Waldo JaquithJul 30, 2024
This is brilliant. In Germany, it's popular to buy €200 solar panel / inverter combos that plug into a nearby power outlet, feeding the power back into the grid, running their power meter backwards. "Installation" just takes a minute. Folks in apartments simply hang them from their balcony “like wet laundry.” Over 500,000 have been sold. With power at €0.25/kWh, the payback time is about 27 months—after that, it's just free electricity. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/29/business/germany-solar-panels-climate-change.html?unlocked_article_code=1._E0.zL83.1FCeoxOrFDBY&smid=url-share
Germans Combat Climate Change With D.I.Y. Solar Panels

Plug-and-play solar panels are popping up in yards and on balcony railings across Germany, driven by bargain prices and looser regulations.

The New York Times
Show threadPeter GriesarJul 30, 2024
@waldoj this company has beem around a while in the US. https://legionsolar.com/getStarter.html
Get Starter Set

Show threadWaldo Jaquith
@griesar What we need is for Costco et al to sell 200 watt panels that people can put in their cart, take home, and plug in.
Jul 30, 2024 at 2:26amIvory for Mac
Show threadSamhain NightJul 30, 2024
@waldoj @griesar Yes please, thank you!
Show threadPeter GriesarJul 30, 2024

@waldoj this company is on Amazon now, but point taken. I wonder if a regulatory issue is why there isn’t a market selling these at Costco.

https://pluggedsolar.com/products/plug-and-play-solar-panel-power-with-680-watt-inverter-simply-plug-into-wall-expand-to-680watts

Plug and Play Solar Panel Power with 750 DC-Watt Inverter; Simply Plug into Wall; Expand upto 600Watts

Show threadWaldo JaquithJul 30, 2024
@griesar I’d love to know how this prevents back-feeding into the grid when the grid goes down, to prevent electrocuting the repair crews. The product doesn’t mention that, which is troubling!
Show threadPeter GriesarJul 30, 2024
@waldoj i wld assume (and hope!) the plug can just monitor line voltage at the circuit and stop feeding the millisecond the line voltage is gone.
Show threadWaldo JaquithJul 30, 2024
@griesar That's how the German ones work, so I sure hope that's the case here.