GoKawiilLauren Phillips of the Bronx can say something that most New Yorkers can’t these days: She has managed to lower her monthly utility costs in 2026.
In January, Phillips installed a relatively lightweight solar panel on her balcony overlooking the Hudson River in Spuyten Duyvil. She used zip ties, and it took her a matter of minutes. The small device has shaved about $30 in costs so far this year.
“It's generating power that goes right into my apartment, and that's money that I'm not spending,” Phillips said. “As a mom who has two kids and a big day care bill, that makes a big difference.”
Phillips’ solar panel is not exactly street-legal in New York. Current laws are designed for large solar panels, the types often found on roofs. Those must be professionally installed and connected to the broader electric grid. Phillips’ plugs into the wall and doesn’t leave her apartment.
The Sunny Act, a bill that the state Legislature could vote on this spring, would allow apartment dwellers, whether renters or homeowners, to use easy-to-install and affordable solar power like the type Phillips is trying out. According to plug-in solar advocacy group Bright Saver, the panels can offset power usage by 10% to 25%, depending on the panel’s capacity.
”Most New York City residents live in rental apartments and multi-family dwellings, so up until now, they really haven't had a way to take any advantage of solar options,” said state Sen. Liz Krueger, the bill’s sponsor. “This really is a game-changer because frankly, anybody who's got about $300 can go by one of these.”
Con Edison, the city’s biggest utility, has already signed on in support of the bill.
The technology is a common sight in Berlin, Germany, where it is seen on balconies, around windows and even on roofs. The German government in 2019 enacted regulations that have led to its adoption.
Phillips is participating in a pilot program from Bright Saver. Her 3.5 foot by 3.5 foot solar panel weighs about 25 pounds and is a half-inch thick. It can harvest about 220 watts of energy from the sun each day. It’s on the smaller end of available balcony solar panels. The panels can go up to almost 2,000 watts in capacity. A 1,200-watt panel is enough to power a window air conditioner unit, according to Bright Saver.
“ You can bring it home and plug it in to a standard outlet and you're producing solar energy that very day and cutting your bills immediately,” said Cora Stryker, cofounder of Bright Saver. “In this country, the only rules on the books are intended for much larger systems, either rooftop solar systems, or even utility scale solar systems.”
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