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Webinar explains how states can remove unnecessary hurdles associated with permitting, inspecting and interconnections that hold home solar back
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Rooftops are great places for solar panels. Widespread adoption of solar and storage on homes improves the resiliency of the electrical grid, can protect homeowners from blackouts, reduce health-harming pollution from electricity production, and provide financial savings for families.
But there’s a problem. Today, millions of roofs that could host solar panels are not being put to use for that purpose, and research suggests that bureaucratic red tape is a big reason why. On a webinar hosted by Environment America, advocates joined permitting officials and solar company leaders to share research and ideas for how state leaders can streamline permitting, inspection and interconnection of residential rooftop solar systems to help more people power their lives with solar energy. Click on the link to watch a recording of the webinar.
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Johanna Neumann, the senior director of Environment America’s Campaign for 100% Renewable Energy emceed the event. Neumann explained how, although rooftop solar is growing, it’s nowhere near reaching its potential. She cited a report that found rooftop solar provided only 1.5% of U.S. electricity in 2022, even though roofs have space to supply 45%.
Matt Kirby, advocacy director at Permit Power which cosponsored the event, talked about how much more expensive it is for families to put solar on their homes in the United States compared to other countries. He presented data that showed that installing solar in the U.S. costs up to four times more than in countries like Germany or Australia.
Kirby explained that the main reason that a solar system costs so much in the United States is not the cost of solar panels themselves, but extra extra costs—such as permits, hookup fees, labor, and finding customers—which make up 78% of the total cost of home solar in the U.S.
Kirby suggested that if rules for the solar market could be simplified and standardized, it could drive down costs and support more clean energy adoption. If the U.S. succeeded in driving down costs so that solar cost $1.00 per watt, 18 million more American families could get solar, according to Permit Power research.
The next speaker on the panel was Renee Merieaux, who has worked for 30 years processing permits for city building departments in California and Colorado. Merieaux shared how city offices process solar permits and showed how automated computer software can approve permits instantly while keeping homes safe. She explained that, in her experience, instant permitting software saves city workers a lot of time because permits get checked by the software right away. Merieaux explained that state laws are needed to make local offices switch to instant permitting processes.
Nicholas Manto, the founder & CEO of The Solar Scouts, installs solar panels in Texas. He explained how a new law in Texas requires jurisdictions to review and approve a solar project or request revisions within two days, at which point third-parties are allowed to conduct the permitting and inspection. In the case of third party review, automated permitting software or a professional engineer or a master electrician reviews the plans and signs off on the permits, and can then follow up with an inspection. Manto said many jurisdictions are following through with that and that in those places, The Solar Scouts is seeing a much faster review timeline.
To cut permitting-related red tape and bring clean solar energy to more homes, states can implement a number of steps, which are outlined in the Environment Massachusetts Research & Policy Center’s Solar Permitting Scorecard.
They include:
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Kirby also referenced the importance of streamlining the processes around connecting a home solar system with the electric grid. He suggested that reforms could include improved transparency in the utility interconnection process, moving to automated interconnection, which would be the gold standard, and ensuring fair cost allocation across all users in the electric system that benefit from the widespread adoption of residential rooftop solar.
To make the most of rooftop solar, states need to replace their traditional process with instant permitting – and more. Take action today and urge your state lawmakers to cut red tape to expand rooftop solar in your state.
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In many communities, it can take days, weeks or even months to get a straightforward rooftop solar installation approved. It doesn’t need to be this way.
Additional resources shared on the webinar include:
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Visit the website of Environment America Research & Policy Center, our sister 501(c)(3) organization.
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