ANAHEIM, Calif., Sept. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- As Solar
Power International kicks off in California, the U.S. solar industry is taking
a major step toward alleviating one of the biggest hurdles to
installing solar on homes and businesses – cumbersome and
inconsistent permitting and inspection processes.
With the support of industry leaders, the Solar Energy
Industries Association (SEIA) and The Solar Foundation today are
unveiling the Solar Automated Permit Processing (SolarAPP)
initiative, which will streamline permitting and slash the cost of
solar installations.
Today, the permitting and inspection process adds about
$7,000 in direct and indirect costs,
approximately $1.00 per watt, to a
typical residential solar energy system. In addition to reducing
the expense of solar installations, SolarAPP improves the
efficiency of going solar by creating a rules-based, automated
permitting and inspection process.
"The goal is to make solar permitting more straightforward, and
more routine, while at the same time maintaining the safety and
reliability that U.S. solar projects are known for," said SEIA's
president and CEO Abigail Ross
Hopper. "SolarAPP will cut unnecessary red tape, while
saving Americans thousands of dollars. By making the process of
going solar more efficient, both our companies and their customers
win."
"Reforming the solar and battery permitting process is one of
the most significant steps our country can take to making solar
more affordable for all," said Lynn
Jurich, CEO of Sunrun. "There is a patchwork of inconsistent
permitting procedures and standards across the U.S. and our
customers pay the high costs of navigating this system. We have an
opportunity to help the industry invest in a million more solar
roofs over the next 5 years from the savings by making the
permitting process faster, while ensuring safety and reliability
for all."
The multi-tiered plan proposes the following reforms:
- A safety and skills training and certification program that
allows residential and small-commercial solar and battery storage
installers to attest that their projects are compliant with
applicable codes, laws, and industry practices, thus eliminating
the need for a traditional multi-step permitting process;
- A simple, standardized online platform that will be provided to
local governments at no cost, to "register" and automatically
screen qualifying systems for local government authorities;
- A list of established equipment standards and/or certified
equipment for solar and storage projects installed through the
proposed process;
- The creation, or refinement, of system design standards for
qualifying solar projects;
- A model instantaneous permitting regime for home and
small-commercial solar and battery storage systems installed by
certified installers and contractors;
- A program administrator to oversee and implement the plan,
including providing technical assistance to state and local
jurisdictions and utilities.
"An automated solar permitting process will reduce unnecessary
costs and give Americans more freedom to choose how they meet their
energy needs," said Andrea Luecke,
president and executive director at The Solar Foundation. "With
this plan, we have a clear path forward to make solar installations
even more affordable and widespread."
The solar industry is working with stakeholders across the
industry and government, seeking feedback on SolarAPP.
"Improving the permit process and removing this unnecessary cost
is critical to the success of the industry," said Andrew Birch, a cofounder of Sungevity. "The
major overseas markets are now expanding rapidly, thanks to simple,
automated approval processes to install sold systems - we need all
the industry's support to focus on this and make it happen here in
the U.S."
"So much of the innovation in the past decade in the rooftop
solar space has focused on making the technology more attainable
via loans and other financial tools," said Billy Parish, founder and CEO of Mosaic, the
leading home solar financing company in the US. "Targeting
so-called soft costs, such as permitting, is the next frontier in
affordability, critical in moving us toward clean energy for
all."
About SEIA®:
Celebrating its 44th anniversary in 2018,
the Solar Energy Industries Association® is the national trade
association of the U.S. solar energy industry, which now employs
more than 260,000 Americans. Through advocacy and education, SEIA®
is building a strong solar industry to power America. SEIA
works with its 1,000 member companies to build jobs and diversity,
champion the use of cost-competitive solar in America, remove
market barriers and educate the public on the benefits of solar
energy. Visit SEIA online at www.seia.org.
About The Solar Foundation®
The Solar Foundation® is a
national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to
accelerate adoption of the world's most abundant energy source.
Through its leadership, research, and capacity building, The Solar
Foundation creates transformative solutions to achieve a prosperous
future in which solar and solar-compatible technologies are
integrated into all aspects of our lives. Learn more at
TheSolarFoundation.org.
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SOURCE Solar Energy Industries Association