Witness urges Vermont committee to ease rules for portable solar to expand access for renters

Julie Walsh, a policy advocate with the Vermont Public Interest Research Group, told the Natural Resources & Energy committee on Jan. 7 that proposed changes in S.202 would let very small portable solar systems provide an affordable entry point to solar for renters and other residents who cannot install rooftop panels.

The testimony centered on equity and practicality. Walsh said the portable systems — micro-arrays and integrated battery units she demonstrated outside the hearing room — are not meant to replace rooftop installations but to expand options for people who lack access: "This is not fundamentally for us about getting a lot more solar on a lot [of roofs]." She added that residential tax credits recently lapsed, making lower-cost alternatives more important.

Walsh cited state housing and U.S. Census data showing renters in Vermont have substantially lower median incomes than homeowners and argued that limited options for renters reinforce racial and economic disparities in access to clean energy. She noted that prior policies such as Act 99 of 2014 gave the Public Utility Commission authority to design community net-metering programs but said implementation made many off‑site options economically infeasible for those who could most benefit.

On the technology, Walsh described two demonstration units the group brought: a model with an integrated battery and inverter and a simpler inverter-plus-panel unit. She said a typical small panel measures roughly 3 by 4 feet and that the compact unit they showed weighs about "40 pounds," adding that the battery-equipped unit can power a household refrigerator for "a day or two." On maximum output she described scenarios using three 400‑watt panels to reach roughly 1,200 watts.

Committee members questioned portability, cost and safety. The chair asked, "How affordable are they?" and a member raised wind-anchoring concerns: "Are there requirements to, like, weigh these things down or...recommend[ ] they have anchoring so that's not a concern?" Walsh replied that larger panels can be heavy and that "you could make a policy decision" about anchoring standards, noting some states' legislation is less prescriptive. She also said that if units meet UL certification standards, regulators should avoid creating unnecessary procedural barriers: "We basically just need to get the government out of the way."

Walsh urged removing or scaling back interconnection fees, waiting periods and permanent applications for very small plug-and-play systems so the devices can be truly "plug and play" for renters and low-income households.

The committee paused to view a system set up outside the hearing room; Walsh said she would demonstrate attachment and anchoring options during that field check. No formal action or vote on S.202 occurred during the session.

The committee's next steps were to inspect the demonstration and then resume other agenda business later in the morning.