Plug in.Point up.Power on

Manitoba knows how to make electricity from water. A small solar kit would let more households make a little from the sunshine reaching their own balcony or wall. In a province already powered largely by hydro, the case for plug-in solar starts with giving more people that choice.

A plug-in solar kit uses small panels to make electricity for your home. A device called a microinverter converts that power for use in your home's wiring. Kits can mount on a balcony, a wall or a railing and connect through a regular wall outlet. Germany has more than a million of them. We're working to make certified kits an option here.

A small plug-in kit needs a simpler approval route than a full rooftop installation. That matters for people with a balcony but no roof of their own. Manitoba's utilities board has also raised concerns about households struggling with electricity bills. Any savings from a kit would depend on its cost, location and use.

We're asking Manitoba Hydro and the province to create a simple route for certified plug-in solar. More households should have the choice to make some electricity at home, including renters and people in apartments. Add your name to support that change.