CLIMATE
Plug-In Solar Panels Could Save You $370 — If They Were Legal
A $1,000 plug-in solar kit pays for itself in three years. So why are renters and apartment dwellers in Australia still banned from using them?
The GuardianPlug-in solar panels that can be attached to balconies or backyards and plugged straight into wall outlets could save households up to $370 a year. While the technology was just legalized in the UK, Australia's outdated regulations still block renters and apartment dwellers from using them.
- Systems cost about $1,000 and an 800-watt kit can power fridges and TVs during the day.
- Researchers estimate urban households could save between $226 and $372 annually.
- The equipment pays for itself in three years and keeps working for twenty.
- Renters can unplug the panels and take them when they move, bypassing landlord hurdles.
WHY THIS MATTERSIf you rent or live in an apartment, you're currently locked out of easy energy savings due to outdated red tape. Legalizing plug-in solar gives you portable power you actually own and can take to your next lease.