Work

Barriers to Balcony Solar and Plug-In Distributed Energy Resources in the United States

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Plug-in distributed energy resources (DERs), such as balcony solar, backfeed power to the home through a standard plug. These systems may represent the future of residential solar and storage, particularly as recent net metering policies have reduced the economic appeal of rooftop solar. While plug-in DERs have seen widespread success in Europe, their U.S. market is stagnant. This paper reviews the technical, interconnection, and regulatory barriers hindering the adoption of plug-in DERs. We first discuss the technical barriers, which include touch safety, breaker masking, and bidirectional ground-fault circuit interrupters. We then examine utility perspectives on plug-in DERs and strategies for navigating interconnection challenges. Finally, we discuss regulatory hurdles related to UL standards and the National Electrical Code.

Source: Energies

DOI: 10.3390/en18082132

Authors: Daniel L. Gerber, Achim Ginsberg-Klemmt, Lyn Stoler, Jordan Shackelford, Alan Meier

Institution: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Language: English

Topic: Power Systems and Renewable Energy

Subfield: Energy Engineering and Power Technology

Field: Energy

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Affordable and clean energy, Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137