What's changed
We publish when something changes, not on a schedule. A news site that posts weekly regardless of news is how you end up with filler.
The law
SB 868: what happens between now and January
The Governor has until 30 September. Then a certification scramble, then an effective date. What each stage means if you're thinking about buying a kit.
Utah went first. What happened after HB 340
Utah legalised plug-in solar in March 2025 with the same 1,200W cap California is proposing. What the first US market tells us about what's coming.
Germany has a million of these. What California can and can't copy
Germany registered around 435,000 plug-in solar systems in a year. The rules that made it happen, and the three that California didn't copy.
The equipment
What UL 3700 is, and why almost nothing is certified yet
UL 3700 is the safety standard SB 868 effectively requires. It launched in January 2026, and complete kits are still catching up. What to look for.
Why 'no backup power' surprises every first-time buyer
Plug-in solar shuts off the instant the grid does — by law, to protect line workers. Not reduced power. None. What to buy if you want backup.
The money
The federal solar tax credit is gone. Here's what that does to the math
Section 25D ended for expenditures after 31 December 2025. Any 2026 solar pricing still subtracting 30% is wrong. What it means for plug-in kits.
The one question every solar calculator forgets to ask
Whether someone's home during the day changes your solar savings by up to 40%. It's the biggest lever in the model and no calculator asks about it.
The measurements
One email when something actually changes
The Governor's decision, the first certified kit, and monthly numbers from the test balcony.
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