Connecticut’s new solar law is better than nothing

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont has signed a new law aimed at boosting solar power in the state. It extends the state's solar incentive programs for homes, businesses, and community solar projects past their previous end date of late 2027, though the details of the new programs still need to be worked out by state regulators, with implementation planned for 2028. The law also allows plug-in solar setups (small panels that connect directly to an outlet) and requires towns to speed up and simplify the approval process for residential solar installations.

For homeowners, one notable change involves solar paired with battery storage. The law sets an $85 million annual spending cap across the residential, commercial, and community solar programs, but systems that include storage and are found to benefit all of the state's utility customers won't count against that cap. That carve-out could make battery-backed solar systems a more attractive option going forward.

Some parts of the law are less favorable to solar development. Two towns, East Windsor and Enfield, got a one-year pause on new solar farms, and industry groups worry this signals that state rules could shift unpredictably. There's also broader uncertainty hanging over Connecticut's solar market: a major utility, Eversource, recently backed out of contracts for several large solar projects, citing unclear state policy direction, and turnover among state energy officials adds to the uncertainty. Homeowners considering solar may want to watch how state regulators shape the successor incentive programs over the next couple of years, since those details will determine what support looks like after 2027.