The Pew Charitable Trusts

Rule Changes

Published the 50-state analysis that this story summarizes

Twenty-two US states now let a homeowner build a small second house in the backyard without a special permit. Four states passed such laws in 2026, and three more loosened rules they already had.

Updated 2 hours ago

Rule Changes

As of May 2026: Author of distributed-energy roadmap and State Policy Explorer

For most of the twentieth century the U.S. power grid moved electricity in one direction: from large central plants to homes and businesses. A Pew Charitable Trusts report released April 28 documents how twelve states and Puerto Rico have now written rules letting aggregated rooftops, batteries, water heaters, and thermostats be dispatched together as a single power plant. The category is called a virtual power plant, or VPP, and for the first time, it's moving from utility pilots into mainstream state regulation.

Updated May 31