An act relating to plug-in photovoltaic devices

Tenant/landlord provision changed from requiring landlord permission (with right to deny) to a notice-based system: tenant gives 10 days notice, landlord may only impose reasonable restrictions such as requiring the tenant to pay for electrical work and hire a licensed electrician, and if the landlord does not respond within 10 days the tenant may proceed with installation. A landlord cannot be compelled to perform or pay for electrical work.

Removed the requirement that the Public Utility Commission develop a simple notification form (including customer name, contact info, address, utility, and meter number) by September 10, 2026, available online and in printable form, which electric distribution companies could require customers to submit after installation.

Added explicit language that a compliant plug-in photovoltaic device 'shall not otherwise be subject to the jurisdiction of the Public Utility Commission,' broadening the exemption beyond just section 248 compliance and interconnection agreements.

Removed an amendment to 9 V.S.A. section 2795 that would have updated minimum efficiency standards for electric motors by referencing a federal final rule signed January 8, 2025 ('Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Expanded Scope Electric Motors'), excluding motors incorporated into products already subject to federal standards under 10 C.F.R. sections 430 or 431.

Terminology standardized from 'portable solar energy generation device' to 'plug-in photovoltaic device' throughout the bill, and the definition no longer includes the 'movable' qualifier or the 1,200-watt maximum power output as part of the definition itself (the wattage limit is retained in the installation provision).

Added standard legislative header elements: list of sponsoring senators, committee referral (Natural Resources and Energy), introduction date (January 6, 2026), subject classification, and a statement of purpose summarizing the bill's intent.

The official document now includes the full as-introduced version of the bill text alongside the as-passed version, which is standard for official legislative documents but was absent from the unofficial version.

Header changed from 'AS PASSED BY SENATE' to 'BILL AS INTRODUCED AND PASSED BY SENATE' and page count updated from 4 to 6 pages to reflect the added content.

The term 'portable solar energy generation device' was replaced with 'plug-in photovoltaic device' throughout the bill. The definition dropped the word 'movable,' removed the 1,200-watt output cap from the definition itself (it remains in Section 2), removed the 'intended primarily to offset part of the customer's electricity consumption' language, and added a requirement that devices comply with UL 3700 and IEEE 1547-2018 using default performance profiles set by regional transmission operators.

A new requirement was added in Section 2(a): customers must ensure a plug-in photovoltaic device is 'temporarily but securely attached to the ground or a structure.'

Section 2(b) now explicitly states that compliant installations 'shall not otherwise be subject to the jurisdiction of the Public Utility Commission,' broadening the exemption beyond just section 248 compliance and interconnection agreements.

A new Section 5 amends 9 V.S.A. section 2795 to update the baseline date for federal energy efficiency and water conservation standards from January 19, 2017 to January 19, 2025. This is an unrelated provision that updates which version of 10 C.F.R. sections 430 and 431 Vermont adopts as its minimum standards.

A new subsection (d) allows electric distribution companies to recover costs associated with overloading of service caused by plug-in photovoltaic devices, giving utilities a cost-recovery mechanism that was absent in the Senate version.

A new subsection (g) establishes tenant/landlord rules: tenants must give 10 days' notice before installing; landlords have 10 days to respond with reasonable restrictions (including requiring the tenant to pay for electrical work and hire a licensed electrician); if the landlord does not respond, the tenant may proceed. Landlords cannot be compelled to perform or pay for electrical work.

Section 2(a) changed 'maximum combined capacity' to 'maximum combined inverter capacity,' using a more precise technical term for the 1,200-watt limit.

The definition of 'portable solar energy generation device' was narrowed: the 1,200 watt limit and the 'intended primarily to offset part of the customer's electricity consumption' language were removed from the definition itself. The UL certification requirement was made more specific, now requiring compliance with UL 3700 for plug-in photovoltaic systems rather than general UL or NRTL certification.

A new smart meter requirement was added: portable solar energy generation devices may only be connected to systems using smart meters. This is a significant practical barrier since not all Vermont customers have smart meters installed.

The requirement for the Public Utility Commission to develop a customer notification form by September 10, 2026 was entirely removed from the bill.

The 1,200 watt limit was moved from the definition into Section 256(a) and clarified to apply as a maximum combined capacity per electric meter, meaning multiple devices can be used as long as their total does not exceed 1,200 watts.

The net metering exclusion was substantially expanded. The passed version now prohibits a customer with an existing net metering system from also installing a portable solar device, and explicitly states that excess generation fed back to the grid will not be compensated by the utility.

A new Section 3 (24 V.S.A. 4413(g)) was added prohibiting municipalities from adopting bylaws that regulate or prohibit the installation of portable solar energy generation devices or solar devices on flat roofs, and from banning solar collectors or other renewable energy devices based on appearance.

A new Section 4 (27 V.S.A. 544) was added prohibiting deed restrictions, covenants, and similar binding agreements from preventing installation of portable solar energy generation devices or other solar collectors. It includes a legislative intent statement and an exception for patio railings in condominiums, cooperatives, or apartments (though portable solar devices are still permitted there).