E138: The Solar Revolution You Don't Need a Rooftop For

If you’re on a mission to make your home greener, solar panels might seem like an obvious place to start. But for renters, apartment dwellers, and homeowners who can’t afford a traditional rooftop solar installation, solar has long been out of reach — until now.

This week on Everybody in the Pool, Molly talks with Cora Stryker, co-founder of Bright Saver, about a simple climate technology that's already taken Europe by storm: plug-in solar.

Also known as balcony solar, these small solar systems can be installed without contractors, plugged directly into a standard outlet, and start generating electricity immediately. More than 4 million systems are already in use in Germany, but in the United States, regulations have kept the technology largely off the market.

In this episode, Cora explains how plug-in solar could open up access to clean energy and lower electricity bills for millions of renters and homeowners. She also shares how Bright Saver is driving a wave of legislation across the country aimed at making these systems legal.

We talk about:

• What plug-in solar is and how it works
• Why millions of Europeans already use balcony solar systems
• How renters and apartment residents can benefit from generating their own electricity
• Why traditional rooftop solar remains so expensive in the United States
• The regulatory roadblocks slowing adoption, and whether safety concerns cited by utilities hold up to scrutiny
• How Utah, Maine, Maryland, Virginia, and Colorado are leading the way on legalization
• Why affordability may be the key to scaling climate solutions
• The surprising coalition of climate advocates, free-market supporters, and energy-independence champions backing plug-in solar

Links:

• Bright Saver: https://brightsaver.org
• All episodes: https://www.everybodyinthepool.com/
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