The Case of the Missing Opportunity
The telegraph arrived at 221B Baker Street just as Detective Sharon Ourwatts sipped her morning tea. "Please Help! More generation needed. Urgent!" The startling message was signed: Wes Consin.
Solving energy mysteries is Sharon’s specialty. She gobbled the last of her crumpet and soon found herself on a train to Germany in search of clean electrical generation for this Mr. Consin. Sharon had heard rumors about a relatively new technology that ordinary folks can use to both save money and to contribute clean, renewable energy to power grids. Speeding through the bucolic countryside, she combed the internet for clues.
Ms. Ourwatts debarked at a huge apartment complex. And there it was! From the balconies of all but a few of the apartments hung solar panels. "What the …? How can renters be using solar? It’s not like they own their places," she murmured.
A kindly gentleman noticed Sharon staring in disbelief. "Ya! Quite a sight, no? Sit! Let me tell you." Heir S. DaScoop ushered her to a seat on his bench and explained that for many folks, especially renters, solar panels used to feel like they’re meant for someone else. But Europe now permits the use of "plug-in" solar panels. These panels literally plug into a standard outlet and feed power back into a household’s electrical system. So third-floor apartment dwellers have the same chance to lower their electricity bill as homeowners with a south-facing roof.
Units range from a few hundred dollars for a single 400-watt panel-typically about six feet tall-to more than $2,000 for a multi-panel 1,200-watt setup. After upfront costs are recovered, these systems can save households hundreds of dollars a year on electricity. Plug-ins are widespread throughout Europe. In Germany alone, since late 2024, more than 1 million units have been installed.
There was no time to lose. Detective Ourwatts had a hunch she’s find the mysterious Mr. Consin somewhere in the upper Midwest. On her flight to the U.S. she learned that more than two dozen states are considering legislation to permit solar plug-ins.
On a frozen wind-swept lake, Sharon finally spotted Wes Consin seated on a down-turned bucket jigging for panfish. "Mr. Consin, it’s time your state steps up with solar plug-in permitting so everyone can access clean affordable energy here on our only home where we’re all forever … Earthbound."
More at foreverearthbound.net or purchase the book Because We’re All Forever Earthbound at littlecreekpress.com