Go Solar Florida Update
March 25, 2015 Gold Coast Association of Code Enforcement Board
Overview
Part 1
• Why Solar is a good idea
• Why Solar is not more prevalent in Florida
• Overview of Solar Technologies
• Regulation of solar installations in Florida
Part 2
• Solar Rights
Part 3
• SunShot
• Go Solar Broward (Rooftop Solar Challenge 1)
• Go SOLAR Florida (Rooftop Solar Challenge 2)
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Why is Solar Energy a Good Idea?
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Plentiful
Renewable
Clean, Photovoltaics release no greenhouse gases
Creates new jobs
Solar panels increases property values
Silent
Available in rural areas where grid is non-existent
Panels have long lifespan 20-30 years
Panel prices keep dropping
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Some Benefits
& Incentives of
Going SOLAR
1. Utility company rebates (ending)
2. Federal tax credit for up to 30% of residential system
cost (expires Dec. 30th 2016)
3. Sales Tax Exemption
4. Property Tax Exemption
5. Save on energy bill
6. Cleaner source of energy, greenhouse gas reductions
7. Interconnection/Net Metering
• Installation costs are high
• Electricity in S. Florida is cheap
If it’s so great, why
not more solar in
Florida?
– about 11 cents per kilowatt hour
– Compare to Hawaii, can be up to 36 cents per kilowatt hour
– Payback period for the investment is much longer in FL than HI
• Substantial market incentives don’t exist
– Florida does not have a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) mandating that
utilities incorporate solar energy into its power portfolio
– Florida Public Service Commission prohibits investor-owned utilities, solar
vendors and third-party financing groups from using some model financing
programs successful in other parts of the country
– Florida offers no tax credit programs
– Florida offers no solar rebates
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Solar Technologies & History
• Thermal
– Water heating
– Pool heating
– Process hot water
• Photovoltaic
– Ground mount
– Rooftop
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Regulation of Solar
Installations in Florida
• Quality Control Measures (Costs)
– Regulations
– Licensing installers
– Permit the installation
– Inspect
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Public and Private Land
Use Restrictions
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Local Ordinances
Historic Preservation
Landscape Controls
Community Associations
– Restrictive Covenants
– Bylaws and Guidelines
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Summary Part 1:
Florida is missing out on a huge opportunity to
leverage its natural resources to spur economic
development, protect itself from increasingly
volatile energy prices, and be more resilient in
emergencies.
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Solar Rights
Landmark case: 1959, Fontainebleau Hotel vs. Forty-Five Twenty-Five
English Common Law, access to light and air flow repudiated in
favor of vertical property rights (need contractual protection)
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Solar Access Laws
• Solar Easements: protecting the ability of one
property to continue to receive sunlight across
property lines without obstruction from
another property (704.07)
• Solar Rights: protecting the ability to install
solar energy systems on residential and
commercial property that is subject to private
restrictions as well as local government
ordinances and building codes (163.04)
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Florida’s Solar Rights Law
163.04 Energy devices based on renewable
resources.—
(1)Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter or
other provision of general or special law, the
adoption of an ordinance by a governing body, as
those terms are defined in this chapter, which
prohibits or has the effect of prohibiting the
installation of solar collectors, clotheslines, or other
energy devices based on renewable resources is
expressly prohibited.
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Florida’s Solar Rights Law
(2)A deed restriction, covenant, declaration, or similar
binding agreement may not prohibit or have the effect of
prohibiting solar collectors, clotheslines, or other energy
devices based on renewable resources from being
installed on buildings erected on the lots or parcels
covered by the deed restriction, covenant, declaration, or
binding agreement. A property owner may not be denied
permission to install solar collectors or other energy
devices by any entity granted the power or right in any
deed restriction, covenant, declaration, or similar binding
agreement to approve, forbid, control, or direct alteration
of property with respect to residential dwellings and
within the boundaries of a condominium unit.
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Summary Part 2:
Although Floridians have certain rights to install
solar systems, these rights are limited to their
property and protection of these rights from the
interests of neighboring properties are best
maintained through contractual protection.
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SunShot
Reduce Cost of PV System to where cost for
solar equal to cost for conventional electricity
• 75% Cost Reduction by End of Decade
• Soft Costs 64% of System Costs (financing,
permitting, inspection, interconnection, etc.)
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Go SOLAR Broward
Rooftop Solar Challenge
1. $646 thousand grant awarded in 2011 by U.S. DOE
2. Broward County is grant administrator
3. 14 partner municipalities
4. Collaborating to make solar rooftop systems easier,
faster and cheaper for residents and businesses
a. Through streamlined, electronic permitting system that utilizes
pre-approved design plans
b. Standardized solar related zoning ordinances
c. Enhanced availability of financial options
d. Aggressive marketing and education on solar issues
Go SOLAR Florida
Rooftop Solar Challenge
1. $2.25 million grant awarded in 2013 by U.S. DOE
2. Broward County is grant administrator
3. 4 partner counties and the Florida Solar Energy Center
4. Collaborating to make solar rooftop systems easier,
faster and cheaper for residents and businesses
a. Through streamlined, electronic permitting system that utilizes
pre-approved design plans
b. Standardized solar related zoning ordinances
c. Enhanced availability of financial options
d. Aggressive marketing and education on solar issues
Go SOLAR Florida Accomplishments
Main Focus Areas of Grant
• Permitting/Plans
• Financing
• Zoning
• Marketing
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Streamlined Permitting / Plans
• Reduce Costs: Permitting fees, lengthy
applications, physically driving to permitting
jurisdictions, etc. creates major inefficiencies for
installers
• Team has created solar permitting and plans
generation solution
• Solution will create a single, standardized online
permitting system that produces permit ready
package (electrical & structural drawings)
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Permitting System Design
and Plans Generation Goals
• Electronic PV Design Manual (e-PVDM)
• Prepare a complete set of plans ready for
permitting with minimal user inputs
• Develop a simple, easy to use interface
• Standardize the plans set for review, installation,
inspection, and maintenance
• Built-in flexibility to remains current and not
subject to limitations of pre-engineered plans
Permitting System Design
and Plans Generation Demo
• User inputs any system of panels, racks and invertors
• Algorithms incorporate electrical code checks and
structural computations
• 3 line electrical drawing and structural drawings are
created on the fly
• User can then either print them out or email them to
their jurisdiction to receive their expedited permit.
• Demo given to DOE on 1-29-15
• Waiting for decision on Go/No Go to proceed to
Budget Period Two
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Go SOLAR Florida
Industry Advisory Council
• Recognized need for industry input as we
develop plans system
• Formed with industry leaders from around the
state
• Already met twice
• Enthusiastic response to assist us to create
plans system that meets their needs
Financing Options
• Florida Solar Financing Action Plan created
• Pros and Cons Matrix of Financial Options
created
• Sample resolution created
• Partners adopting Action Plan
• Action Plan will be distributed to all 67 Florida
Counties requesting their support
Planning and Zoning
Model Zoning Ordinance
• Planning & Zoning Best Practices
document created with input from Team
• Model Zoning Ordinance Created
• Partners Adopting solar-friendly zoning
ordinances
Marketing & Education
• Website www.gosolarflorida.org
• Go SOLAR Fest
• Second Annual Go SOLAR & Renewable Energy
Fest
• Third Annual Go SOLAR & Renewable Energy Fest
• Marketing Plan
• 4 Solar Rights workshops
• Net Metering/Interconnection Workshop
• Newsletters
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Second Annual Go
SOLAR & Renewable
Energy
Fest
June 6 & 7, 2014
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• Broward County Convention Center
• Attendance was FREE
• 65 local, national, and international renewable
energy exhibitors
• 42 esteemed speakers
• More than 1,700 attendees over the 2-day event
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What is Next for Go SOLAR Florida?
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Receive“Go” from DOE for 2nd budget period
Complete the permitting/plans system, go live
Fine-tune the plans system
More component systems entered into database
More permits issued utilizing our system by
jurisdictions in Alachua, Broward, Miami, Monroe
and Orange Counties
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What’s Next? (cont.)
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Contractors are impressed
Building officials embrace consistent format of plans
Standardize solar permitting within each county
Third Go SOLAR Fest
Conduct at least 2 more workshops on solar rights
Conduct one state-wide financial options workshop
Long term goal: other counties in Florida adopt our
permitting system
Summary Part 3:
Go Solar Florida is creating a one stop solar
plans/permitting website and solar best practice
education resource for many solar topics,
including, financing, zoning and marketing.
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For more information:
Web: www.gosolarflorida.org
email: info@gosolarflorida.org or
mhuneke@broward.org