California’s SB 868 creates a temporary utility interconnection exemption for devices meeting specific requirements, beginning in 2027. It does not by itself give every renter permission to install a panel or guarantee that every plug-in kit is compliant.
What is plug-in solar?
A small photovoltaic device makes electricity from sunlight and feeds it into a building’s electrical system through a receptacle. Its purpose is to offset electricity being used at that home. The equipment and installation details matter: the term “balcony solar” describes a possible location, not a universal right to attach a panel to a balcony.
What did SB 868 change?
Governor Newsom approved SB 868, Chapter 985, on September 30, 2026. The new Public Utilities Code sections 8530–8532 define a qualifying “portable solar generation device.” The combination of devices may have no more than 1,200 watts of aggregate AC output. It must connect and disconnect through a receptacle, offset onsite use, meet the applicable electrical codes, have plug-in photovoltaic system certification from UL or an equivalent nationally recognized testing laboratory, and include certified protection against energizing the building system during an outage.
For a qualifying device, section 8531 removes utility interconnection requirements and bars the utility from requiring prior approval, device-related fees, or extra controls. A utility may require simple online notice with the address, make, model, and size. The provision is scheduled to be repealed January 1, 2030 unless lawmakers extend it. A separate sales restriction for noncompliant devices begins then.
The law is expected to take effect January 1, 2027. It is not a green light to use an uncertified kit now, or to assume that a particular product meets the statutory definition.
Can a landlord refuse?
Open legal question. SB 868 regulates utility interconnection. It does not expressly require a residential landlord to approve a renter’s panel, mounting hardware, exterior alteration, or use of shared space. California Civil Code § 714 limits restrictions on solar energy systems, but whether and how it reaches a particular lease or renter proposal requires careful legal analysis. We are not treating it as automatic landlord approval.
California has written explicit tenant approval rules for other equipment, such as EV charging stations under Civil Code § 1947.6. That comparison shows the kind of process a solar-specific renter law could define; it does not mean the EV statute applies to solar.
Before buying equipment, read your lease and ask the property owner or manager about the proposed location and mounting method. Get any required consent in writing. Do not drill, mount to a railing, block an exit, or change wiring based on a general headline about SB 868.
Does San Diego require a permit?
The City’s current Information Bulletin 301 says PV and battery installations require electrical permits and identifies additional structural permit triggers. It does not yet give a clear device-specific route for the new SB 868 category. The bill removes utility interconnection requirements; it does not expressly waive City electrical or building requirements. We will ask the City for written guidance on portable, non-penetrating systems before describing a permit-free local path.
What should renters check?
- Space: Is there a sunny, tenant-controlled location with a mounting method acceptable to the property owner and City?
- Equipment: Is the exact device certified to the law’s plug-in PV and outage-isolation requirements? Ask for the listing, not just a marketing claim. The new national safety standard does not yet cover many products on the market. KPBS ↗
- Electrical system: Is the intended receptacle and circuit appropriate? Have a qualified electrician review uncertain wiring or circuit conditions. KPBS reports that, depending on what manufacturers release, a household may need to hire an electrician to connect larger panel setups to a special wall outlet. KPBS ↗
- Local rules: Check City permits, fire and egress rules, HOA rules if applicable, and any landlord process.
- Bill: Find your SDG&E tariff and the hours when the household uses power. Daytime generation has different value under different plans.
What might it save?
Nobody has measured plug-in solar savings in San Diego yet, so any local dollar figure is a model, not a result. A 1,200-watt AC limit describes maximum instantaneous output, not daily energy or annual savings. Shade, direction, seasonal sun, conversion losses, daytime consumption, tariff, equipment cost, and any installation expense determine the result. Our own model, with every assumption listed, puts an 800-watt kit at roughly $150 to $330 a year: how we estimate savings. It is an estimate, not a forecast for your home. Start with your own bill and SDG&E’s current rate tables. We will replace the model with measured results once San Diego households have them.
What we are learning next
- How the City will classify a compliant, portable device.
- How SDG&E will implement the permitted notice process.
- Which products will have the required independent certification.
- Whether California law limits an arbitrary landlord refusal, and whether clearer renter protection is needed.
- What a complete, fair request to a landlord should include.
Primary sources
- SB 868, enacted bill textCalifornia Legislative Information; approved September 30, 2026.
- Civil Code § 714California Solar Rights Act.
- Civil Code § 1947.6Tenant EV charging rights; comparison only.
- San Diego Information Bulletin 301City PV permitting guidance, revised May 2026.
- SDG&E total electric ratesCurrent and historical rate tables.
The law handles the utility. The rest takes a renter, a property owner, and a good conversation. That is what we are researching.