Six ways apartment
renters actually
lower their bill.
Not LED bulbs. Not shorter showers. Six strategies that meaningfully reduce your electricity bill - without installation, without a landlord, and without spending thousands of dollars.
Most "energy saving tips for renters" articles tell you to unplug your charger and take shorter showers. That saves $8 per year.
Sol Country's analysis of real renter energy data shows the six strategies that actually move the needle - most of which the average renter has never heard of.
Some are free. Some cost under $200. None require installation or landlord permission.
Renting? Here's the order to do it in.
Start Here is the seven-step plan, filtered for renters — no landlord permission needed for the first three.
The Renter Energy Starter Kit: Four Steps in Order of Payback.
You do not need to own your home, wait for a law to pass, or get landlord permission for any of these. They work in every state, in every apartment, starting this week. Listed in order of fastest financial payback to slowest.
ELIMINATE PHANTOM LOAD
Smart plugs with energy monitoring let you see exactly what each device costs and cut power to anything you are not using with a single tap.
UPGRADE YOUR THERMOSTAT
Ecobee and Nest both carry the Energy Star Most Efficient designation for 2026 — the highest efficiency tier, above standard Energy Star certification.
Many utilities offer $50-$100 rebates on smart thermostats. Check with your utility before buying — you may pay very little out of pocket.
Important for renters: replacing a thermostat is a standard maintenance task in most states that does not require landlord permission. You are replacing a thermostat with another thermostat, not making a structural modification. When you move out, swap the old one back in and take the Ecobee with you.
SUBSCRIBE TO COMMUNITY SOLAR
Savings appear as a line item on your existing utility bill. Most subscriptions are month-to-month or have short cancellation windows.
ADD BALCONY SOLAR (WHEN YOUR STATE ALLOWS IT)
If your state has already signed, you can start now. If not, Steps 1-3 above save you real money today while you wait.
Combined Starter Kit Savings
Community Solar
Community solar lets you subscribe to a local solar farm and receive credits on your existing electricity bill - without installing anything.
Your utility bill splits into two parts: distribution (Xcel, Eversource etc.) and supply (your solar farm). You pay less overall.
No panels. No installation. No permits. Cancel anytime. Works in 44 states.
Available in 44 states · No installation
Balcony Solar
Balcony solar panels plug into your standard wall outlet and immediately start reducing your electricity bill. Your meter slows down. Your bill drops. No electrician. No permits. No landlord permission in states with laws.
As of June 2026 balcony solar is legal in Colorado, Maryland, Maine, Virginia, Utah, Connecticut, and Vermont - with New Hampshire and New York awaiting governor signatures.
Smart Thermostat
HVAC accounts for 40-50% of the average apartment's electricity bill. A smart thermostat automates your heating and cooling schedule - reducing waste when you're not home and pre-conditioning before you return. Most renters save $150-300 per year from a single device.
All three recommendations below work without a hub and install in under 30 minutes. You can take them when you move.
All qualify for HEAR rebates in participating states.
See smart thermostat rebates →Energy Monitor
Most renters have no idea what's using their electricity. A home energy monitor installs in your breaker panel and shows every circuit in real time - so you can find the second fridge in your garage that costs $200/year, the gaming console that never fully turns off, and the HVAC that runs longer than it should.
The average household that installs an energy monitor reduces their bill by 10-15% within the first three months.
Bill Assistance Programs
Federal and state programs reduce electricity bills for qualifying renters - for free. Many renters who qualify never apply because they don't know these programs exist.
LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) alone helps 6 million households per year. If your income is under 150% of the federal poverty level you likely qualify.
Sol Country checks your eligibility automatically when you run Find My Power.
Demand Response - Earn Money From The Grid
Most renters pay the grid. OhmConnect pays you to reduce your usage during peak demand events - usually hot summer afternoons when the grid is stressed. You get an alert an hour before. Reduce your usage for 1-2 hours. Earn OhmHours redeemable for cash via PayPal.
No hardware. No installation. Works in Texas, California, and New York. Average renter earns $100-300+ per year doing almost nothing.
Free to join · TX, CA, NY only
Which one is right for you?
| Strategy | Cost | Annual Savings | Available | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community Solar | $0 | $72-216/yr | 44 states | Everyone |
| Balcony Solar | $199-900 | $38-230/yr | 8 states + growing | Renters in legal states |
| Smart Thermostat | $59-249 | $150-300/yr | All 50 states | Anyone with HVAC |
| Energy Monitor | $200-299 | 10-15% of bill | All 50 states | Homeowners + renters |
| Bill Assistance | Free | Varies | All 50 states | Income-qualifying renters |
| Demand Response | Free | $100-300+/yr | TX · CA · NY | TX/CA/NY renters |
Find out which of these
apply to your apartment.
Sol Country checks all six strategies for your specific address - in 30 seconds. Some you can start today.
Find my options →