A team led by the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (COSEIA) has launched the Solar Friendly Communities initiative, which is designed to help streamline permitting for solar energy installations. The initiative – which includes help from the cities of Denver, Fort Collins and Golden; Boulder County; the Rocky Mountain Institute; and the American Solar Energy Society – is funded by a regional Rooftop Solar Challenge grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.
‘This program will make it easier for Colorado residents and businesses to go solar by helping local governments learn from one another and to provide public recognition for communities that grow more solar friendly,'' says Neal Lurie, executive director of COSEIA.Â
The Solar Friendly Communities team will identify best practices and develop educational resources to help cities and counties cut red tape and then implement a recognition program to reward communities that take steps to encourage solar energy.
The project will work to establish best practices for permitting, interconnection, zoning, financing and other related areas based on proven experience and quantifiable data, COSEIA says. The team will then help communities through training, online tools, individual support and analysis of progress.
