Solsmart Planning and Zoning Training
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Amy Hollander Megan Day, AICP Andrew Valainis NREL Project Lead NREL Project Lead MREA Executive Director SolSmart Designaon Planning and Zoning Training August 29, 2017 National Renewable Energy Laboratory Montana Renewable Energy Association Non-profit organization, founded 2001 Mission Expand the use of renewable energy in Montana Educate and inform the residents of Montana of the benefits and uses of renewable energy Affect public policy in favor of renewable energy B.S. Ocean Engineering, B.A. Spanish from the University of Rhode Island Senior Design Project: “Siting an Offshore Wind Farm in Rhode Island Coastal Waters” Interned for a renewable energy firm in Spain studying noise generation from wind turbine blade Andrew Valainis technology Executive Director Montana SolSmart Designaon Training Amy Hollander Project Leader National Renewable Energy Laboratory August 28 & 29, 2017 Is Your Community Solar Ready? Provide a Solar Statement Earn SolSmart Bronze •Earn SolSmart Silver outlining solar goals, and commit staff me to Allow accessory use •3 day turnaround promote solar and to solar PV by right in all 0me on solar permit tracking key metrics (PR-1) major zones-wrien issuance (P-2) Solar Perming Checklist in your code (PZD-2) •Earn 200 points. (P-2) Cross training of Pledge to bring model solar inspecon and code sugges0ons to the perming staff on next planning/zoning solar PV via in-person meeng (PZD-1a) or online. (I-1) Earn 60 total points Earn 100 total points PV Soft Costs Local Governments can play a big role in lowering PV soZ-costs • Streamlining perming & inspecon processes • Fees • Planning and Zoning • Ulity outreach • Contractor outreach • Consumer Educaon The Cost of Solar PV US Average Installed Cost for Residenal PV $14.00 $12.15 $12.00 $10.00 Average modeled solar PV cost for $8.00 2016 is $2.89/W Cost to install solar has $6.00 dropped by more than 60% in the past 10 years. $4.00 $2.89 $2.00 $- 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Source: Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA) Tracking the Sun VIII: The Installed Cost of Photovoltaics in the US from 1998-2014 (LBNL) Why Soft Costs? Average modeled solar PV cost for 2016 is $2.89/W Soft costs still account for 67% of all solar costs. Source: Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA) Tracking the Sun VIII: The Installed Cost of Photovoltaics in the US from 1998-2014 (LBNL) Is it Possible to Lower Soft Costs? Comparison of US and German Solar Costs $4.00 $3.50 $3.00 $2.50 $2.00 Non-Hardware Cost $1.50 Hardware Cost $ per Watt Watt $ per $1.00 $0.50 $- US Solar Cost German Solar Cost Source: NREL (http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy14osti/60412.pdf) LBNL (http://emp.lbl.gov/sites/all/files/lbnl-6350e.pdf)(http://www1.eere.energy.gov/solar/pdfs/sunshot_webinar_20130226.pdf ) The Cost of Solar in the US Comparison of US and German Solar Costs $4.00 $3.50 $3.00 $2.50 Column1 $2.00 Profits, Taxes, & Non-Hardware Cost Overhead $1.50 Hardware Cost $ per Watt Watt $ per $1.00 $0.50 $- US Solar Cost German Solar Cost Source: NREL (http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy14osti/60412.pdf) LBNL (http://emp.lbl.gov/sites/all/files/lbnl-6350e.pdf)(http://www1.eere.energy.gov/solar/pdfs/sunshot_webinar_20130226.pdf ) SunShot Cost Per Watt Goals Change in Soft Costs and Hardware Costs Over Time $7.00 Soft Costs No change in soft costs between Hardware Costs $6.00 $3.32 2010 and 2012 Soft costs remain $5.00 nearly 2/3s of $3.32 installed cost $4.00 $3.28 $/watt $3.00 2020 SunShot Goals: $1.50/W Residential $2.00 $1.90 $1.25W Sm. Commercial $1.00/W for Utility Scale $1.00 $- 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 Clean Power Finance Study Highlights: • More than 1 in 3 installers avoid selling solar in certain jurisdicons due to difficult perming processes • Perming varies widely and usually involves 2 (somemes as many as 5) agencies, each with different processes • 11 percent of installaons encounter a situaon where requirements for solar perming have not even been set Benefits of Reducing Soft Costs Unleash American business § 8,601 U.S. businesses comprise the solar value chain. All but a handful are small businesses. § Installers avoid mulple jurisdicons in their service areas based on onerous perming. Create American jobs § One in fiy jobs created in 2016 was in the solar industry. 1 § Clean Energy employs almost 5 mes what fossil fuel jobs supply for the electric industry. 2 29.4 15.8 2.8 jobs Residen0al jobs Non- jobs Ulity scale solar residen0al solar solar Sources: 1) Clean Power Finance; The Solar Foundation 2 )DOE 2017 U.S. Energy and Employment Report SolSmart Designees - 95 As of 8/28/2017 • Adams County, CO • Jefferson County, CO • Atlanta, GA • Kansas City, MO • Albemarle County, VA • Melrose, MA • Ames, IA • Ausn, TX • Lafayee, CO • Athens-Clarke County, GA • Miami-Dade, FL • Boulder County, CO • Beaverton, OR • Louisville, KY • Aurora, CO • Moab, UT • Duluth, MN • Boulder, CO • Madison, WI • Burlington, VT • Nappanee, IN • Indianapolis, IN • Carrboro, NC • Milwaukee, WI • Cambridge, MA • Nack, MA • Linn County, IA • Charleston County, SC • Minneapolis, MN • Chapel Hill, NC • Oklahoma City, OK • Oro Valley, AZ • Chicago, IL • New York, NY • Charloesville, VA • Orlando, FL • Orange County, NC • Claremont, CA • Philadelphia, PA • Contra Costa County, CA • Perry, IA • Pinecrest, FL • Columbia, MO • Pima County, AZ • Dartmouth, MA • Plano, TX • Providence, RI • Coventry, CT • Redwood City, CA • DeKalb County, GA • Raymore, MO • Cuperno, CA • Sacramento, CA • Edgemont, PA • Salt Lake City, UT • Davis, CA • Saint Paul, MN • Edmonds, WA • San Antonio, TX • Denver, CO • San Carlos, CA • Franklin County, OH • Savannah, GA • El Paso, TX • Santa Monica, CA • Inyo County, CA • Summit County, UT • Fort Collins, CO • Santa Rosa, CA • Lincoln, NE • West Hollywood, CA • Fremont, CA • Satellite Beach, FL • Maricopa County, AZ • Will County, IL • Gladstone, MO • Somerville, MA • Marin County, CA • Winthrop, MA • Goshen, IN • Sonoma County, CA • Harord, CT • Washington, DC • Hillsboro, OR • Ypsilan, MI • Hunngton Beach, CA SolSmart Program Structure SolSmart Program TA Delivery Designation Program Expertise TA Delivery TA Pipeline Solar Outreach Experience No-Cost Technical Assistance § All communies pursuing SolSmart designaon are eligible for no-cost technical assistance from naonal solar experts. Technical Assistance Topics Perming Solar Rights Planning & Zoning Ulity Engagement Inspecons Community Engagement Construcon Codes Market Development & Finance Streamlined Solar PermiBng Best Pracces & Considera0ons IREC Best Pracces • Post Requirements online • Implement an expedited/ simplified permit process • Enable online permit processing • Ensure a fast turnaround me • Collect reasonable perming fees • Do not require community specific licenses • Offer a narrow inspecon appointment window • Eliminate excessive inspecons • Train perming staff in solar Online Resource: Residen0al Solar Perming Best Pracces Explained Basic Permit Process with IREC Best Pracce Soluons Applica0on Inspecons Pre-Applicaon Submial & Review • Post all • Implement an • Offer a narrow requirements in a Expedited Permit inspecon searchable online process appointment perming check • Collect window list Reasonable • Eliminate • Don’t require Perming Fees Excessive community • Ensure a fast Inspecons specific licenses turnaround me • Combine building • Train perming • Offer online and electrical if staff in solar permit both are required processing Pre-Applicaon Phase Best Pracce: Train Perming Staff • Full or half-day workshops provided regularly (as technologies evolve or new people join the team) • For buildings, perming and inspecon staff. • Earn I-1 credit for Silver designaon Online Resource: U.S. Dept. of Energy and IREC PV Online Training Course for Code Officials Pre-Applicaon Phase Best Pracce: Perming Checklist -online • One-stop loca0on for residents, Benefits businesses and installers for • Reduces individualized obtaining a solar permit quesons • Clear descrip0on of the • Improve applicaon requirements including submissions the first me necessary forms, fees and • Helps manage expectaons inspecons • Improves communicaons • Should contain checklists for • Adds Consistency the applicaons and inspecon • Saves Staff Time and Money requirements for solar Applica0on Submial & Review Phase Best Pracce: Implement an expedited/simplified permit process • Most systems, especially Benefits residen0al, should be • Less confusion and processed quickly over the consistency (especially if counter or electronically implemented and within one day standardized regionally) • Set up a pre-qualificaon • Opens the possibility to for certain systems, plans or review certain sized systems installers over the counter efficiently • Solar America Board for • Improves turn-around me Codes and Standards (Solar and allows for staff to spend ABCs)- provides a framework more me on other projects for expedited review for • Saves me and money for typical residen0al systems Online Resource: local governments, solar Solar American Board for Codes and contractors, and residents Standards (Solar ABCs) Applica0on Submial & Review Phase Best Pracce: Collect reasonable perming fees • Fees should reflect the Colorado Fee Examples: approximate cost for me and • City of Lafayee $63 flat fee staff to process the permit (includes Building & Electrical Inspecon)—plus city and county use • Should remain consistent over tax 0me regardless of system size • City of Aspen based on Valua0on • Residen0al fee should be no $2,001 and above