California incentivizes jurisdictions to transition to a more efficient solar permitting processes

California continues to lead the nation in solar installations through a $20 million grant funding opportunity for California cities or counties. The California Automated Permit Processing – or CalAPP– program is designed to incentivize jurisdictions to transition away from traditional, often paper-heavy, solar permitting processes towards an online, instantaneous permitting platform.

Based on their population, jurisdictions can apply for a range of grant amounts, from $40,000 to $100,000, to cover the costs associated with transitioning to an online application. Jurisdictions may choose to use SolarAPP+, a platform developed by the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Labs. Although SolarAPP is free to use, the CalAPP grant serves to incentivize the adoption of a more efficient permitting process. Additionally, by using a platform such as SolarAPP+, jurisdictions can save both time and money by having a system that standardizes system plans, provides inspection checklists, and automates the plan review, permit approval, and project tracking process.

Whereas solar typical permitting processes can take up to four weeks, using a system like SolarAPP can reduce that to zero days. In an open letter to U.S. mayors in support of the software, Secretary of Energy Granholm noted, “SolarAPP+ cuts permit processing time to less than one hour, all while maintaining quality and safety. This can accelerate solar energy deployment and bolster businesses across the country – by reducing the time and complexity of solar permitting, and also by lowering costs, making solar more accessible to low- and moderate-income Americans.” Brian Osorio, Mayor of Delano, California, described investments in automated permitting as helping to “support local economic development, help combat climate change, and help modernize the electric grid.”

Additional information on CalAPP can be found on the California Energy Commission page, and a walk-through of the CalAPP application process can be accessed on CalAPP “How-to-Apply” Zoom. The homepage for SolarAPP+, by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, is here.