from Hacker News

Power To The People: Plug-In Solar Now Legal In Utah Homes

by bilsbie on 10/5/25, 10:15 PM with 7 comments

  • by jauntywundrkind on 10/6/25, 2:46 AM

    Obviously getting meters updated & letting folks push power to the grid is better. But there's also neat solutions showing up like the Zoltux, which is an 800w solar+inverter kit that also monitors the power feed to the home, and never nets power to the grid, only offsets power you're using. For markets where there's encumbrances to solar its an interesting technical option, since no net metering infrastructure is needed (and you don't have to rewire your home like this submission https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45476820)

    It's also slick as hell seeing DJI for example add grid-tie capabilities to their Power 2000 power station/ battery. Capable of 1800W solar, but gained grid tie after the fact. https://dronedj.com/2025/09/01/dji-power-2000-energy-grid/

  • by 8bitsrule on 10/6/25, 3:36 AM

    Related (year-old) article: How Germany outfitted half a million balconies with solar panels

    https://grist.org/buildings/how-germany-outfitted-half-a-mil...

    "More than 550,000 of them dot cities and towns nationwide, half of which were installed in 2023.... Solar panels are connected to a microinverter that is plugged into a wall outlet and feeds electricity directly into the home. "

  • by ggm on 10/5/25, 10:49 PM

    The anti islanding removes a significant risk, and obviously confronts most people's intended desires.

    A turn switch at the fuse box might get over that, otherwise you're seeking the plug behind the fridge freezer to plug it directly into the "UPS" when the bad thing happens.

  • by metalman on 10/6/25, 4:03 PM

    vote was unanimous in both of Utah's legeslatures and the bill allows for other systems like wind ,up to 1.2kw, which is quite small, but there will be presure to allow for whole home systems, imediatly, which of course, they know. also, I am sure thatdetermined and interpid people can get any system aproved as long as they can show that it meets the engineering requirements for a safe and reliable system, as all the pieces are there, and proven in many juristictions now.