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Assembly advances ‘balcony solar’ bill after hours of technical questioning
Summary
Lawmakers passed a bill to authorize and set safety standards for small plug‑in solar appliances (often called balcony or plug‑in PV). Sponsors said UL and building codes will govern safety; critics urged pre‑deployment engineering, utility and PSC safeguards. Vote recorded on floor.
The Assembly voted Thursday to allow sale in New York of small plug‑in photovoltaic appliances — sometimes called balcony or plug‑in solar — and to require product safety standards. The sponsor framed the bill as a way to “democratize” access to solar generation for renters and apartment dwellers, while many colleagues pressed technical and safety questions.
Sponsor Assemblymember Gallagher said the bill requires devices meet a system‑level safety standard (UL 3700 referenced repeatedly in the debate) and limits maximum output to roughly 1,200 watts. ‘‘We want the safest possible products on the market and a way to get unsafe products off the market,’’ Gallagher said, adding that Con Edison supports the measure.
Lawmakers across the floor raised concerns about electrical interconnection, grid and feeder hosting capacity, inverter behavior, GFCI and overcurrent compatibility, landlord‑tenant liabilities, and emergency‑responder protocols. Members cited advice from UL Solutions and independent engineers who flagged overcurrent and GFCI compatibility risks at lower wattages; others noted ten years of deployment experience in Germany and pilot programs in other U.S. states.
Critics asked why utilities would be notified only after installation and why the Public Service Commission or NYISO were not required to set pre‑deployment rules. Supporters said UL certification and building code integration would address many technical points and that some utilities, including Con Edison, contributed to planning conversations.
The floor record shows extended exchanges covering technical details — from inverter placement to bus‑bar calculations and feeder capacity — and repeated requests for amendments to require pre‑installation registration or PSC authority to set feeder caps. The sponsor said the product includes in‑unit inverter and safety shutoffs and framed the bill as an accessible, lower‑cost way for renters and low‑income residents to reduce their electricity bills.
Outcome: the bill passed on the floor following debate; recorded vote tallies were taken and announced in the transcript. Implementing rules, UL certification and coordination with building‑code authorities and utilities were discussed as the next steps.
