Impact of SolarAPP+ in first year of operation in US
Launched in May 2021, SolarAPP+ is a web-based platform that automates solar permitting for local governments and permitting authorities. To date, the platform is active in nearly 20 jurisdictions and has processed more than 7,600 permits across the country.
Rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) systems are subject to building, electrical, fire, and other local codes in most jurisdictions in the United States. Permitting and inspection ensure that rooftop PV systems comply with all local codes, thus increasing system safety. Further, grid-connected rooftop PV systems are subject to utility requirements for interconnecting to the electric grid.
Accelerating rooftop PV deployment has strained the capacity of local authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) responsible for administering rooftop PV codes (Cook et al. 2021). Annual rooftop PV deployment increased by roughly a factor of 10 from 2011 to 2021, reaching more than 500,000 systems installed in 2021 (Davis et al. 2022). Rooftop PV deployment is projected to continue to increase substantially and could play a key role in decarbonizing the U.S. electric grid (DOE 2021). Given the ongoing expansion of rooftop PV, a growing number of AHJs and utilities are reforming permitting processes to reduce delays (Stanfield et al. 2012; Fekete et al.
2022). Reforms such as expedited reviews for small-scale systems, online customer portals, and over-the-counter permitting could significantly reduce permitting process durations (O’Shaughnessy et al. 2022). Yet permitting reforms have, to date, occurred in a piecemeal fashion, and many AHJs lack the resources to implement reforms (Parsons and Josefowitz 2020).
In response to these challenges, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) developed the Solar Automated Permit Processing Plus (SolarAPP+) platform, in collaboration with local governments, code development organizations, and industry stakeholders. SolarAPP+ is an online portal that allows PV contractors to upload system specifications, have those specifications automatically reviewed for code compliance, and obtain instant approval for codecompliant systems. SolarAPP+ also issues an inspection checklist to verify installation practices and adherence to approved designs. SolarAPP+ is available to AHJs at no cost.
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