Wait – plug in/portable solar panels are illegal? What’s a renter to do?

Photo above - 2015 film "The Martian". Astronaut Matt Damon learns that he will need to pay a $199 connect fee and wait weeks for inspections and permits before using his portable solar panel.

Disclaimer – the legality of portable and plug-in solar panels varies state by state. The MSN link below warns us what we're up against in California.

How would you like to save $500 (or more) annually on your electric bill? And reduce the need to build more and more electric plants, which will probably only be used to power AI data centers anyway? Well, portable panels are illegal in California. San Francisco (unofficial slogan: “be sure to wear some flowers in your hair”) has a litany of fees, permits, and inspections before you can use that Flex Solar 100W panel you ordered from Amazon (just $75. Price drop from $89).

Pacific Gas and Electric – the state controlled power monopoly - lobbied to have all those fees and regulations in place for renters with plug in panels. Right now the police might be scanning for portable solar panels on renters’ balconies, and file criminal charges. It's easy for cops to catch solar panel scofflaws, unlike shoplifters who can just run away.

Evidently PG&E is worried that if enough people use plug-in panels to power their portable space heaters the company could lose big money. At least that’s what they convinced legislators and regulators.

San Francisco is now considering a bill to restore free access to the sun. If this new bill passes, you will no longer have to interconnect your dinky panel to PG and E's 10 gazillion watt grid, wait weeks for inspections and permits, and pay a connect fee. Hooray, right?

The real problem here is that California’s politicians think they can solve their budget fiascos by taxing anything and everything. They just put a new $15 battery tax in place on January 1st. It applies to things like (smart phones, laptops, tablets, etc).

So . . . i have to pay a fee to collect sunlight, and another tax just to own the battery? Only someone diabolically evil could come up with a scheme like this.

I’m just sayin’ . . .

California bill would help renters lower electricity bills by easing rules for plug-in solar panels

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exchrist · 36-40

So a best practice from the east coast is “net metering” power produced beyond what is used is reimbursed to the producer of the energy surplus. The surplus is transferred to the next most proximitous electricity consumer. there is a service charge (the equivalent of a sales tax per kilowatt sold, which is subtracted from the amount to be paid to the producer of excess).
My point is how is there a shortage of electricity accompanied by black and brown outs at the same time there is excess electricity being produced from renewable sources?

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MethDozer · M

@exchrist Yhays not possible with portable plug in panels. You need special equipment to be able to backfeed and meter into the grid

exchrist · 36-40

@SusanInFlorida I’d suggest water lifts/pumps (gravity?) pumping ocean water into a reservoir to produce hydropower when needed. combat ocean level rise at the same time.

SusanInFlorida · 31-35, F

@exchrist ocean water would enter the watershed (underground natural aquifer) if we did this

Telcontar

Taxes are out of control everywhere., incomes are stagnant while prices and taxes constantly increase..
it’s unsustainable and a collapse is inevitable..
we’re looking at a deflationary depression or hyperinflation (which the Fed would prefer) either way it’s coming in just a few years unless we experience some kind a Black Swan event

SusanInFlorida · 31-35, F

@Telcontar i'm awful at predicting black swans. i thought kidnapping venezuelas dictator and seizing control of their energy might be a "black swan event"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Black_Swan:_The_Impact_of_the_Highly_Improbable

this book was quite popular a few years ago. Even President Obama endorsed it, and wrote a fly piece promo for it. Which probably proves he didn't read most of it.

3Dogmatic · 46-50

Follow the money…

G7J2O · M

False.

Plug in/portable solar panels are not illegal in California.

SusanInFlorida · 31-35, F

@G7J2O you didn't read the link. you are the poster child for excellence in public education

MethDozer · M

@SusanInFlorida There is no link. You never post links

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FloorGenAdm · 51-55, M

[media=https://youtu.be/EqkILh7V1Kw]

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