Comment on How I Installed DIY Solar Power and Started Running My House on Batteries
livligkinkajou@slrpnk.net 7 hours agothe challenge with balcony solar is that they’re not legal in many places
That’s indeed a good point, which is why we should keep the pressure on it. We can already see some campaigns forming around its legalization in some states, as seen here
There are some great resources there, so I’ll just copy some relevant information in case someone is interested:
So why can’t you buy one in Canada?
It isn’t dangerous and it isn’t banned. There just isn’t a Canadian rulebook for it yet. Canada’s own safety body has said these little plug-in systems fall outside its current rules, and the good news is that rulebook is finally being written. In January 2026 the country’s standards council started the process of adopting a national plug-in-solar safety standard
Here’s how we change it.
Canada needs two simple things. A safety stamp that says these systems are good to go, ideally a Canadian one rather than a borrowed one. And a plain rule that lets people plug a certified one in without a permit or a pile of utility paperwork. Both are already moving. Germany has plugged in more than a million of them, and Utah made it legal on a vote with nobody against. What gets it over the line here is enough of us asking.
It’s safe, it’s proven, and it works everywhere it’s allowed.
Canconda@lemmy.ca 7 hours ago
The part your missing is why it’s illegal. Canadian electric code requires everything to go through the breaker box so that electricians can know there is no current in the building.
So even if the rules are changed this introduces installation costs that could be prohibitive.
Of which there are current zero devices registered for legal sale in Canada, because of the code issues prescribed above.
The problem is that plug in balcony solar is not considered safe according to our electrical code.
livligkinkajou@slrpnk.net 6 hours ago
Is it illegal or is it not legalized? I think there might be a big difference between those two. Rules and codes can and do change all the time. Just look at UL 3700, which carries the ANSI/CAN/UL designation, signaling Canadian applicability.
It might be even easier now that Canada is getting closer to the EU for it to follow some of their standards as well, like their plug in solar regulatory framework, specially seen that Canada is also a member of IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission), which also covers solar energy
Keep in mind there are different situations that would greatly benefit from it, like those living in apartments, renters, or where replacing their roof structure for solar panels is more expensive than upgrading a circuit for plug in solar. The market is there, we just need to give it a push by making it legal