The bipartisan bill was sponsored by Dylan Roberts and Perry Will in the Senate and Matt Soper and Kyle Brown in the House.
“Colorado’s mountain communities are eager to develop solar technology, but all too often, projects are held up in the labor-intensive permitting process, and sometimes even canceled” said Roberts. “These grants will help reduce time, costs, and burden for permitting, and keep us in line with our greenhouse gas reduction goals. House Bill 1234 is a win for both our economy and our environment.”
The innovative software platform, developed by the US Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and UL Laboratories, can immediately and accurately approve residential permits. This removes one of the most significant barriers homeowners often experience when looking to add on-site solar.
“We commend the Colorado Legislature for advancing expedited permitting on residential solar projects while prioritising compliance with safety and code standards” added Ken Boyce, senior director of principal engineering in the Testing, Inspection and Certification group at UL Solutions. “We recognize the value SolarAPP+ brings to governments, the public and the solar industry, and how it will serve as an important enabler of safer and cleaner energy.”
SolarApp+ has already been successfully implemented in Denver and several other states. According to NREL data, projects submitted through the app are 37 percent less likely to fail final inspections than traditional projects. At present, 32 communities across the United States are using SolarAPP+, and it has resulted in over 15,000 residential solar permits being issued, accounting for 100,000 kilowatts of electricity and 15,000 estimated staff hours saved on reviewing permits.
“This will empower local officials to automate permitting and inspections, which will reduce staff time and cut costs” said Mike Kruger, CEO of the Colorado Solar and Storage Association (COSSA). “In turn, this will give homeowners immediate results for their permit applications, and solar and storage companies can hire more staff to support an increase in projects approved.”
COSSA is the state trade association representing over 275 solar and storage businesses in Colorado. COSSA’s members provide solar and energy storage products and services to residential consumers, commercial businesses, utilities, and governmental entities throughout the state.
For additional information:
