Plug-in Solar Comes to Brattleboro
New Solar Technology Finds a Foothold in Brattleboro
Community groups collaborate to save on resident’s electric bills.
By: Stephen Dotson, Town of Brattleboro - Sustainability Coordinator
On a cold February morning, a unique gathering occurred at the Tri-Park Community’s management office. The gathering was celebrating the installation of one of the first “portable solar” or “plug-in solar” systems in the state of Vermont. Leaders from the Town of Brattleboro, Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation, Southeastern Vermont Community Action, Southern Vermont Solar, Brattleboro Savings & Loan, and the national nonprofit Bright Saver have been working together to pave a path for these systems to come to Brattleboro and the nation. This demo system is now up and running at the office at 42 Village Dr., for any who care to see it in operation.
Portable solar (also called plug-and-play solar) consists of small solar panels that can be placed on a deck, balcony, roof, or ground rack. Systems up to about 1200 watts (roughly three panels) may be allowed, depending on final state rules. These systems can be taken with you if you rent and have to move, and can be expanded upon if a household needs additional power. Homes that already have rooftop or ground-mounted solar arrays may also benefit from adding more generation this way, as well. These systems have built-in inverters and plug directly into an GFCI outlet in your home, on a dedicated circuit. This means that the power the panel generates goes directly to your house, not the grid. It also means that there is no lengthy paperwork or permitting process needed to install these systems.
Currently, the Vermont statehouse is in the process of passing new legislation that would allow Vermonters to install these systems (up to 1200 watts) without any need for permitting or paperwork with the utility. Vermont was one of the first to announce this legislation, and 27 other states have followed suit. This nation-wide push to create a path for portable solar has been led by the nonprofit, Bright Saver, is dedicated to bringing this affordable technology to North America, and has worked with a large coalition of national and local organizations to educate policymakers, industry experts, and the broader public on the transformative benefits of this technology. In Europe, these systems have been common for a number of years, with millions of systems installed, but the regulatory environment in the US has prevented adoption until now.
Bright Saver has selected Brattleboro as the intended site for a pilot project, where they hope to distribute these systems to a number of households experiencing energy burden, as a way to demonstrate the impact of the technology. In response, the Town of Brattleboro is working with the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation to develop the local market for this new form of solar, as it would serve parts of the community who have been left out of renewable energy opportunities in the past. One way you can help is by sharing some data if you live in Brattleboro and believe this plug-in solar technology could help your household.
Please take the survey found at Brattleboro.gov/portablesolar/ and consider attending the Portable Solar and Home Energy Options Workshop at Brooks Memorial Library April 29th, from 5:30-8:00pm. Food and childcare will be available at the event. There will be a demonstration system available at this event, which will later be installed on the tool library, where it will charge the tools and e-bikes that Brooks Memorial lends out.