The Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE), a nonprofit based in San Diego, has released a new guidebook outlining ways for California cities and counties to make permit processing and inspections for home rooftop solar electric systems.
The ‘California Solar Permitting Guidebook’ addresses the requirements of the Solar Permitting Efficiency Act (formerly Assembly Bill 2188) signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown in September that requires the state's more than 540 cities and counties to adopt streamlined solar permitting processes by Sept. 30, 2015.
The intention of the act is to help drive down rooftop solar installation costs for homeowners while increasing opportunities for solar businesses and reducing the workload of permitting agencies.
‘California leads the nation in rooftop solar installations, but achieving the state's ambitious goals for renewable energy will require even greater solar adoption, and the permitting process has been a major barrier,’ Tamara Gishri-Perry, a CSE senior project manager.
The guidebook, published in partnership with the Governor's Office of Planning and Research, contains best practices for permitting and inspection of home solar systems as well as standard application forms and checklists for solar installations. CSE's renewable energy team compiled the guidebook with input from a task force of participants from state code agencies, local building departments and the solar industry.
The full guide is available here.
