PlugPayback

Plug-in solar in New York: is it worth it for you?

Payback, savings and what is allowed in New York. With your own power price, no email and no sign-up.

What applies in New York

Law signed, not yet in force
  • Up to 1,200 W inverter output
  • Plug type: NEMA 5-15 (standard 120 V outlet)

Registration steps

  1. Bill (SUNNY Act) would require the complete system to be listed by an accredited NRTL, max 1,200 W continuous output. ↗
  2. Bill would require notifying the utility within 30 days of installation via a simple form; no approval or fee. ↗
  • SUNNY Act (S.8512C / A.9111C) passed both chambers 2026-05-28; awaiting Gov. Hochul's action as of early November 2026.
  • Would take effect 90 days after becoming law.
  • Would exempt devices from interconnection and net metering; no export credit.

Rules checked November 5, 2026. Sources

Find the right size for your home

1. Where is the kit going?
2. How many people live in your home?

Typical for this household in New York: 9,000 kWh a year.

kWh
3. Is someone home during the day?

A balcony railing is near-vertical; a flat roof or garden can be tilted.

$ / kWh

From your bill. Leave blank to use the New York average of $0.29 per kWh.

How much power?

Suggested for your home 1,150 W (2 panels)

Going bigger pays off up to this size, where you would use about 87% of the power yourself. The next size up (1,200 W) costs $1,799 more and would need more than 25 years to earn that back, because most of its extra power would go to the grid unpaid. Based on a typical 9,000 kWh a year.

Used at homeSent to the grid

1,150 W · from $899

Cheapest kit we found with at least 1,150 W: US Solar Supplier 1180 W Plug-In Solar Kit, 2 panels, 1,180 W. Mount and delivery are extra.

Saves about $250 a year and pays for itself in 3–4 years.

Nothing you enter is stored. Results are estimates, shown as a range.

Typical payback by mounting spot

Standard kit (2 panels), about $2,160 at the average New York power price of $0.29 per kWh, with someone home part of the day.

Mounting spotGenerated per yearSaved per yearPayback
Balcony railing, facing south 794 kWh $204 9–12 years
Balcony railing, facing east 658 kWh $173 11–14 years
Balcony railing, facing west 658 kWh $173 11–14 years
Tilted, facing south 1,134 kWh $277 7–9 years
Tilted, facing east 964 kWh $241 8–10 years
Tilted, facing west 964 kWh $241 8–10 years
Flat (roof or garden) 1,021 kWh $253 8–9 years

Kits allowed in New York

Filtered by the local limit, not by commission. We earn a fee on affiliate links; your price does not change.

EcoFlow STREAM Ultra

1,600 W / 1,200 W · 1.92 kWh battery · 10 y

$1,399

View offer

Bright Saver Balcony Solar Kit 180 W

180 W / 360 W · 12 y

$328

View offer

Bright Saver Balcony Solar Kit 360 W

360 W / 360 W · 12 y

$461

View offer

Craftstrom 800 Watt Plug&Play Solar

800 W / 800 W · 10 y

$2,158

View offer

US Solar Supplier 1180 W Plug-In Solar Kit

1,180 W / 900 W · 10 y

$899

View offer

Mango Power S Plug-In Solar Kit

1,200 W / 1,120 W

$2,698

View offer

Common questions

Tenants and flat owners

Not addressed in available summaries. Until signed, standard interconnection rules and lease terms apply.

Grid operator

Proposed: notify utility within 30 days of installation; no prior approval or fee. Currently (no law) utilities may require interconnection review.

Still being confirmed

Still being confirmed

We could not yet confirm the following from an official source. Treat them as provisional.

  • status: Latest confirmation of 'awaiting signature' is Bright Saver tracker; no signing/veto found as of 2026-11-05.
  • registration: Bill text not read; details from amNY and Canary Media.

Sources