Power Shift is Ellyn Lapointe’s ongoing Gizmodo series that explores advancements in green technology, with a focus on renewable energy, grid modernization, and emissions reduction.

Amid surging energy demand from AI data centers, costly efforts to upgrade the aging power grid, and tightened global gas supplies, electric bills are skyrocketing across the United States. As Americans try to cut costs, an affordable DIY solution first popularized in Europe is now sweeping the nation.

Plug-in solar, also known as “balcony solar,” is exactly what it sounds like: compact solar energy systems that plug right into a wall outlet to supplement your home’s energy supply. Despite the nickname, these systems don’t have to run on a balcony. They can work anywhere sunlight is available, from your back patio to the roof of your garden shed. They’re significantly more affordable than large rooftop solar systems, and while they don’t generate as much energy, they can still take a big chunk out of your electric bill.

Just ask Ben Paulos. He’s a researcher with the Clean Energy States Alliance who set up plug-in solar at his home in Berkeley, California, as part of his research. It generates about 150 kilowatt hours of electricity per month, which is roughly 17% of the average American household’s monthly energy consumption, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Paulos built his own 900-watt plug-in solar system for about 65 cents per watt. That’s generally more affordable than purchasing an off-the-shelf system in the United States.

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