The Environment Virginia Research & Policy Center issued a new report, “A 21st-century permit regime for solar and home batteries on the roof in Virginia‘With the Virginia Clean Energy Summit. The report, co-author of Permit Power and the Chesapeake Solar and Storage Association (Chessa), describes the current state of solar energy in Virginia.
As the energy of the energy skyrockets in Virginia asks, the report finds that the state is poorly equipped to meet the moment. An outdated, patchwork system of solar energy requirements in Virginia contributes to delays and increasing costs for homeowners.
“Onteloze Rompslomp stops Virginia to reach our solar power on the roof. With immediate permit we can place solar panels on the roofs of our houses and connect them as quickly and without problems as possible with the schedule, without endangering the quality or safety,” said Elly Wilson, State Director of Environment Virginia Research &.
The most important findings of the report include:
- 16% of the residential solar projects that start with the permit process are issued before completion, largely because of the allowance of barriers.
- The median waiting time for a residential solar permit is nine working days, with some cities and provinces usually reaching 18 or 24 working days.
- The median time of the subsequent inspection process took another 13 days.
- Allowing and related bureaucratic costs can add $ 6,000 to $ 7,000 to extra costs to residential solar systems.
- Residential solar cost about double what it would cost in Europe.
- The difficulties in connection with the permit process contribute to delayed residential solar adoption in Virginia.
The report points to immediately allowing as an important way to modernize the residential solar permit process -using an automated system for assessing solar installation plans. These platforms ask solar installers in detailed questions about the electric, structural and fire safety of a proposed solar system and then check whether the project is in accordance with local codes.
“Residential solar energy is a valuable tool for Virginia. Solar helps families to lower their energy bills. And the more energy is made locally in Virginia, such as residential solar energy, helps to keep the costs for all Virginians low,” said Robin Dutta, executive director of Chessa. “The provinces in Virginia must modernize their permit processes and resources, accept automated permits and collaborate with the residential solar industry to help residents of the Commonwealth in combating this crisis for the affordability of energy.”
News item from the Environment Virginia Research & Policy Center
