Latest news with #HB340
WIRED
03-05-2025
- Business
- WIRED
Why Balcony Solar Panels Haven't Taken Off in the US
May 3, 2025 7:00 AM In countries like Germany, balcony-mounted solar panels are all the rage. But from breaker-masking to voltage mismatches, America's grid isn't ready for it—yet. Photograph: Felix Kí¤stle/picture alliance via Getty Images This story originally appeared on Grist and is part of the Climate Desk collaboration. Raymond Ward wants to see solar panels draped over every balcony in the United States and doesn't understand why that isn't happening. The technology couldn't be easier to use—simply hang one or two panels over a railing and plug them into an outlet. The devices provide up to 800 watts, enough to charge a laptop or power a small fridge. They're popular in Germany, where everyone from renters to climate activists to gadget enthusiasts hail them as a cheap and easy way to generate electricity. Germans had registered more than 780,000 of the devices with the country's utility regulator as of December. They've installed millions more without telling the government. Here in the US, though, there is no market for balcony solar. Ward, a Republican state representative in Utah who learned about the tech last year, wants that to change. The way he sees it, this is an obvious solution to surging power demand. 'You look over there and say, 'Well, that's working,'' he told Grist. 'So what is it that stops us from having it here?' His colleagues agree. Last month, the legislature unanimously passed a bill he sponsored to boost the tech, and Republican governor Spencer Cox signed it. HB 340 exempts portable solar devices from state regulations that require owners of rooftop solar arrays and other power-generating systems to sign an interconnection agreement with their local utility. These deals, and other 'soft costs' like permits, can nearly double the price of going solar. Utah's law marks the nation's first significant step to remove barriers to balcony solar—but bigger obstacles remain. Regulations and standards governing electrical devices haven't kept pace with development of the technology, and it lacks essential approvals required for adoption—including compliance with the National Electrical Code and a product safety standard from Underwriters Laboratories. Nothing about the bill Ward wrote changes that: Utahans still can't install balcony solar because none of the systems have been nationally certified. These challenges will take time and effort to overcome, but they're not insurmountable, advocates of the technology said. Even now, a team of entrepreneurs and research scientists, backed by federal funding, are creating these standards. Their work mirrors what happened in Germany nearly a decade ago, when clean-energy advocates and companies began lobbying the country's electrical certification body to amend safety regulations to legalize balcony solar. In 2017, Verband der Elektrotechnik, or VDE, a German certification body that issues product and safety standards for electrical products, released the first guideline that allowed for balcony solar systems. While such systems existed before VDE took this step, the benchmark it established allowed manufacturers to sell them widely, creating a booming industry. 'Relentless individuals' were key to making that happen, said Christian Ofenheusle, the founder of EmpowerSource, a Berlin-based company that promotes balcony solar. Members of a German solar industry association spent years advocating for the technology and worked with VDE to carve a path toward standardizing balcony solar systems. The initial standard was followed by revised versions in 2018 and 2019 that further outlined technical requirements. The regulatory structure has continued to evolve. Ofenheusle has worked with other advocates to amend grid safety standards, create simple online registration for plug-in devices, and enshrine renters' right to balcony solar. Politicians supported such efforts because they see the tech easing the nation's reliance on Russian natural gas. Cities like Berlin and Munich have provided millions of euros in subsidies to help households buy these systems, and the country is creating a safety standard for batteries that can store the energy for later use. Balcony solar systems feature one or two small photovoltaic panels and a microinverter and generate enough power to charge a laptop or power a small fridge. Photograph:Meanwhile, the United States has yet to take the first step of creating a safety standard for the technology. US electrical guidelines don't account for the possibility of plugging a power-generating device into a household outlet. The nation also operates on a different system that precludes simply copying and pasting Germany's rules. The US grid, for example, operates at 120 volts, while that country's grid operates at 230 volts. Without proper standards, a balcony solar system could pose several hazards. One concern is a phenomenon called breaker masking. Within a home, a single circuit can provide power to several outlets. Each circuit is equipped with a circuit breaker, a safety device within the electrical panel that shuts off power if that circuit is overloaded, which happens when too many appliances try to draw too much electricity at the same time. That prevents overheating or a fire. When a balcony solar device sends power into a circuit while other appliances are drawing power from the circuit, the breaker can't detect that added power supply. If the circuit becomes overloaded—imagine turning on your TV while a space heater is running and you're charging your laptop, all in the same room—the circuit breaker might fail to activate. This was a concern in Germany, so it developed standards that limit balcony solar units to just 800 watts, about half the amount used by a hair dryer. That threshold is considered low enough that even in the country's oldest homes, the wiring can withstand the heating that occurs in even the worst of worst-case scenarios, said Sebastian Müller, chair of the German Balcony Solar Association, a consumer education and advocacy group. As a result, Ofenheusle said there haven't been any cases of breaker masking causing harm. In fact, with millions of the devices installed nationwide, Germany has yet to see any safety issues beyond a few cases where someone tampered with the devices to add a car battery or other unsuitable hardware, he said. Another issue in the US is the lack of a compatible safety device called a ground fault circuit interrupter, or a GFCI. They are typically built into outlets installed near water sources, like a sink, washing machine, or bathtub. They're designed to minimize the risk of electric shock by cutting off power when, for example, a hair dryer falls into a sink. Yet there are no certified GFCI outlets in the US designed for use with devices that consume power, like a blender, and those that generate it, like a balcony solar setup. Germany's equivalent of a GFCI, called a residual current device, can detect bidirectional power flows, said Andreas Schmitz, a mechanical engineer and YouTuber in Germany who makes videos about balcony solar. Some people have raised concerns about the shock risk of touching the metal prongs of a plug after unplugging a balcony solar device. German regulators accounted for that by requiring the microinverter—which converts currents from the panel into electricity fed into the home—shut down immediately in an outage or when it is suddenly unplugged. Most of them already have this feature, but any US standard will likely need to formalize that requirement. The lack of an Underwriters Laboratories (UL) standard is perhaps the biggest obstacle to the adoption of balcony solar. The company certifies the safety of thousands of household electrical products; according to Iowa State University, 'every light bulb, lamp, or outlet purchased in the US usually has a UL symbol and says UL Listed.' This assures customers that the product follows nationally recognized guidelines and can be used without the risk of a fire or shock. While some companies have sold plug-in solar devices in the US without a UL listing, the company's seal of approval typically is a prerequisite for selling products on the wider market. Consumers might be wary of using something that lacks its approval. Utah's new balcony solar policy, for example, specifies that the law applies only to UL-listed products. Achim Ginsberg-Klemmt, vice president of engineering at the plug-in solar startup GismoPower, has been working on creating such a standard for more than a year and a half. In 2023, the Department of Energy awarded his company a grant to work with UL to develop a standard. GismoPower sells a mobile carport with a roof of solar panels and an integrated electric vehicle charger. Unlike rooftop solar, the system doesn't need to be mounted in place but can be rolled onto a driveway and plugged in, generating electricity for the car, house, and the grid. 'We're basically taking rooftop solar to the next level' by making it portable and accessible for renters, Ginsberg-Klemmt said. The product is in use at pilot sites nationwide, though a lack of standardized rules for plug-in solar has forced the company to negotiate interconnection agreements with local utilities—a time-consuming and sometimes costly process. GismoPower's product avoids one of the biggest technical challenges with balcony solar by plugging into a dedicated 240-volt outlet, the kind typically used for dryers. Such an outlet serves a single appliance and uses a dedicated circuit, sidestepping the risk of overloading. But it runs headlong into the same obstacle of lacking a compatible UL standard. Ginsberg-Klemmt is working with researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, other entrepreneurs, and engineers at Underwriters Laboratories to develop such a standard, but it hasn't been easy. 'We have found so many roadblocks,' he told Grist. One major sticking point is that any standard must comply with the National Electrical Code, a set of guidelines for electrical wiring in buildings that does not allow for the installation of plug-in energy systems like balcony solar. The rules are issued by the National Fire Protection Association, a nonprofit trade association, and adopted on a state-by-state basis. The code is updated every three years, with the next iteration due later this year for the 2026 edition. Ginsberg-Klemmt and his working group submitted recommendations for amending the code to allow plug-in solar—and every one of them was rejected in October. Jeff Sargent, the National Fire Protection Association's staff liaison to the National Electrical Code committee, told Grist that this is the first time the organization had received public comments about plug-in solar systems. For now, it cannot consider amendments to allow their use until a compatible ground fault circuit interrupter exists, he said. Once that's available, he said, the association can ensure that outdoor outlets can be safely used for balcony solar. Electrical standards are constantly evolving, and it often takes more than one cycle of code changes to allow for new products, said Sargent. Ginsberg-Klemmt said his group will continue to pursue other avenues to amend the codes. Until that happens, a UL standard for plug-in solar is unlikely to go anywhere. But interest in plug-in energy solutions isn't going away, and decisionmakers will have to adjust to that reality eventually, Ward said. It happened in Germany, where people across the political spectrum have embraced the technology. Ward believes the same thing will happen here. The way he sees it, 'It's just a good thing if you set up a system so people have a way to take care of as much of their own problems as they can.'
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Georgia Senate approves bill to ban cell phones in elementary, middle schools
The Brief The Georgia Senate passed a bill banning cell phones at public elementary and middle schools, effective July 2026 if signed into law. The "Distraction-Free Education Act" aims to eliminate cell phone use by students in grades K-8 during school hours. Lawmakers, including Sen. Randy Robertson and Sen. Jason Esteves, expressed strong support, citing improved student performance and reduced disciplinary issues in districts with existing bans. ATLANTA - The Georgia Senate passed a bill Tuesday banning cell phones at all public elementary and middle schools. Marietta City School District, DeKalb County School District, and Atlanta Public Schools already require students to secure their phones in lockers or pouches during the school day. The "Distraction-Free Education Act" would ban the use of cell phones by Georgia public school students in grades K-8 during the school day. What they're saying Sen. Randy Robertson (R-Cataula) called cell phones "a serious cancer in our classroom." Democratic and Republican senators expressed overwhelming support for HB340. It passed by a near-unanimous vote. Sen. Jason Esteves (D-Atlanta) remarked that local school districts with cell phone bans "have seen remarkable success. They've reported higher grades for students, fewer disciplinary issues, and more engaged students." SEE ALSO: Kids with smartphones reported higher well-being than kids without, study finds What's next The bill now heads to Gov. Kemp's desk. If he signs the bill into law, it will take effect in July 2026. SEE ALSO: Georgia House advances bill to ban cellphones in K-8 classrooms statewide Marietta City Schools shares details on cellphone ban: 'It's created a community among students' Cellphone ban: DeKalb County Schools approves $400K for smartphone pouch pilot program The Source FOX 5's Deidra Dukes spoke to lawmakers on both sides of the aisle for this article.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
House bill would require DHR to notify parents under investigation for child abuse, neglect
Rep. Kenneth Paschal, R-Pelham, sits and listens to a public hearing on March 19, 2025, at the Alabama State House in Montgomery, Alabama. His bill, HB 340, requires the Department of Human Resources (DHR) to notify a guardian when and why they are being investigated, when it relates to child abuse and neglect. (Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector) A bill that would require the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) to notify parents who are under investigation for child abuse or neglect drew strong support and opposition in a House committee meeting Wednesday from law enforcement and DHR. HB 340, sponsored by Rep. Kenneth Paschal, R-Pelham, requires DHR to notify a guardian when and why they are being investigated when it relates to child abuse and neglect. It also allows the guardian to request records from the case. 'They'll have the right to be informed, the right to legal counsel, the right to allow the department into their home to speak with them, and also the right to not consent to the department to enter their home,' Paschal told the House Child and Senior Advocacy Committee Wednesday. Paschal said the bill does not prevent DHR from removing a child who is in immediate danger. The bill drew support from parents who alleged that their children were taken from their homes without reason, and opposition from DHR and law enforcement, who said it could compromise investigations of child abuse. Rich Chansey, the district attorney for Russell County, told the committee about a case where a child was sexually abused by her stepfather. In one interview with the victim, Chansey said, she explicitly recalled what happened to her. In another interview, separated by time with her mother and stepfather, she said it was all a dream and never happened. 'The interviewer asked how she knew she dreamed it. She said that it was because mom and stepdad came together as a family and told her that stepdad would not do that and that these were horrible dreams this child was having,' he said. 'You all know there is no way that this child could dream such explicit dreams having not experienced those events herself.' Huey Mack, executive director of the Alabama Sheriffs Association and a former Baldwin County sheriff, echoed Chansey. He said the bill could prevent justice for abused children. 'Timing and coordination are paramount in these cases,' he said. 'In its present form, the bill could impede criminal investigation by adding additional layers of potential suspect notification before a thorough and comprehensive review of an alleged criminal act can be conducted.' Terri LaPoint, a mom and author of 'Voices That Will Not Be Silenced,' said it would prevent children wrongfully taken from their families from having unnecessary trauma. 'The result of Child Protective Services and DHR taking children is traumatic. The results can be lifelong, that separation from their families,' she said. 'HB 340 actually protects children from unnecessary trauma.' Lisa Bise, a mom from Cullman County and former employee of Court Appointed Special Advocates, said kids can be removed from their homes for nothing. 'Yes, there are cases where children are abused and need to be taken. But there are also cases where children aren't abused and don't need to be taken,' she said. Nancy Buckner, the commissioner of DHR, said that nearly 80% of reported abuse cases come from the hands of the child's parent or stepparent. She showed members of the committee photos of four children who had been abused by their parents. She said that the bill would create unnecessary loopholes that would lead to abused children not getting the care they need. 'One of those babies in the photos didn't make it,' she said. 'If I could save the life of one of these children by dealing with DHR, law enforcement and the court system, it would be worth it.' She said a lot of cases do not get reported. 'Just because there isn't an indicated report doesn't mean it didn't happen,' Buckner said. Lynn Bius, state executive director of the Alabama Network of Children Advocacy Centers, said that, nationally, 90% of offenders are caretakers. Bius said the legislation will make it harder to remove children from abusive homes and give law enforcement and DHR unnecessary obstacles. 'We know that the legal system is behind, and stays behind,' Bius said. 'You'd be leaving children in these homes where perpetrators know exactly what they've said.' Dee Prince, a grandmother from Shelby County, said her grandchildren were wrongfully taken from her care and were physically and sexually abused in their respective foster homes. 'They were not abused in my home, in my care,' she said. After the public hearing, Paschal gave his contact information to all of the speakers saying that he wanted to sit down with all of them to make the legislation better. The committee did not vote on the bill Wednesday. Rep. Ginny Shaver, R-Leesburg, did not say when the committee might take the legislation up again.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Potential statewide cell phone ban moves past House of Representatives
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — Georgia is following in the footsteps of at least eight other states, including South Carolina by trying to ban cell phones in classrooms. It will require all public schools K-8 to remove electronic devices from children during school hours. House Bill 340 is called the distraction-free education act, or 'bell to bell no cell.' If it passes through the Senate over a million children's 2026 school year will look a lot different. 'With cell phones in schools are not able to learn, it's a huge distraction. The data shows kids are spending almost 90 minutes on their phones during the school day receiving up to 237 notifications on their phone, and it's become a real issue,' said State Representative for the 48th district of GA Scott Hilton. Thats why he is one of many sponsoring the bill. He said that as a parent himself the ban will ensure children get used to a distraction-free learning environment at a young age. 'Those schools that have done this thus far have absolutely transformed. Kids are engaging, they're socializing,' Hilton said. 'The academic performance has gone up. Public safety is increased, fewer fights, fewer bullying.' Superintendent of Savannah-Chatham County public schools Denise Watts explained that many schools in the district have already adopted a no cell phone policy. She said the potential new law will cause consistency across the district. 'Our current policy allows each school to handle their own way to manage cell phones, and we have some schools that are already probably ahead of the curve with the state and how they manage cell phones and others that are not,' said Watts. 'I think that guidance will bring some consistency across the board.'Georgia is following in the footsteps of at least eight other states, including South Carolina by trying to ban cell phones in classrooms. Bryan County parent Savannah Kelly said she is in full support of HB 340. Her kids are only five and seven, and they don't have smart phones, but she said she's worried about what they are already getting exposed to from their classmates. 'There's just certain things that I feel like if they were eliminating smartphones in schools, our kids just simply wouldn't have the access that they have today,' Kelly said. 'You know, I don't really care about a $35 Stanley cup. It's more of like the demonic things, the games that have predators who are trafficking children.' Limiting screen time among young people could have another important effect. Helping suicide rates amongst our adolescents decrease. Since 2007 which is when the first iPhone was created suicide rates have tripled amongst children ages 10-14. The same age groups this bill directly affects. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
