SolSmart Program Expands to Strengthen Local Solar Energy Markets

To additional its mission, SolSmart is proud to announce a brand new Platinum designation that acknowledges native governments for the newest achievements in deploying photo voltaic power. This contains initiatives akin to simple on-line allowing and a dedication to help equal entry to photo voltaic power.

Washington, DC (March 24, 2023) — SolSmart’s nationwide program is increasing to assist 500 extra cities, cities, counties, and regional organizations strengthen native photo voltaic power markets, obtain the targets of power fairness, and stimulate financial progress.

Funded by the US Division of Vitality, the SolSmart program provides knowledgeable technical help without charge to assist native governments undertake nationally acknowledged finest practices to advertise power adoption in photo voltaic. Because the program launched in 2016, SolSmart has helped tons of of native governments and their residents save money and time by lowering the gentle prices of going photo voltaic, that are the prices that aren’t {hardware} that will increase the price of installations.

This system now plans so as to add 500 new SolSmart designees by 2027, doubling the entire variety of solar-friendly communities throughout the nation. This can enable extra residents, companies, nonprofits, and authorities amenities to fulfill their electrical energy wants by means of photo voltaic.

SolSmart is a joint effort led by the Interstate Renewable Vitality Council (IREC) and the Worldwide Metropolis/County Administration Affiliation (ICMA), together with different companion organizations with in depth experience in photo voltaic power and native authorities. This system is funded by the US Division of Vitality Photo voltaic Vitality Applied sciences Workplace.

“We wish to sincerely thank IREC and ICMA for the essential function they play within the SolSmart program,” mentioned Alejandro Moreno, Appearing Assistant Secretary for Vitality Effectivity and Renewable Vitality. “Native governments throughout the nation wish to solar energy to chop power prices and remodel their power futures. This is the reason the SolSmart program is so vital. It reduces the limitations to photo voltaic power by to present communities the instruments to make use of photo voltaic pretty and benefit from the many advantages together with dwelling financial savings, job creation, sustainability, and extra.”

To additional its mission, SolSmart is proud to announce a brand new Platinum designation that acknowledges native governments for the newest achievements in deploying photo voltaic power. This contains initiatives akin to simple on-line allowing and a dedication to help equal entry to photo voltaic power.

Together with the brand new Platinum educating stage, this system has expanded its focus to showcase the newest advances within the clear power transition. High priorities will embody clear power fairness; nationwide codes and requirements; new financing; information assortment and metrics; and solar-adjacent applied sciences akin to battery storage.

“Photo voltaic power is poised for unprecedented growth throughout the USA because of groundbreaking insurance policies just like the Inflation Discount Act,” mentioned Larry Sherwood, President and CEO of IREC. “SolSmart will assist native governments capitalize on this progress and be sure that their very own communities profit.”

SolSmart’s modern method to selling photo voltaic power has been instrumental in serving to native officers undertake finest practices and procedures for photo voltaic. “ICMA has helped 1000’s of communities throughout the nation by means of our applications over time. Our group of knowledgeable technical help suppliers are prepared to assist native governments take actions to extend photo voltaic deployment. and obtain their power and local weather targets,” mentioned Marc Ott, Government Director of ICMA.

A cornerstone of SolSmart’s efforts is to additional the targets of the federal Justice40 initiative to supply equal alternatives for underserved communities that face limitations together with fossil gasoline dependence, poverty -and power, environmental and local weather dangers, and socio-economic vulnerabilities. Of the five hundred new designees, no less than 200 are from jurisdictions recognized by the DOE as underserved.

SolSmart contributors obtain mentorship by implementing nationwide finest practices that native governments can take to develop their photo voltaic markets. By updating zoning to supply clear and affordable pointers for photo voltaic tasks, streamlining allowing and inspections, integrating photo voltaic into planning, and involving utilities, monetary establishments, and different companions to proactively deal with different market limitations, SolSmart’s selections make it quicker, simpler, and cheaper for his or her residents to go photo voltaic.

SolSmart choices at the moment are accessible in 43 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. All cities, cities, counties, and regional organizations in the USA are invited to affix SolSmart and obtain free technical help to attain designation. These communities already designated by SolSmart are invited to “stage up” to designation as Silver, Gold, or Platinum.

Full particulars of the SolSmart program and the newly up to date standards for native governments and regional organizations to attain the designation, together with info on how to join of this system, accessible at SolSmart.org.