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/
"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. "
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.
I don't see how to solve the problem while keeping it as a plug-and-play product.
For obvious reasons, we need it to not backpower the grid during an outage. In theory, we could have the owner shut off their main breaker, then override the inverters lock-out. However, any inverter that allows that cannot be allowed on the market, because someone is going to flip the switch on the inverter without flipping the main breaker.
We would need the switch on the breaker to communicate over to the inverter to allow for safe operations in an outage. We could probably do that communication over the existing power lines, but you would still need an electrician to modify the fuse box to do so; which defeats half the point of plug-and-play solar.
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.
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/
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. "
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.
I don't see how to solve the problem while keeping it as a plug-and-play product.
For obvious reasons, we need it to not backpower the grid during an outage. In theory, we could have the owner shut off their main breaker, then override the inverters lock-out. However, any inverter that allows that cannot be allowed on the market, because someone is going to flip the switch on the inverter without flipping the main breaker.
We would need the switch on the breaker to communicate over to the inverter to allow for safe operations in an outage. We could probably do that communication over the existing power lines, but you would still need an electrician to modify the fuse box to do so; which defeats half the point of plug-and-play solar.
Yeah I had neighbors who despite the fact that they had solar, couldn’t use them when we lost power last year for Helene.
And I know at my house I have a master cut off switch.
Every house has a master switch if you really want it to. Pull the meter.
Also makes a great place to a) cable your genset to b) daisy chain house to house (to share power between houses if one has a genset)
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.