The Environment Virginia Research & Policy Center launched a brand new report, “A 21st-Century Permitting Regime for Rooftop Solar and Home Batteries in Virginia,” on the Virginia Clean Energy Summit. The report, co-authored with Allow Energy and the Chesapeake Photo voltaic and Storage Affiliation (CHESSA), particulars the present state of photo voltaic allowing in Virginia.
As power demand skyrockets in Virginia, the report finds that the state is ill-equipped to satisfy the second. An antiquated, patchwork system of photo voltaic allowing necessities throughout Virginia is contributing to delays and pushing up prices for householders.
“Pointless purple tape is holding Virginia again from reaching our rooftop photo voltaic potential. With immediate allowing we will put photo voltaic panels on the roofs of our properties and join them to the grid as quick and hassle-free as potential, with out compromising high quality or security,” mentioned Elly Wilson, state director of Atmosphere Virginia Analysis & Coverage Middle.
Key findings of the report embody:
- 16% of residential photo voltaic tasks that start the allowing course of are deserted earlier than completion, largely as a result of allowing boundaries.
- The median wait time for a residential photo voltaic allow is 9 enterprise days, with some cities and counties usually reaching so long as 18 or 24 enterprise days.
- The median time of the following inspection course of took a further 13 days.
- Allowing and associated bureaucratic prices can add $6,000 to $7,000 in further bills to residential photo voltaic methods.
- Residential photo voltaic prices roughly double what it could value in Europe.
- The difficulties related to the allowing course of are contributing to delayed residential photo voltaic adoption in Virginia.
The report factors to immediate allowing as a key approach to modernize the residential photo voltaic allowing course of — utilizing an automatic system for reviewing photo voltaic set up plans. These platforms ask photo voltaic installers detailed questions relating to {the electrical}, structural and hearth security of a proposed photo voltaic system after which verify whether or not the undertaking is in compliance with native codes.
“Residential photo voltaic is a useful instrument for Virginia. Photo voltaic helps households decrease their power payments. And the extra power made regionally in Virginia, resembling from residential photo voltaic, helps preserve prices down for all Virginians,” mentioned Robin Dutta, Govt Director of CHESSA. “Counties in Virginia ought to modernize their allow processes and sources, undertake automated allowing and work with the residential photo voltaic business to assist Commonwealth residents to struggle this power affordability disaster.”
Information merchandise from the Atmosphere Virginia Analysis & Coverage Middle
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