Coming Soon — Minnesota is considering plug-in solar legislation

Not specifically authorized yet. Minnesota law doesn't have a carve-out exempting small plug-in/balcony solar devices from standard interconnection and net metering rules, so technically any grid-tied device -- regardless of wattage -- falls under Xcel Energy's normal Level 1 interconnection process. A bill (HF3555/SF3873) to create a specific exemption for UL-certified plug-in solar was introduced in the 2025-2026 session but remains pending.

Generally no for homeowners. Minn. Stat. § 500.216 (effective 2023) prohibits HOAs from banning solar energy systems outright on single-family homes and certain owner-occupied multi-family properties, though they can impose reasonable placement rules within defined limits. This law wasn't written with plug-in/balcony devices specifically in mind, and renters in typical association-maintained buildings aren't clearly covered.

Yes. Xcel Energy provides net metering for systems up to 120% of a customer's annual electricity usage, with most residential installs falling under the simplified 'Level 1' (<10kW) interconnection tier -- though this still requires an application, inspection, and bidirectional meter.

Minnesota's solar potential is better than many people expect -- long summer daylight hours and cool temperatures (which improve panel efficiency) help offset its northern latitude, making rooftop and balcony solar a realistic supplement to grid power for much of the year.

It depends on the fate of HF3555/SF3873, introduced in the 2025-2026 legislative session to define 'plug-in solar photovoltaic devices' (up to 1,200W) and exempt UL-certified units from utility interconnection agreements and fees. As of mid-2026 the bill was still in committee, having drawn both support and safety-related questions, with no enacted law yet.