. Now, with the widespread availability of plug-in solar panels, those cost-saving benefits are available to many more people. 

With so many solar options available, all of the information can seem overwhelming. However, EnergySage makes home solar simple with easy-to-understand information and useful tools.

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Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers that can help you save as much as $10k on installation.

To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best local options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.

As the PBS NewsHour report explained, plug-in solar panels are so affordable that even a retired teacher in Berkeley, California, could afford them on her fixed income. Though she had considered getting rooftop solar panels installed on her home, the retired teacher, Agnes Chan, found them to be out of her price range.

"I've looked for a long time and even consulted my roofer, but there's no way I can afford that," Chan explains in the video.

If you don't have solar panels on your home, which of these factors is the biggest barrier to installing them?

Upfront costs 💰

Trouble with my HOA 🚩

Too much maintenance 🔧

An incompatible roof 🏠

Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

She is far from alone in facing challenges when it comes to affording home solar. To help with these affordability issues, EnergySage offers the ability to compare quotes from local installers, saving customers an average of $10,000. 

Additionally, EnergySage has a powerful mapping tool that makes it easy to see the average cost of a solar installation in your state and to take maximum advantage of available solar incentives. 

To take the benefits of home solar even further, many people have paired their solar panels with a home battery system. Home battery systems allow your home to maintain power during outages while also increasing your savings on utility bills. To learn more, you can check out EnergySage's page on home battery systems.

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