Rooftop Solar Challenge II
Planning Meeting
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What was accomplished in Phase I?
What are the plans for Phase II?
How can your municipality get involved?
Parameters and timeframes for Phase II
What is Go SOLAR
Broward Rooftop Solar Challenge I?
• U.S. Department of Energy Grant
• Broward County and 14 partner cities
collaborating to make solar rooftop systems
easier, faster and cheaper for residents and
businesses
Why is Broward
taking this Challenge?
1. Increase number of rooftop solar
installations by reducing permitting costs
2. Promote an ePermit environment
Permitting
Interconnection Process
Interconnection Standard
Net Metering Standard
Financing Options
Planning and Zoning
460 (216)
110 (96)
100 (0)
100 (95)
150 (-20)
80 (62)
Key Go SOLAR
Accomplishments
• Financial options workshop and Best Management Practices
• Zoning coordination
– Model ordinance adopted by partners
– Best Management Practices
• Net metering and interconnection Best Management
Practices
• Online permitting system
– Interlocal Agreement
• Marketing and Outreach
• Go SOLAR Fest
Streamlined
Permitting!
Solar
Contractor
Go to City
to Pay Fee
and Obtain
Permit
Engineer
Designs
System
Solar
Contractor
Current process
several weeks
Review
Comments/
Responses
Process
Apply in
Person at
City for
Permit
Zoning
Department
Review
Building
Department
Review
Apply &
Obtain
Permit
Online
Proposed Process
A Few Minutes
NEW Online Permit System
Save Time: Apply online 24/7
Save Money: Select pre-approved engineered
designs – eliminate complicated plan review
process
One Fee: Pay standard permit fee online
Interlocal Agreement
• $552 permit fee
– Includes BORA and other surcharges
• $50 reinspection fee
• County has authority to issue permits under
Go SOLAR
• City agrees to amend zoning regulations to
permit Go SOLAR issued permits without
zoning review
Go SOLAR Fest
• 2-day event at Broward County
Convention Center
• 1,225 attendees
• 37 speakers
• 54 exhibitors
• Participation by Mayors and
Commissioners
Permitting
Collaboration
• Coconut Creek
• Dania Beach
• Davie
• Deerfield Beach
• Fort Lauderdale
• Hallandale Beach
• Hillsboro Beach
• Lauderdale-by-the-Sea
• Miramar
• North Lauderdale
• Oakland Park
• Pompano Beach
• Sunrise
• Tamarac
Partnerships…
Key to Success
A Vision for Phase II
ROOFTOP SOLAR
CHALLENGE II GOALS
• To build strong regional solar markets by rapidly
deploying innovative, transformative, locally-generated
solutions on a broad scale;
• To enable solar companies to more efficiently manage
their labor, material and cash flows, and customer
interactions by introducing process predictability and
standardization at the local government level; and
• To increase affordability of residential and small-scale
solar PV.
Financing
Phase I
• Survey of Local Financing Options, Concerns and Barriers
• Financing Workshop to discuss issues
• Solar PV Financing Best Practices Report
Lessons Learned
• Incentive programs demonstrate local PV demand
• More financing mechanisms needed to help cover up
front costs
• State legislation prevents using financing
mechanisms popular and effective in other areas of
the Country
Financing
• Phase II
• Consider legislative barriers to financing
• Create a Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) District as
a mechanism to fund Solar PV installations
• Work with local banks to improve access to Solar PV loans
Update: Broward County is working to develop a Turnkey
Energy Efficiency Finance and Service Program. The approval
of the vendor ranking and direction to begin negotiation is
going before the County Commission tomorrow morning.
Ygrene Energy Fund is the first ranked vendor.
ROOFTOP SOLAR
CHALLENGE II
• Additional Potential Partners
• Alachua County
• Orange County
• Miami-Dade
• Sarasota County
• Monroe County
Your City’s Role
Your City’s Role
Collaborate with Broward County, Partner Cities
and Counties to Implement Rooftop Solar
Challenge II
• Letter of Commitment
• Market Maturity Indicators
• Approve Interlocal Agreement
• Approve Model Zoning Ordinance
Key City Staff
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Point of Contact
Building Official
Zoning Official
Public Information Officer
Benefits
• Become a “solar friendly” city
• Provide expedited permitting for your
residents and businesses
• Ready to use online permitting system
• Educational information and training available
for your residents and businesses
• Be part of a statewide initiative to advance
solar
Marketing & Outreach
What’s Next?
Your City’s Mayor
HERE
Parameters and Timeframes
GUIDELINES
• $12 million available
• Broward request: $2 million
• Topic Area B: to streamline and standardize
processes for solar market transformation at the
state or regional level
• Period of performance: Two and a half years
• 20% match required
Grant Application: What do we need?
• Phase I Municipalities:
– Letter of Support
• New Municipalities:
– Letter of Commitment
– Market Maturity Indicators
• City letterhead
Letter of Support
(Phase I partners)
• Signed by Mayor
• One-page limit
• Municipality agrees to:
– Monitor Broward County’s new Go SOLAR permitting system
and provide feedback
– Share your knowledge and experience with new partners
– Participate in networking meetings to further improve the
regional market for residential and small-scale solar PV
Letter of Commitment
(new partners)
• City letterhead and Signed by Mayor
• One-page limit
• Municipality agrees to make personnel available:
– Point-person to coordinate implementation of Go SOLAR
permitting system and attend periodic stakeholders’ meetings
– Building Officials
– Planning & Zoning Officials
– IT staff to interface with municipal websites and educate staff
• In return, municipality will receive free software/access
to Go SOLAR permitting system
Solar Market
Maturity Indicators
• Questions about permitting and interconnection
processes, planning & zoning practices, financing
options
• Helps DOE evaluate progress pre- and post-award
• Results will be verified by independent solar
providers
• Contact Alfred Reid for survey
Important Dates
Solar Market Maturity Indicators
Feb. 22
Letters of Commitment/Support
March 5
Submit application
March 7
Awards announced
May
Project begins
Summer
Contacts
For more information:
broward.org/gogreen/gosolar