House Bill 1129 authorizes the use of small portable solar energy generation devices, often described as balcony solar or plug-in solar systems. The bill defines a portable solar energy generation device as a movable solar photovoltaic device of no more than 1.2 kilowatts that connects to a building’s electrical system through a standard 120-volt outlet. It allows electric customers to install and operate these devices if they are primarily used to offset the customer’s own electricity use, comply with the North Carolina Electrical Code, are certified by a recognized testing laboratory, and include a safety feature that prevents backfeeding during a power outage.
The bill also limits what electric power suppliers may require from customers. Utilities could not require an interconnection agreement, prior approval, fees, or extra equipment beyond the bill’s safety and code requirements. Customers would have to give advance notice on a standardized form created by the Utilities Commission, and the bill directs the Commission to make that form available within 90 days of enactment. The bill further exempts these devices from certain reporting requirements that apply to other generating facilities and excludes them from net metering eligibility unless the customer also owns or leases another qualifying renewable energy facility.
HB1129 would also create a tenant right to install portable solar devices on the exterior of rental premises, subject to reasonable landlord restrictions for safety, egress, and property damage. Landlords of larger rental holdings could not prohibit such installations outright, but tenants would need to provide notice and, on request, documentation showing code compliance, certification, and anti-backfeed protection. Tenants would be responsible for damages caused by the device, and landlords would not be liable for habitability issues caused solely by the tenant’s solar device.
In addition, the bill amends utility regulation statutes to carve portable solar devices out of existing certification and net metering frameworks, and it appropriates $10,000 to the Utilities Commission to implement the act. The measure would take effect when it becomes law, with the appropriation effective July 1, 2026. Overall, the bill expands consumer access to small-scale solar while creating a separate regulatory category for these plug-in systems.
The bill’s general sentiment appears favorable toward expanding residential solar access and reducing administrative barriers, especially for homeowners and renters who want a low-cost way to generate their own electricity. Because there are no recorded votes or committee transcripts, there is no documented opposition in the provided materials, but the structure of the bill suggests likely areas of concern would include utility oversight, electrical safety, landlord property rights, and whether portable solar systems should be treated like other distributed generation resources.
HB1129 would amend North Carolina utility and landlord-tenant law by creating a new statutory category for portable solar energy generation devices and by limiting electric power suppliers’ ability to regulate them through interconnection agreements, fees, or additional equipment requirements. It also modifies existing utility certification and net metering provisions to exclude these devices from certain reporting and tariff rules, while directing the Utilities Commission to adopt a standardized notice form and receive a small appropriation for implementation. The bill additionally creates a new tenant right to install these devices on rental property, subject to safety and property-protection limits, thereby affecting landlords, tenants, electric utilities, and the Utilities Commission.
The available record suggests the bill is generally pro-solar and consumer-friendly, aimed at making small plug-in solar systems easier to use for both homeowners and renters. The bill’s sponsors and text indicate support for distributed clean energy and reduced regulatory friction, but there is no committee testimony or vote history in the provided materials to show formal support or opposition. As a result, the overall sentiment can be characterized as favorable in design, with no documented public debate in the supplied context.
The main potential points of contention are the balance between consumer access and utility oversight, and the balance between tenant solar rights and landlord control over rental property. Utilities may object to being barred from requiring interconnection agreements, fees, or prior approval, while landlords may be concerned about exterior installations, building alterations, liability, and property damage. Another likely issue is the bill’s decision to exclude portable solar devices from net metering eligibility, which may limit the economic value of these systems for customers and could draw concern from solar advocates even as it simplifies regulation.