By Mia McCormick, Environment Florida
Getting a permit for solar or energy storage installation at your home could become a bit more streamlined this year. New policy has been introduced this legislative session to update the Florida statute for the inspection and review process for residential homes.
The updates include adding solar and energy work to the list of single-trade plans, and an option for contractors to use an automated or software-based permit review system. One major barrier to adding solar and battery storage to your home can be a lengthy permitting process.
Permitting remains a challenge for solar and battery storage
In a webcast on solar permitting with Johanna Neumann, the senior director for Environment America Research and Policy Center’s Campaign for 100% Renewable Energy, and SolarAPP+ Foundation CEO Matthew McAllister, Neumann explained that small-scale solar, like the kind you find on roofs in your neighborhood, is growing dramatically across the country, but that growth doesn’t even come close to our potential for small scale energy generation. One reason is the process.
“Today in America the solar permitting process is often outdated, over complicated and inefficient and it’s creating big problems for American families,” said Neumann.
That rings true in Florida too. Unnecessary bureaucratic “red tape” is the biggest reason why solar permitting can be slow, confusing or carry a hefty fee.
Here, those challenges can fluctuate from place to place. In Orange County (Orlando area), permits are typically approved in 24 hours with a nominal electrical fee. In Duval County (Jacksonville area), permits could take more than 30 days with up to a $500 fee. It’s discouraging to wait months for approval when automated software like “SolarAPP+” has been adopted in communities all over the country to help homeowners add solar, faster.
The perfect place to streamline permitting
Environment Florida’s Research and Policy center tracked the dramatic increase in rooftop solar power over the last decade, state by state. Florida ranks 6th in the nation for growth in small-scale solar power generation over that time period. Residential solar grew by a staggering 1,106% over the last five years.
Bolstered by federal incentives, no state sales tax on equipment purchases, 1:1 net metering, a 100% property tax exemption for residential renewable energy property and some local grant programs, rooftop solar continues to grow in the Sunshine State.
Newly filed SB 1134/HB 1071 by Sen. Alexis Calatayud (District 38) and Rep. Yvette Benarroch (District 81) would make it state law to allow contractors to use automatic or software-based permitting applications, removing the “red tape” that often holds new installations back.
Environment Florida supports policy designed to help renewable energy grow, making Florida more resilient and less reliant on polluting fossil fuels. Adding this new permitting policy and protecting 1:1 net metering is a win for Florida families everywhere.
Mia McCormick is an advocate with Environment Florida, a policy and action group with one mission: to build a healthier, greener Sunshine State. This piece was originally published at https://environmentamerica.org/florida/articles/rooftop-solar-permitting-could-benefit-from-streamlining-in-florida/. Banner photo: A worker installs solar panels on a rooftop (iStock image).
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