As a working mom of two from the Bronx, I\u2019m always looking for ways to cut down my energy bills, fight fossil fuel pollution and safeguard my children\u2019s future, so when I had the chance to try out a balcony solar panel as part of a campaign for the SUNNY Act, I jumped at the chance.<\/p>\n
With this solar panel I can harness the abundant, free energy of that sun, producing electricity myself that I usually pay Con Ed for. It\u2019s good for the earth and it\u2019s good for my wallet. But here\u2019s the thing: small, plug in panels like the one I have on my balcony are not yet accessible to New Yorkers because of our state\u2019s slow, red-tape laden permitting process for rooftop residential solar.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0Solar\u00a0Up Now New York<\/a> (SUNNY) Act (A9111\/S8512) sponsored by Manhattan state Sen. Liz Krueger and Brooklyn Assemblywoman Emily Gallagher, would cut the red tape, making these portable, affordable panels accessible to millions of New Yorkers, unlocking access to affordable solar power for millions of New Yorkers who cannot install rooftop solar \u2014 whether because they are renters, coop or condo owners like me, or can\u2019t afford the upfront cost of a rooftop array.<\/p>\n If passed, this legislation would make it possible for anyone in New York to buy a nationally certified solar system for a few hundred dollars and plug it into a standard wall outlet. Plug-in solar can be installed on balconies, decks, in backyards, on patios, and even in schoolyards. They\u2019re unobtrusive, and they have a big impact.<\/p>\n Around the world, countries like\u00a0Germany\u00a0<\/a>and Canada already have millions of\u00a0balcony\u00a0solar\u00a0units in use, simultaneously lowering planet-warming emissions and the cost of electricity for working families. This doesn\u2019t just help the individual families who have their own\u00a0balcony\u00a0solar\u00a0panels \u2014 it lowers costs for everyone by reducing strain on the energy grid.<\/p>\n Now the movement for\u00a0balcony\u00a0solar\u00a0has arrived in the United States. Last year, Utah passed\u00a0balcony\u00a0solar\u00a0legislation with bipartisan support. And across the country,\u00a028 states<\/a>\u00a0have introduced legislation for plug-in\u00a0solar\u00a0and. With its massive economy, New York could transform the market for these small-scale\u00a0solar\u00a0units nationwide, and pave the way for passage in other states.<\/p>\n As Donald Trump wages war on renewable energy driving up both electricity prices and emissions, the SUNNY Act would literally put power back in New Yorkers\u2019 hands, giving millions of families like mine access to affordable, clean energy at a critical moment for our state, and for our planet. Especially in the Bronx, where generations of families like mine have suffered environmental burdens like asthma, putting clean power generation in working families\u2019 is a step towards a more just future.<\/p>\n