🌐 Energy Generation Cluster: Plug-in Solar 101, Live Demo, & Deep Dive Q&A
In Germany, more than a million households make their own electricity from a few panels on a balcony, a fence, or a deck. No roof, no electrician, no permit. You just plug it into an outlet.
But in California, that is still not legal. On August 25, SB 868, the Plug and Play Solar Act, passed the California Assembly and Governor Newsom has until September 30 to sign it. Learn about this crucial climate tool and where it stands today.
Bright Saver co-founder Rupert Mayer will demo and walk through what plug-in solar actually is, what it costs, and where the technology stands today. He will take the misconceptions head on: whether it backfeeds dangerously into the grid, whether it needs a permit or an electrician, whether the savings are real, and why the US is a decade behind Europe on a product that starts around $300.
We'll cover California specifics, what SB 868 does and does not allow, the 1,200 watt cap, what happens next, and what actually changes for households if the law is passed.
Schedule
5:00 Doors open and welcome
5:30 Presentation: plug-in solar basics, the current landscape, and what Bright Saver is building
6:00 Live Demo and Q&A with Rupert
6:30 Continued Q&A with the Bright Saver team
Coffee, tea, and water provided.
Can't make it, but want to be part of the fight?
Join at brightsaver.org/membership and use code TOGETHER for 15% off your first year.
About Rupert Mayer: Co-Founder and Technical Director of Bright Saver. Co-author of Democratizing Solar, written with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Vote Solar. Previously founded IPfolio, an IP management platform used by Tesla, Google, and Airbnb, and sold it in 2019. Berkeley Haas EMBA '26.
About Bright Saver: Bright Saver is a nonprofit that sells solar hardware at exactly what it costs, itemized to the cent, funded by a $29 annual membership instead of markup. Think Costco meets AARP: turn household savings into political power, use that power to change the rules, and let better rules lower the cost for the next household. Nine states in eighteen months.
This is a 🌐 9Zero Cluster Meetup, topic-specific groups led by subject matter experts. With digital tools and in-person meetups, they help 9Zero members build relationships with leaders in their space.
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