SolarAPP+ streamlines the solar permitting process

Solar energy allowed is a crucial step in a successful solar energy project. Problems in the permitting process can delay solar project timelines, increase costs and create dissatisfied customers. Major problems in the solar permitting process can hinder an installer’s relationship with the appropriate local authorities (AHJs), make a project unprofitable, or even damage a solar contractor’s reputation.

However, most jurisdictions in the US have unique licensing procedures and requirements. It often takes weeks to obtain a permit, but in some cases it can take much longer, especially if the project does not meet permit requirements.

Solar Automated Permit Processing (Solar APP+), also known as Solar App Plus, is designed to reduce costs and save time for both solar installers and AHJs, while ideally passing these savings on to consumersers. Although the cost of photovoltaic (PV) panels has fallen significantly in recent years, there are many soft costs, such as allowing solar energy and interconnection, have not done so. So let’s e.gamine SolarAPP+ and how it can benefit your business by streamlining the permitting process.

SolarAPP+ is a new web-based permitting platform designed to streamline and automate permitting assessment of the solar plan and the permitting process. It is currently fully active for single-family rooftop solar systems on existing homes certain jurisdictionsand other AHJs are testing SolarAPP+.

This automated web portal for permitting systems helps qualified businesses and individuals ensure proposed solar systems are safe and up to code, and issues solar permits immediately. Then, during the inspection, the AHJ verifies the quality work and compliance with the approved design.

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy funded the development of Solar APP+ through an award to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). It was developed with significant input from various stakeholders from the solar energy sector and government.

“We are very proud of the impact SolarAPP+ has had,” said Jeff Cook, SolarAPP+ Program Lead at NREL. “The rapid adoption by local governments across the country proves that secure, automated permitting is not only possible, but also delivers tremendous benefits to local governments, homeowners and contractors. We encourage all communities to consider piloting SolarAPP+ to see what it can do for you.”

The Solar APP+ permitting software is available at no cost to city and county permitting departments and is designed to assist both AHJs and solar companies. More than 160 communities in 10 states have adopted SolarAPP+ and are benefiting from the efficiency and ease of permitting residential solar PV systems. Currently that is only the case in use by some jurisdictions in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin, but a number of other local authorities are working on it.

SolarAPP+ can process permits for single-family homes with rooftop solar and for building integrated PV projects with or without battery storage systems on existing homes. Therefore, this solar software cannot currently process permits for multi-family residential properties, ground mountingnew construction, community solar energyor utility scale solar projects.

However, automated permitting system software will continue to evolve to include more system types. In the meantime, work directly with AHJs to submit permits outside the portal for projects not included in the SolarAPP+ platform.

SolarAPP+ offers significant benefits to local governments, homeowners and contractors. Standardizing and automating the solar permitting process saves time and reduces the workload for government employees. It eliminates the need for paper solar plan sets and documents, making the solar permitting process digital.

This automated permitting system has already approved thousands of PV projects, saving more than 33,000 hours of solar staff time. SolarAPP+ is designed to accelerate the transition to clean energy, improve safety and shorten cycle time for solar projects. By reducing delays and costs, SolarAPP+ facilitates faster adoption of solar energy.

“SolarAPP+ saves our customers time and money, reduces the workload of our staff and helps San Francisco meet our goal of transitioning to 100% renewable electricity by 2025 and 100% renewable energy by 2040,” said Patrick O, president of the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection. ‘Riordan. “It is also another step in our ongoing efforts to modernize our operations and make our permitting processes simpler and more customer-friendly.”

Solar contractors can use the platform to obtain immediate approval from local AHJs in jurisdictions using the software. Firstly, it is crucial that you have an active profile before submitting permit applications. This is a three-step process conducted online and may take up to 48 hours to verify the required information. Solar contractors cannot use the platform to process permit applications for residential solar energy systems until all required information and requirements have been submitted and approved.

1. Register with the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) website and create a username and password. You will be required to enter basic information such as your name and contact details. You must also submit one necessary licensessuch as the state contractor license and required city or county business licenses for each jurisdiction where you operate.

2. Complete approximately an hour of online training on how to submit rooftop solar designs through the SolarAPP+ program to receive a certificate. If you want to submit designs with energy storage systems, you must also complete the training for their use SolarAPP+ for solar energy and storage projects.

3. Send the training certificates to NREL so they can enable your account to submit projects in all jurisdictions where you are licensed.
   
   

1. Submit permit applications for housing projects in jurisdictions via the platform and pay a small administrative fee. The software automatically performs a compliance check of the system design.

2. If the project passes the compliance check, SolarAPP+ generates an approval document and an inspection checklist. It is also possible to modify the solar designs after approval prior to solar installation via the platform, resulting in a new approval document and a revised inspection checklist.

3. Adherence to project design and quality work is confirmed during the inspection process.

Green Lancer specializes in solar permitting, design and engineering. If you need help with solar permits, including Solar App+ applications, please create an account.

SolarAPP+ is designed to advance the solar industry by saving time and reducing costs while maintaining safety. Permitting requirements and the process often vary by AHJ, but the platform makes it easier for solar contractors to navigate these requirements.

Jurisdictions may experience a backlog of permit applications as they review codes for compliance, which could become worse as the number of solar installations increases if the permitting process is not standardized and streamlined. However, expedited permitting can reduce wait times for customers and increase solar adoption, while saving time for AHJs.

The U.S. Department of Energy announced a 2021 goal to reduce solar energy costs by 60% over the next decade. This will require reducing some of the soft costs associated with solar installations and will help drive solar deployment. Streamlining the permitting process is critical for both solar contractors and AHJs.

Solar APP+ is now available for use by jurisdiction for residential solar installations on the roofs of existing homes. The portal’s capabilities will expand to include more types of projects over time, saving time and money.

Do you want to streamline your solar energy projects? GreenLancer and SolarAPP+ can help you advance your next project.