Why should Massachusetts go big on rooftop solar?

Burning fossil fuels for energy pollutes our air, harms our health, and changes our climate in dangerous ways. While solar energy generation in the state has grown 9 fold in the last decade– the commonwealth is still far too dependent on polluting energy sources, like methane gas, to power our lives. In 2022, fossil fuels powered two-thirds of Massachusetts’ total in-state electricity net generation.

Harnessing solar energy just makes sense. It’s clean, healthy, and local. It has zero fuel costs, and it’s getting more and more affordable all the time. There’s no wonder solar is the most popular energy source: over 90% of Massachusetts residents agree we should get more of our power from the sun.

Rooftop solar, in particular, is a key tool in the fight against climate change. Installing more rooftop solar can increase renewable electricity generation while protecting the state’s open spaces and helping to make communities more resilient to global warming-related disruptions to the power grid.

But as of 2022, Massachusetts had only tapped 10.8% of its rooftop solar potential. For more information about how rooftop solar in Massachusetts has grown, and what sectors are leading the way, check out our report, Rooftop Solar on the Rise.

Why do solar projects get delayed or canceled? 

A primary culprit for Massachusetts’ untapped rooftop solar potential is the long and complex permitting process that can vary dramatically from city to city and town to town. According to some solar installers, the Bay State’s current permitting timelines for residential rooftop solar are some of the longest in the country. Once an application for a residential rooftop solar system has been submitted, obtaining a permit can take weeks or months, causing headaches for solar installers and higher costs, causing some homeowners to cancel their solar plans altogether.

Streamlining rooftop solar projects with electronic permitting

Enabling residential solar installers to receive permits for residential solar installations electronically will allow for faster installations, lower costs, and more solar on more roofs. Hundreds of communities across the country have adopted electronic permitting, including: Montgomery County, MD; Phoenix and Tucson, AZ; San Francisco, CA; Denver, CO; Oklahoma City, OK; and, Houston, TX.

Even better than electronic permitting is automated or instant permitting. The gold standard for permitting platforms is the free-to-use platform developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, SolarAPP+.

What is SolarAPP+?

In 2021, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory launched a collaborative effort with key code officials, authorities having jurisdiction, and the solar industry to develop standardized plan review software that can run compliance checks and process building permit approvals for eligible rooftop solar systems.

How does SolarAPP+ cut red tape for rooftop solar?

SolarAPP+ streamlines the permitting process by asking solar installers detailed questions regarding the electrical, structural, and fire safety of the proposed solar system and then calculating whether the project is in compliance with local codes. The system is responsive, and any answers that fall outside of compliance will not allow the installer to proceed with the application.

The benefits are clear. Projects approved through SolarAPP+ are installed and inspected faster, with a lower likelihood of inspection failure compared to traditional methods. This efficiency translates to significant time savings and improved quality, making solar installation more accessible and affordable for consumers.

And if all communities in Massachusetts used SolarAPP+,  installers of residential rooftop solar systems would have to navigate just one permitting interface, permitting would became nearly instantaneous, and Bay Staters could see costs for solar come down across the board.

An Act Relative to Solar Permitting (H.3683), filed by Mark Cusack of Braintree, would require cities and counties to allow electronic permitting. This legislation is pending in the State House.

You can urge your lawmakers to support the bill by taking action here.