I tried plug-in solar and loved it—but there’s a catch

As new laws roll out across the U.S. enabling plug-in solar panels, I tested one kit to see how it works.

Bright Saver cofounder and co-CEO Cora Stryker. [Photo: Bright Saver]

Getting solar installed on your roof typically involves weeks of planning and red tape and hiring an installation crew to do the work. I tried a very different option: a plug-in solar panel. Like the name implies, installing it essentially just means plugging it into an outdoor wall yourself. Then power starts flowing back into your house.

A single panel, of course, generates a tiny fraction of what you’d get from a full rooftop system. But it’s still a simple way to begin to offset your electric bill, and it’s something that renters can use, not just........

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