{"id":69690,"key":"U.S._market_for_solar_photovoltaic_plug-and-play_systems","title":"U.S. market for solar photovoltaic plug-and-play systems","latest":{"id":1273361,"timestamp":"2026-09-16T13:36:01Z"},"content_model":"wikitext","license":{"url":"https://www.appropedia.org/Appropedia:Copyrights","title":"CC-BY-SA-4.0"},"source":"{{Solar footer}}\n\n[[Image:solarpnp.png|thumb]]\n\n{{MOST}}\n\n{{Publication data\n| type = Paper\n| cite-as = Aishwarya S. Mundada, Emily W. Prehoda, Joshua M. Pearce. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2016.11.034 U.S. market for solar photovoltaic plug-and-play systems]. ''Renewable Energy''. 103 (2017) pp. 255–264. DOI:10.1016/j.renene.2016.11.034 [https://www.academia.edu/29941674/U.S._Market_for_Solar_Photovoltaic_Plug-and-Play_Systems open access]\n}}\n\nPlug and play solar photovoltaic (PV) systems are affordable, easy to install and portable grid-tied solar electric systems, which can be purchased and installed by an average prosumer (producing consumer). The combination of recent technical/safety analysis and trends in other advanced industrialized nations, indicate that U.S. electrical regulations may allow plug and play solar in the future. Such a shift in regulations could radically alter the current PV market. This study provides an estimate of this new U.S. market for plug and play PV systems if such regulations are updated by investigating personal financial decision making for Americans. The potential savings for the prosumer are mapped for the U.S. over a range of scenarios. The results show the total potential U.S. market of over 57 GW, which represents an opportunity for sales for retailers from $14.3–$71.7 billion depending on the capital cost of plug and play solar systems ($0.25-$1.25/W). These systems would generate ∼108,417,000 MWh/year, which is 4 times the electricity generated from U.S. solar in 2015. This distributed solar energy would provide prosumers approximately $13 billion/year in cost savings, which would be expected to increase by about 3% per year over the year lifetime of the systems.\n\n{{Pearce publications notice}}\n\n== Highlights ==\n\n[[Image:mapplugpv.jpg|thumb]]\n\n* Plug and play solar photovoltaic (PV) can be installed by an average prosumer.\n* This study estimates potential new market for such plug and play PV in U.S.\n* Results show plug and play PV would create 57 GW of demand in U.S.\n* This is a new market for PV of $14.3 billion – $71.7 billion.\n* Could generate ∼108,417 thousand MWh/year and save $13 billion/year.\n\n== Keywords ==\n\n[[Distributed generation]]; [[Net metering]]; Net metering application; Plug and play solar; [[Photovoltaic]]; [[Levelized cost of electricity]]; Electricity market; Prosumer\n\n== See also ==\n\n* [[A review of technical requirements for plug-and-play solar photovoltaic microinverter systems in the United States]]\n* [[Plug-and-Play Solar Photovoltaic Microinverter Systems]]\n* [[Review of solar levelized cost]]\n* [[Performance of U.S. hybrid distributed energy systems: Solar photovoltaic, battery and combined heat and power]]\n* [[Emerging economic viability of grid defection in a northern climate using solar hybrid systems]]\n* The study http://www.pvplug.de/pi-berlin/ enabled the German electrical standard for Photovoltaic Plug-and-Play Systems: http://www.pvplug.de/durchbruch/ so now everyone can plug in micro inverters in to any circuit.\n* [[Streamlining structural engineering compliance of rooftop solar photovoltaic installations using an open-source approach]]\n\n== In the News ==\n\n* [http://www.mtu.edu/news/stories/2016/december/plug-for-renewable-energy.html Plug In for Renewable Energy]- MTU News, [http://newswise.com/articles/plug-in-for-renewable-energy Newswise], [http://phys.org/news/2016-12-renewable-energy.html Phys.org], [https://www.reddit.com/r/energy/comments/5gqy47/plug_in_for_renewable_energy/ reddit], [http://www.scienceandtechnologyresearchnews.com/plug-renewable-energy/ Science and Technology Research News], [https://techcentury.com/2016/12/05/plug-in-for-renewable-energy/ Tech Century], [https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/12/161206103530.htm Science Daily], [https://www.ecnmag.com/news/2016/12/plug-renewable-energy ECN Magazine], [http://www.labmanager.com/news/2016/12/plug-in-for-renewable-energy Lab Manager], [http://michiganagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=1162&yr=2016 Michigan Ag Connection], [http://usagnet.com/story-national.php?Id=2549&yr=2016 US Ag.net], [http://ein.iconnect007.com/index.php/article/101763/plug-in-for-renewable-energy/101766/?skin=ein iConnect007]\n* [http://www.treehugger.com/renewable-energy/plug-and-play-solar-could-be-next-clean-energy-wave-us.html Plug-and-play solar could be the next clean energy wave in the US]-TreeHugger, [https://americaninfrastructuremag.com/plug-play-solar-energy/ American Infrastructure Magazine], [http://consciouslifenews.com/plug-play-solar-next-clean-energy-wave-u-s/11129970/ Conscious Life News]\n* [http://www.photon.info/en/news/us-market-plug-and-play-solar-panels-about-57-gw-says-mtu-study US market for »plug and play« solar panels is about 57 GW, says a MTU study]-Photon\n* [http://www.mininggazette.com/news/2016/12/systems-legal-clout-keeps-units-banned/ System’s legal clout keeps units banned] - Daily Mining Gazette\n* [http://web.archive.org/web/20170501001918/http://www.mininggazette.com:80/news/2016/12/plug-in-solar-saves-big-bucks Plug-in solar saves big bucks ] - Daily Mining Gazette\n* [http://www.pvbuzz.com/plug-and-play-solar/ Plug and play solar panels without hefty installation costs. ] - PV Buzz\n* [http://web.archive.org/web/20190102034531/http://www.mininggazette.com/news/2016/12/uppco-prohibits-plug-and-play-solar-systems/ UPPCO prohibits plug-and-play solar systems]- Daily Mining Gazette\n* [https://mitechnews.com/update/michigan-technological-university-creates-plug-play-home-solar-energy-unit/ Michigan Technological University Creates Plug-And-Play Home Solar Energy Unit]- MI Tech News\n* [https://www.solarreviews.com/news/plug-and-play-solar-technology-affordable-solar-option-121216/ Prosumer Solar Technology: Plug-and-Play PV Panels Next Affordable Solar Option] - Solar Reviews\n* [https://hbr.org/2016/12/solar-is-being-held-back-by-regulations-not-technology Solar Is Being Held Back by Regulations, Not Technology] - Harvard Business Review\n* [https://www.reddit.com/r/solar/comments/5iifwd/solar_is_being_held_back_by_regulations_not/#bottom-comments ] - reddit\n* [http://keweenawnow.blogspot.com/2016/12/plug-in-for-renewable-energy.html Plug In for renewable energy] - Keewanaw Now\n* [https://beta.prx.org/stories/194256 The Next Chapter]- 158 (Audio)\n* [http://www.blacklabor.org/?p=58698 אגרגיות מתחדשות - מכרכות סולאריות טוטו-וולטאיות \"חבר והפעל\"]- BlackLabor (Hebrew)\n* [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joshua-pearce/could-trumps-deregulation_b_13927610.html Could Trump's Deregulation Agenda Open An Additional $70 Billion Solar Market in the US?]- Huffington Post\n* [http://www.solarreviews.com/news/trump-deregulation-spur-70-billion-solar-sales-us-010517/ Trump’s Deregulatory Ambitions Could Realize $70B More for US Solar] -- Solar Reviews\n* [http://www.solarreviews.com/news/solarreviews-weekly-review-2017-predictions-gigafactory-010917/ SolarReviews Weekly Review: States Push Trump to be Green, Predictions for 2017] - Solar Reviews\n* [http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/trump-should-deregulate-renewable-energy-instead-of-subsidizing-it/article/2615629 Trump should deregulate renewable energy instead of subsidizing it] - The Washington Examiner (circ:45k)\n* [http://web.archive.org/web/20171024102244/https://www.green-buildings.com/articles/can-plug-and-play-solar-systems-lead-way/ Can Plug-and-Play Solar Systems Lead the Way?] - Green Buildings\n* [http://www.detroitnews.com/story/opinion/editorials/2017/03/09/trump-regulations/98977566/ Editorial: U.S. should play by fewer rules] - The Detroit News\n* Gun Control: Milk and 9 Other Things That Are More Regulated Than Guns in America - [https://www.cheatsheet.com/money-career/gun-control-milk-other-things-more-regulated-guns-america.html/?a=viewall Cheat Sheet]\n\n{{Page data\n| license = CC-BY-SA-3.0\n| description = Plug-and-play solar PV in the U.S. is explained on Appropedia, highlighting easy setup, cost savings, and home energy benefits.\n}}\n\n[[Category:economics]]\n[[Category:Photovoltaics]]\n[[Category:Solar energy]]\n[[Category:MOST completed projects and publications]]"}