{"id":34904,"date":"2026-04-08T10:06:24","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T15:06:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thexradio.com\/news\/?p=34904"},"modified":"2026-04-08T10:09:53","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T15:09:53","slug":"34904","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thexradio.com\/news\/local-news\/34904-34904\/","title":{"rendered":"Lawmakers Seek Measure to Make Small-Scale Plug-In Solar Panels Available to Renters"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Kavi Chintham of Voter Solar gestures at a 391-watt plug-in solar panel and battery at a news conference about a bill to expand access to plug-in solar panel systems. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Nikoel Hytrek)<\/span><\/p>\n

The solar panels would work in normal outlets<\/h2>\n
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\"Nikoel\"UISby<\/span>Nikoel Hytrek<\/a>and<\/span>UIS Public Affairs Reporting (PAR)<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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A bill to make solar power more accessible to renters and others who face barriers to the alternative energy source is moving through the Illinois Senate.<\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>plug-in solar bill<\/span><\/a> allows people to install small solar panel systems that can be plugged into normal wall outlets for personal use. Instead of a rooftop, the panels could be set up on a balcony, in a yard, or on a porch or patio.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlug-in solar is exactly what it sounds like: small, low-cost solar panels that plug directly into a standard outlet and help offset the energy use,\u201d said Sen. Rachel Ventura, D-Joliet, who is the lead sponsor of the bill. \u201cNo expensive installation, no major construction, no waiting months for approval.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Because most residential solar requires rooftop installation, people who live in apartments or who rent their homes have been unable to take advantage of solar power to cut down on electricity bills. Lawmakers said this was a major motivation for the bill.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Under current Illinois law, people would have to get an interconnection agreement before using plug-in solar systems, but the bill removes that requirement. Customers who use a plug-in solar system would also not be required to get the electricity provider’s approval before installation, pay a fee related to installation, or install additional equipment.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIllinois has been a leader in renewable energy, and this legislation keeps us moving forward by making solar more available, more affordable, and more achievable for everyone,\u201d said Rep. Daniel Didech, D- Buffalo Grove, the sponsor for the House version of the bill.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Further, landlords and homeowners\u2019 associations would not be able to ban or \u201cunreasonably restrict\u201d or regulate plug-in solar systems .\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Instead, users would only have to notify the electricity provider about the solar panel system within 30 days of installation. The law would require those providers to develop simple online notification forms.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRight now, outdated rules are getting in the way,\u201d Ventura said. \u201cSenate Bill 3104 cuts through the red tape by exempting these small systems from the same requirements designed for large scale solar. That means faster access, lower costs, fewer barriers for everyday people.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

These exemptions apply to small systems that usually have between 300-400 watts of power output, but the bill grants permission for systems up to 1,200 watts \u2014 those would just be subject to more rules. The greater rules kick in for systems with an output of 392 or more watts.<\/span><\/p>\n

In general, the bill allows for solar panel systems that are:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n