Balcony solar systems set to become a reality in Australia

Australia is on the cusp of a renewable energy revolution, with plans underway to lift a ban on plug-in solar and batteries, giving millions of apartment dwellers and renters access to the technology for the first time.

The move, discussed during a meeting of the country's energy ministers, aims to explore pathways to support the "safe deployment" of plug-in solar across the country, following in the footsteps of Germany and the United Kingdom.

How plug-in solar systems work

Plug-in solar systems and batteries can be plugged into regular power points and do not require installation by an electrician. The power generated by the panels is fed into the home network via an inverter and a standard plug, helping to offset electricity used by appliances.

Overseas, these systems are commonly attached to apartment balconies or installed in backyards and produce between 600-800 watts of power, typically at a cost of up to $1,300. They are a popular choice for people who live in apartments and cannot mount rooftop solar, as well as renters who have never considered accessing renewable energy.

Benefits for renters and apartment dwellers

Energy Minister Chris Bowen said a third of Australians have solar on their roof, making the technology "more popular than the backyard pool". "Now we're taking the next step, by looking at how even more Australians can take advantage of free, abundant sunshine to cut their energy bills — even if they don't have a roof," he said.

Heidi Lee Douglas, CEO of Solar Citizens, a community organisation that's been campaigning for plug-in solar to be legalised, welcomed the move. "This commitment to make plug-in solar and plug-in batteries legal in Australia is great news for more than a third of Australians who rent or live in apartments, and also for low-income households so they can access some of the bill-busting benefits that cheap clean solar home owners enjoy," she said.

"We want to see a firm timeline and deadline by December at the next energy ministers meeting for when plug-in solar and batteries will be available for use in every state and territory. Australians are looking for every opportunity to bring down their power bills."

Challenges ahead

The federal government will now work with the states and territories to "identify measures that enable the safe use" of plug-in solar and report back on next steps by the end of the year. However, there are still barriers to overcome, including ensuring safety standards are up to scratch and bringing landlords and body corporates on board.

Craig Morris, executive director of the German Plug-In Solar Association, said Australia could look to Germany's safety standards as a starting point. "The risk of too many companies coming in and some of them not being serious has gone down," he said. "If you go back just five years, I think we had a number of companies that you didn't really know too much about them and maybe they were just trying a quick buck."

Maiya Irving-Mackinnon, a renter from Sydney, is keen to reduce her power bills by having a plug-in solar panel. "Solar has never really been something that we can consider as a renter because we can't install anything on the roof or on a ground floor apartment," she said. "I would really like to have the option to install solar panels and for that to be subsidised but it's not really something that's been available for a renter before."