Clean Energy Communities Program:

How your municipality can earn CEC credit with solar PV permitting

Presented by Connecticut’s Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority (CEFIA/ CT’s Green Bank)

June 5, 2014

Clean Energy CommunitiesProgram Overview

Program Steps:1. Commit to the “Clean Energy Communities Municipal Pledge” to save energy

in municipal buildings* and voluntarily purchase renewable energy • By 2018, reduce municipal building energy consumption 20% from baseline levels• By 2018, voluntarily purchase 20% of municipal building electricity use from

renewable energy sources

2. Fulfill the Clean Energy Communities Municipal Pledge by taking actions to save energy and to support renewable energy voluntarily

3. Earn energy efficiency and renewable energy points that can be redeemed for clean energy systems and grants for energy-saving projects.

*Municipal = Town + Board of Education facilities

93 Communities in CT have made the pledge!

Make residential adoption of solar PV easier, faster, cheaper

(Rooftop Solar Challenge)

Conduct research and develop tools and recommendations

(Round I)

Make Solar PV Cost-Competitive by 2020 (SunShot)

2 Project Rounds

CT Rooftop Solar Challenge Project Overview

Package and implement tools and

recommendations (Round I and II)

CT Residential PV Costs (2004-2013)Soft Cost Percentage Increased to 50%

CT Rooftop Solar ChallengeMunicipal Approvals

Number of Departments Requiring Approval(R= residential, C= commercial)

Town 1 2 3 4 5 6 7Bridgeport R/CCornwall R/C Coventry R/C Danbury R/C Fairfield R/C

Greenwich R C Hampton R/C

Manchester R C Middletown R/C

Milford R C Stamford R C

West Hartford R/C

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 1600

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

Significant Variation in Permit Fees for Solar PV

Pro-posed $200 Per...

169 CT towns in order of increasing permit fees

Perm

it F

ee ($

)

The estimated permit fee for a typical, residential solar PV system varies widely across CT municipalities, from 0 to $921. It is estimated to cost less than $200 for a town to permit such a system.

Average cost to town is $200 maximum

SAVINGS

Highest Fee$921

Average fee $401

Lowest Fee $0Manchester Bridgeport

CT Rooftop Solar ChallengeMunicipal Permit Fees

CT Rooftop Solar ChallengeRooftop Solar PV Permitting Guide

Available for download at www.energizect.com/sunrisene

Help residents and businesses access affordable solar and lower energy costs

Improve your town’s sustainability and reputation

Ensure solar PV systems are installed safely in your community

Pilot techniques that can help streamline all of your municipal permitting

Meet your Clean Energy Community pledge

Increase business activity in your community

CT Rooftop Solar Challenge What’s in it for towns?

Prepare Municipal Staff for Solar PV

Attract Solar PV Business

Become a Greener

Community

CT Rooftop Solar ChallengeRecommendations Overview

Standardize Permit Application and Submission1.

Adopt Best Practices for Permit Processing 2.

Develop Zoning Regulations for Solar3.

1. Standardize Permit Application and Submission Standard Solar PV Permit Application

AVAILABLE AS A STANDALONE

DOCUMENT ON OUR WEBSITE!

Connecticut’s Standardized Solar PV Permit Application Includes:

Comprehensive Application that collects key info necessary for solar PV permitting (can replace or supplement existing permit application)

Attachments: One-Line Electrical Drawing

One-Line Site Plan Drawing

Attachment Details (Line Drawing)

Solar PV Module and Inverter Specification Sheets from Manufacturer

Pole or Ground Mount Information (if applicable)

Additional Information for Large Solar PV Systems (as specified by the Municipality)

Instructions Sheet for permit application and attachments

Optional Structural Review Worksheet to help assess a roof structure’s ability to support solar PV

A solar-specific application helps staff get the info they need, the first time.

1. Standardize Permit Application and SubmissionOnline Permitting

Examples of Online Permitting Systems in use in CT

Simply Civic – SunShot Initiative Incubator Awardee and CEFIA Project Partner

Lightweight system for online application submission and management

Free for municipalities to pilot through 2014

ViewPermit – Software Partner of CRCOG’s CT Regional E-Government Initiative

Comprehensive land use and permit management software system

17 Communities in CT using View Permit

CityView – Permit, Inspection & Payment Tracking Software

Energov – Planning, Permitting & Licensing Software

Additional online

permitting software

systems are listed in our Permitting

Guide!

Online Permitting can help manage increasing workloads.

2. Adopt Best Practices for Permit Processing Permitting & Inspection Best Practices

Methods for Making the Solar PV process Easier for Staff and Contractors:

Make Information Available Online

Put information about your solar PV permitting process online

Create or update your clean energy website with links to solar PV resources and info about your town’s clean energy activities

Make one department responsible for Solar PV Permits

Consider Reducing or Waiving Residential Solar PV Permit Fees

Bridgeport and Manchester have already waived building permit fees for Class I Renewable Energy projects!

A Clear Permitting Process Makes Issuing Permits Easier for Everyone.

Methods to Help Your Building Department Handle Solar PV Inspections:

Provide Your Staff with Training Resources on Solar Online training resources and information provided in the Permitting Guide CEFIA will host a solar PV training for building inspectors

Use the Solar PV Code Compliance Reference Outlines CT building code requirements for solar PV Developed by John Wiles, Solar PV Expert at New Mexico State University

Consider Streamlining Inspection Processes Require a single, comprehensive inspection Try scheduling a specific inspection time or a narrower window of time

2. Adopt Best Practices for Permit ProcessingPermitting & Inspection Best Practices

Inspector Training (and resources) Can Improve Inspections.

COMING SUMMER 2014!CEFIA will be hosting CEU training sessions

on solar PV for building officials

3. Develop Zoning Regulations for Solar Solar-Friendly Planning & Zoning

Use our Model Zoning Ordinance to design zoning regulations that make sense for your community and solar PV

Examples of Zoning Restrictions that can be barriers to solar deployment: Height (rooftop and ground/pole mount systems) Setback (rooftop and ground/pole mount systems) Lot Coverage (ground/pole mount systems) Impervious Surface (ground/pole mount systems)

Comply with CT General Statute 7-147(f) for solar PV in historic and village districts

MODEL ORDINANCE AVAILABLE AS A

STANDALONE DOCUMENT ON OUR

WEBSITE!

“No application for a certificate of appropriateness for an exterior architectural feature, such as a solar energy system, designed for the utilization of renewable resources shall be denied unless the commission finds that the feature cannot be installed without substantially impairing the historic character and appearance of the district.” - CT G.S.7-147f

Updating Zoning Regulations Can Help You Prepare for Solar.

CT Rooftop Solar ChallengeRecommendations Summary

1.

2.

3. Develop Solar-Friendly Zoning Regulations

Model Zoning Ordinance available on our website

Standardize Permit Application and Submission

Standard Application available on our website

Pilot Online Permitting

Best Practices for Permit Processing

Attend CEFIA’s Solar PV Training for Building Officials

Solar PV Code Compliance Reference available on our website

We are happy to provide feedback on proposed zoning regulations

Clean Energy CommunitiesPermitting Actions That Can Result in CEC Credit

Municipal Action Steps for Solar PV Permitting

CT Standardized Solar PV Permit Application adopted.

Online permitting system adopted including solar PV permit submission and processing.

Reduced residential solar PV permitting fee (e.g., fee waiver or flat fee of $200 or less).

Have an effective method and criteria to identify if and when a structural review and stamp by a professional engineer is or is not needed.

Permitting staff has received solar PV-specific training relevant to improving staff processing and review of solar PV permits.

Permit Application Requirements, Review and System Inspection (all of the following must be met) No community-specific licenses are required over and above state requirements for solar energy workers. One department is responsible for receiving and approving the solar PV permit. Unnecessary steps and approvals

have been eliminated. When an inspection is required, a single comprehensive inspection is conducted, and efforts have been made to

provide a more specific inspection time.

Municipality has amended its zoning regulations to make them significantly more flexible for and friendly to solar PV.

Other significant action taken for which CEFIA might consider awarding points. E.g.: Make information on permit process available online and create or update a municipal clean energy website Offer local incentives for clean energy Require consideration of solar-friendly design in subdivision regulations

Clean Energy CommunitiesSubstitution Values

1 Permitting action = 1% of a municipality’s clean energy pledge

Permitting actions can meet up to 5% of a municipality’s clean energy pledge

Number of Actions Taken Substitution Value

1 action 1%

2 actions 2%

3 actions 3%

4 actions 4%

5 actions 5%

6 actions 5%

7 actions 5%

8 actions 5%

Clean Energy CommunitiesPermitting BONUS Points

SunShot Promotional Period June 1-December 31, 2014100 points = 1kW Solar PV

Number of Actions Taken Bonus Points

3-4 actions 50 points

5+ actions 100 points

The first 5 towns to take 5 or more Municipal Action Steps for Solar Permitting will earn an

additional 100 points!

CT Rooftop Solar Challenge Next Steps…

Download the CT Rooftop Solar PV Permitting Guide and Associated Resources

www.energizect.com/sunrisene

Download the CEC Points Fact Sheet: Municipal Action Steps for Solar PV Permitting

www.energizect.com/communities/programs/clean-energy-communities (Look under the “Bonus Rewards” tab)

Want More Info or Assistance? Contact Isabelle Hazlewood – Project Manager for RSC II

SunShot@ctcleanenergy.com or (860) 258-7826

Interested in exploring some of the recommendations and tools in our Guide?

We can provide individualized help and support to towns interested in improving processes for solar PV

How Can Your Municipality Start Benefiting?

THANK YOU!

This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy award number DE-EE0005688.

Disclaimer: This presentation was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof.

The material provided in this presentation is not intended to replace or supplant existing state or federal codes or regulations. There are no warranties associated with the use of this information. Some of this material, which is/was believed to be accurate at the time of presentation, may no longer be accurate, current, or comply with existing codes and regulations. Neither the authors nor any other organizations or individuals who have contributed to this project report are accountable for the use or misuse of information obtained herein. The views expressed in this report are not necessarily the views of the entire project team, the state of Connecticut nor contributors of information to the project and report.

Rooftop Solar Challenge Acknowledgement & Disclaimer