In deregulated markets, electricity has become a commodity. Across 18 deregulated states, over 20 million homes have already switched to a competitive retail energy provider — meaning the market is active, but so is the competition. Customers switch for a $10/month savings and switch back when a competitor offers $8/month.
According to industry benchmarking research (Arthur D. Little, KPMG), acquisition costs typically represent 25–30% of total retail energy costs — and as price competition intensifies, churn rates rise and margins compress.
The answer isn't a better rate. It's a better product.
Six reasons why plug-in solar is worth exploring as part of your product strategy — informed by market context and European analogues.
A bundled plug-in solar product gives customers a tangible, physical reason to choose your plan over a commodity rate. Unlike price-based offers, a solar bundle could create a stickier customer relationship from day one.
A physical solar asset in the home creates natural switching friction that a rate lock cannot replicate. European energy retailers who have bundled solar products report meaningfully lower churn — the US market may follow a similar pattern.
In markets with time-of-use pricing, solar self-consumption during peak windows could generate measurable bill savings for customers — and potentially a new margin stream for REPs who structure it correctly.
Aggregated distributed solar and battery assets could qualify for capacity market participation in PJM, ERCOT, and NYISO. Capacity payments in these markets are real and growing — the aggregation model is being explored by several energy retailers.
Plug-in solar is the only solar product accessible to renters and apartment dwellers — a segment that rooftop solar cannot reach. As state legislation expands, this market will grow rapidly.
State plug-in solar legislation creates a mandate for utilities and REPs to accommodate these systems. REPs who build a plug-in solar product now will be positioned as the preferred provider when laws pass.
These 14 states sit at the intersection of retail electricity choice and active plug-in solar legislation — your highest-priority markets.
No state plug-in solar law (high consumer demand)
10.5M residential switched
S 8512 / A 9111 — active 2026
1.1M residential switched
SB 3104 / HB 4371 / HB 4516 — active 2026
1.65M residential switched
HB 1971 — active 2026
1.95M residential switched
H 4744 / H 5151 — active 2026
600K residential switched
S 2368 / S 688 — active 2026
580K residential switched
HB 755 — active 2026
2.6M residential switched
HB 5340 — active 2026
260K residential switched
HB 1532 (Utility RELIEF Act) — ✅ Signed May 12, 2026 (Ch. 353, effective immediately)
370K residential switched
SB 540-FN — active 2026
155K residential switched
HB 395 — ✅ Signed April 22, 2026 (Chapter 1052, effective July 1, 2026)
~5K switched (growing market)
LD 1730 — ✅ Signed April 6, 2026 (effective July 2026)
95K residential switched
SB 270 — active 2026
30K residential switched
H 7269 / S 2658 — active 2026
85K residential switched
Combined market: 14 states · 20M+ residential customers who have already switched providers · 24 active plug-in solar bills creating new demand in 2026. View full state tracker →
* "Residential switched" = estimated number of residential electricity customers who have actively chosen a retail energy provider (REP) in that state's deregulated market. Source: PUCT, EIA, and state PUC data.
These are conceptual models worth exploring — not a defined product offering. We're interested in talking with REPs who want to think through what plug-in solar could look like in their portfolio.
Include plug-in solar hardware or a hardware subsidy as part of a premium energy plan. Customers get a tangible product; you get a differentiated plan that's harder to compare on price alone.
Partner with plug-in solar retailers to offer exclusive discounts to your customers. Low operational overhead — you provide the audience, they handle fulfillment.
Design time-of-use rate plans specifically optimized for plug-in solar customers. The solar system naturally shifts consumption to off-peak hours, making your TOU plan more attractive and sticky.
Explore enrolling customer-owned battery storage in demand response programs. This is an emerging model — regulatory frameworks are still developing, but early positioning could be valuable.
Interested in exploring what plug-in solar could mean for your portfolio? Let's start a conversation.
Get in TouchEnter your portfolio parameters to estimate the potential annual value of a 5% solar bundle adoption rate across four value streams.
Key assumption: All four streams are modeled at a 5% solar bundle adoption rate across your residential base. Adjust inputs to reflect your market — results are illustrative projections, not guaranteed outcomes.
The German market data is sourced from Bundesnetzagentur. The US scenarios are illustrative projections modeled on European analogues — not real case studies.
Germany's Balkonkraftwerk (balcony power plant) market registered ~435,000 new plug-in systems in 2024 alone, crossing 1 million total installations by mid-2025 (Bundesnetzagentur, Jan 2025; Warp News, Jul 2025). Multiple hardware manufacturers have launched dedicated EU balcony solar product lines to serve this market. The US market is at an earlier stage, but the European trajectory offers a directional reference for what adoption could look like.
Source: Bundesnetzagentur (Federal Network Agency), Jan 2025 press release: ~435,000 new plug-in systems registered in 2024; total exceeds 1M by mid-2025 (Warp News, Jul 2025)
If a mid-size Texas REP bundled plug-in solar with apartment-dwelling customers, churn could potentially decrease as the physical asset creates switching friction. This is a directional hypothesis based on hardware-bundle economics — the magnitude of any effect in the US market is not yet established.
Source: Illustrative scenario based on European market analogues (not a real case study)
A northeast REP aggregating distributed plug-in solar and battery assets could potentially participate in PJM or NYISO capacity markets. Capacity payments in these markets are real and growing — but the regulatory pathway for distributed plug-in solar aggregation is still developing. This is a directional opportunity worth monitoring.
Source: Illustrative scenario based on PJM/NYISO capacity market data (not a real case study)
In-depth analysis for energy executives. Both whitepapers are free to read online — enter your work email to receive a direct link and join our REP briefing list.
Retail Energy Provider Partnership
As plug-in solar legislation expands across the US, retail energy providers have an early opportunity to explore what a solar bundle could mean for their portfolio. We're talking with REPs who want to think through the opportunity — no commitment required.