In a recent report, SunRun and Vote Solar revealed that permitting costs were rapidly becoming a much more significant portion of the cost of a small-scale solar installation, nearly 20%! Some states have responded with policies designed to streamline and reduce the costs of permitting.
Colorado Caps Solar Permitting Fees
The state of Colorado passed a law in 2011 to solve the problem of inconsistent and expensive solar permitting costs. A national study recently found that local permitting can increase the cost of residential solar by 15-20%, a problem that becomes more pressing as the cost of solar hardware falls. Colorado's Fair Permit Act (HB...
Vermont Streamlines Solar Permitting
The state of Vermont has come up with a good rule for reducing the cost of solar power installations. A national study recently found that local permitting can increase the cost of residential solar by 15-20%, a problem that becomes more pressing as the cost of solar hardware falls. Vermont's rule shifts the burden of...