Everybody in the Pool

·E138

E138: The Solar Revolution You Don't Need a Rooftop For

June 4
29 mins

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Episode Description

If you’re on a mission to make your home greener, solar panels might seem like an obvious place to start. But for renters, apartment dwellers, and homeowners who can’t afford a traditional rooftop solar installation, solar has long been out of reach — until now.

This week on Everybody in the Pool, Molly talks with Cora Stryker, co-founder of Bright Saver, about a simple climate technology that's already taken Europe by storm: plug-in solar.


Also known as balcony solar, these small solar systems can be installed without contractors, plugged directly into a standard outlet, and start generating electricity immediately. More than 4 million systems are already in use in Germany, but in the United States, regulations have kept the technology largely off the market.

In this episode, Cora explains how plug-in solar could open up access to clean energy and lower electricity bills for millions of renters and homeowners. She also shares how Bright Saver is driving a wave of legislation across the country aimed at making these systems legal.


We talk about:

  • What plug-in solar is and how it works
  • Why millions of Europeans already use balcony solar systems
  • How renters and apartment residents can benefit from generating their own electricity
  • Why traditional rooftop solar remains so expensive in the United States
  • The regulatory roadblocks slowing adoption, and whether safety concerns cited by utilities hold up to scrutiny
  • How Utah, Maine, Maryland, Virginia, and Colorado are leading the way on legalization
  • Why affordability may be the key to scaling climate solutions
  • The surprising coalition of climate advocates, free-market supporters, and energy-independence champions backing plug-in solar


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