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Senate panel advances SB 868 to standardize and expand plug‑in ‘balcony’ solar amid safety debate
Summary
The California Senate subcommittee passed SB 868 as amended to next committees after weeks of debate on safety and standards. The bill would allow UL‑certified plug‑in solar kits for self‑consumption, require a utility notification form and incorporate product safety standards; opponents urged referral to the California Building Standards Commission for CEC review.
Senators advanced SB 868, the ‘‘plug‑and‑play’’ or so‑called balcony solar bill, after a hearing that juxtaposed affordability arguments from the bill’s author and environmental advocates with safety concerns from electrical workers, firefighters and utilities.
Senator Wiener, the bill’s author, said the measure would give renters and owners of small homes a low‑cost way to reduce monthly electricity bills. "This is fundamentally about giving people the ability to lower their electric bills," he said, and said he accepted committee amendments to reference the National Electrical Code and to require a simple online notification form for utilities.
Bernadette Del Quiero, senior vice president at Environmental Working…
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