Solar Power for Apartment Renters is Possible! 

Even if you live in an apartment building, you might be able to tap into the power of the sun for your electricity. Here are a few options.

Jesse lives in New York City and has a question that comes up more often than not. 

“My smallish apartment in NYC gets great southern exposure in the months leading up to and through the winter. Hours of sunlight!! I imagine putting solar panels inside to capture and store energy. What are my consumer-end options?,” he asked on a board dedicated for solar power system questions. 

First the bad news - no, as a renter, legally you can’t install solar panels inside the apartment or on top of the apartment building on your own accord, since this is not your property to modify.

Also, as one responder noted, “by the time the sun comes through your glass windows, and onto your panels, you have lost a lot of power, it's not worth doing at that point.”

In addition, “you will have to pass electrical inspection, meaning you have to wire panels into the electrical panel, and that can't be done in an apartment,” another expert noted on the message board.

Now for the good news. Solar energy for apartment renters is possible, given a few caveats. 

Convince your landlord

You might want to start talking with the landlord and try to convince him as to the value of placing solar panels on the roof of the building. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find another fan of solar power. One ace up your sleeve is that several studies show that properties featuring solar power system typically sell for more than counterparts without it.

Kirk Williamson, a commercial sales professional for eight years, responded on a message board regarding this issue with this explanation.

“The apartment building owner would make the decision to have solar incorporated on the building asset and then would have the choice, depending on the local and regional utility regulations, to either have the energy generated net out a portion of electricity borne by the apartment owner, i.e. security equipment, outdoor lighting, etc., or pass on the energy generated to the tenants of the apartment building in exchange for increased rent or other considerations that would be amended or represented in the lease.”

At least in California this won’t be an issue in the near future. In December, the California Energy Commission approved a measure requiring solar panels on all new homes and low-rise apartment buildings starting in 2020.

But developers are also seeing the value and savings offered by sunlight power. 

A Minnesota real-estate developer recently completed a multi-family solar project consisting of more than 1,400 panels installed on 55 townhouses, a clubhouse and a five-story apartment building. The amenity is expected to attract enthusiastic renters to the community.

One innovative company also developed a solar canopy designed specifically for the flat rooftops in New York City.

If you don’t convince the landlord, then something else to consider is to think small. You can start by using a solar charger, which you set under the sun and plug into a phone/tablet or other small electronics. It’s an inexpensive and still environmentally friendly way of doing your part for the planet.

Also, start saving energy in other ways. The government offers several tips for renters.

Portable solar panels

You can also find a small portable solar panel and place it on a windowsill. Your system won’t produce as much as a multi-solar panel array, but you’ll still be generating electricity.
Renters don’t need permission from their landlords to place things there and you’re not altering the building. This might also work if you have a balcony or patio. You probably won’t be able to accommodate a large solar panel there, so go for one of about 30-50 watts, which are smaller. You can place them vertically, but if you can tilt them, that’s best, and be sure they’re facing the south for maximum sun exposure. Don’t forget to attach the solar panels to the surface where you’re putting them, or else they might be blown away.

However, you will need to buy a few additional items for this work: a sealed battery you can place inside the apartment to store the energy being generated for later use; an inverter to convert the electricity from DC to AC, so you can use it; a charge controller which prevents the solar panel from overcharging the battery and wiring to connect it all together. 

Community solar

If you’re not convinced by the options above, another way to go is through a community solar project. This is a large solar array located near your apartment that is maintained and managed by a company and the electricity produced is sold to the surrounding community.

Payment comes in a couple of different ways. One is a subscription service and requires a monthly premium, or you may own individual panels in the array. When you receive your electricity bill every month, you should see a credit for the power generated by your community solar panels.

These projects are gaining popularity in many urban and rural areas. 

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