Let Smart Cities Dive’s free newsletter keep you informed, straight from your inbox.
Permitting delays, inconsistent inspections and local utility rules add thousands to rooftop solar costs, pushing installers to avoid certain jurisdictions. Cities can fix that, a new report says.
Some U.S. cities are pricing residents out of rooftop solar through slow, complex permitting processes that can add up to $7,000 to the cost of installing residential systems, a new report from Environment America Research & Policy Center and Frontier Group found.
Though residential solar can reduce electricity bills by more than 80%, “the savings of rooftop solar are out of reach for many because of costly red tape,” Nick Josefowitz, founder and chief executive of nonprofit advocacy group Permit Power, said in a statement.
City-level decisions often determine whether installing solar is fast and affordable or slow and expensive — and installers are responding accordingly. Many avoid jurisdictions with slow or unpredictable permitting, according to National Renewable Energy Laboratory survey data.
Local governments can control several of the friction points that directly affect solar project timelines and costs, including permitting and review complexity and inspection bottlenecks, the Solar Permitting Scorecard states.
Cities can lower costs and increase solar adoption using seven primary levers.
The Solar Permitting Scorecard graded every U.S. state on whether its permitting and inspection policies help streamline or stall residential solar installations. California and Texas received Bs, New Jersey and Colorado received Cs, and all other states were given Ds or Fs. California and New Jersey have passed legislation that requires local governments to offer instant permits for home solar and battery systems, according to the report.
“This report makes it clear: cutting solar permitting red tape is a low-cost way to help families lower their electricity bills,” New Jersey Sen. John McKeon and State Assemblyman Robert Karabinchak said in a joint statement. “Through unanimous bipartisan legislative action, New Jersey passed practical reforms that save time and money for homeowners, installers, and local governments. This is one of the most immediate, low-cost steps states can take to deliver real ratepayer relief while strengthening the grid.”
“This scorecard highlights that too many states are still stuck in slow, outdated processes that raise costs for families,” California State Sen. Scott Wiener said in a statement. “California is leading on implementation, and we should continue to expand modern permitting and inspection practices so homeowners can cut their bills and strengthen reliability.”
Get the free daily newsletter read by industry experts
Amtrak would be spared budget cuts, while public transit could get a 1.5% funding boost.
The administration has canceled or limited grant awardees’ ability to access federal funding, changing how plastics and organics recyclers view the federal government.
Keep up with the story. Subscribe to the Smart Cities Dive free daily newsletter
Subscribe to Smart Cities Dive for top news, trends & analysis
Sign up for the free newsletter.
Interested? Explore more of what has to offer.
Thanks for signing up! Please keep an eye out for a confirmation email from [email protected] To ensure we make it into your inbox regularly, add us to your allow list, mark us as a safe sender, or add us to your address book. Check out more from
Get the free daily newsletter read by industry experts
Want to share a company announcement with your peers?
Get started ➔
Amtrak would be spared budget cuts, while public transit could get a 1.5% funding boost.
The administration has canceled or limited grant awardees’ ability to access federal funding, changing how plastics and organics recyclers view the federal government.
The free newsletter covering the top industry headlines
