The short answer
Yes, through plug-in solar. Panels bracket to a railing or stand on a patio, connect through a normal outlet, and leave nothing behind when you go. Nothing is drilled into the building and nothing is wired into the panel.
Why rooftop is not an option
A rooftop system is a permanent alteration to someone else’s property, financed over decades and claimed against tax credits by the owner. None of that works for a tenant, which is why renters were locked out of solar entirely until plug-in kits arrived.
Talking to a landlord
You may not need permission at all if the kit is freestanding on a patio and plugs into an existing outdoor socket. If it mounts to a railing, ask — and lead with the points that matter to them:
- Nothing is drilled, screwed or wired into the structure.
- It removes in minutes and leaves no marks.
- It connects through an existing outlet, with no electrical work.
- You are paying for it, and taking it with you.
Get it in writing. Even a short email confirming the landlord is content avoids an argument at the end of a tenancy. Keep the original brackets and fixings so you can restore the railing exactly.
What you will save
Realistically, a dent rather than an erasure. A one or two panel kit offsets background daytime draw. If you are out all day on cheap power, the maths is poor. If you work from home on an expensive tariff, it is decent.
The other option: a power station
If your goal is backup rather than savings, a portable power station needs no permission at all, and folding panels charge it from a balcony without mounting anything.