SolarAPP+ Adoption Incentive Program

SolarAPP+ Adoption Incentive Program

Funder: U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)

Award Amount: $15,000 per selected community

Overview: An incentive program for municipalities to adopt SolarAPP+, an innovative solar permitting platform that streamlines residential solar installation permitting.

Geographic Scope: National program; Texas communities selected include Tool, Texas and Waco, Texas (as of December 2022). Houston also participated in a pilot program.

What is SolarAPP+:

Online platform that instantly issues permits for code-compliant residential rooftop photovoltaic (PV) and battery systems

Eliminates traditional permitting delays estimated to cost $7,000 per project

Projects installed approximately two weeks faster under the program

At no charge to municipalities

Has already approved more than 10,000 permits across jurisdictions in Arizona, California, Illinois, and Texas

Eligibility:

Local municipalities and government jurisdictions

Communities selected through competitive application process

Requirements:

Successful adoption of SolarAPP+ platform

Integration into municipal permitting processes

Benefits:

Accelerates solar energy adoption

Removes barriers for residential solar and battery installations

Streamlines processes for local governments, installers, and homeowners

Supports clean power generation

Background: Part of NREL's broader initiative to streamline solar permitting nationwide. 12 communities nationwide were selected for Phase 1 of the program.

Contact Information:

Texas Solar Energy Society

P.O. Box 1447, Austin, TX 78767-1447

Phone: 210.772.7720

Email: info@txses.org

Website: txses.org