CALIFORNIA LEGALIZED PLUG-IN BALCONY SOLAR.
SB 868 treats certified portable solar more like a household appliance: utilities may require a simple online registration, but not prior approval.
California has created a temporary statewide framework for small solar devices that connect through a household receptacle—an access route aimed at people who cannot use conventional rooftop systems.
WHAT HAPPENED
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 868 on September 30, 2026. From January 1, 2027 through January 1, 2030, qualifying portable solar generation devices with total output up to 1,200 watts per dwelling are exempt from utility interconnection requirements and related fees. Utilities may request a simple online registration but cannot make it an approval process.
Devices must be certified by UL or an equivalent testing laboratory, comply with electrical codes and shut down safely during a grid outage. The law does not erase separate landlord, property or building requirements.
WHY THIS IS HOPESLOP
Rooftop solar has historically favored people who own a suitable roof and can afford an installation. A safe appliance-scale option gives renters and apartment residents a smaller doorway into producing their own power. The law is limited and temporary—but it lets a real market begin.
ORIGINAL SOURCECalifornia Legislative Information — SB 868Read the original report
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