The Maryland Energy Administration has announced the launch of a new initiative to help provinces and municipalities in Maryland in automating and accelerating their residential solar energy permit.
The state agency SolarApp+ Implementation Grant Program is a federally financed, $ 3.9 million FY 2025 program that helps to pay the costs related to the implementation of the free SolarApp+ Solar permit software to be used, in line with Maryland Law.
By using SolarApp+, local authorities can approve solar projects more efficiently, which saves valuable staff time while retaining rigorous safety and code rigoring standards – and help reduce the costs of solar energy systems.
“SolarApp+ transforms the permit landscape and helps approvals to act much faster, while safety is guaranteed,” said Paul G. Pinsky, director of Maryland Energy Administration. “This platform drastically cuts the waiting times for homeowners and installers. It also enables local authorities to stimulate the transition to clean energy. This can help to make ‘Solar’ easier and more efficient for all Marylanders.”
The American National Renewable Energy Laboratory developed SolarApp+ through a cooperation effort with important code officials, authorities who have jurisdiction and the solar industry. This cooperation was intended to promote adoption on the roof by making it easier for local governments to approve roof projects quickly and safely. It has standardized plan assessment software that can perform compliance checks and approvals of the building permits for eligible solar systems on the roof can be carried out.
The Maryland Energy Administration program offers financial assistance to local governments for implementation costs, including staff training, software integration and contractual support. It is intended to ensure that any jurisdiction – regardless of the size or resources – can participate in the clean energy transfer of Maryland.
News item from the Maryland Energy Administration
