Why Balcony Solar Panels Haven’t Taken Off in the US
1 min read
Summary
Balcony solar panels are very popular in Germany, providing citizens with an easy, cheap method of generating electricity, but there is a lack of interest in the concept in the US.
While there are some regulatory barriers to be overcome for the concept to succeed in the US, such as compliance with the National Electrical Code and product safety standards from Underwriters Laboratories, the biggest stumbling block is that there is not yet a safety standard for the technology in the US.
Entrepreneurs and research scientists are attempting to create such standards, and the Department of Energy recently awarded a grant to one such startup, GismoPower, to assist it in creating a standard alongside Underwriters Laboratories.
Balcony solar systems pose several potential hazards, such as “breaker masking,” where a circuit breaker may not shut off if the circuit becomes overloaded, and the lack of a ground fault circuit interrupter compatible with the systems.
Until these standards are put in place, the adoption of balcony solar panels in the US is likely to be low.
