solar-friendly permitting examples - pace law school...solar-specific permits… c/t/v municipality...
TRANSCRIPT
Solar permitting resources
• Solar data on Westchester (infographic)
https://infogr.am/solar_power_in_westchester_county
• Solar Road Map (webportal by state and municipality)
http://my.solarroadmap.com/national/new-york
• Solarize Westchester Program http://www.solarizewestchester.com/
• Open New York data portal http://open.ny.gov
• (Select “Energy/Environment” and choose “Statewide 200kW or Less
Residential/Non-Residential Solar Photovoltaic Incentive Program: Beginning 2000”)
• See for example, a statewide interactive map: https://data.ny.gov/Energy-
Environment/Statewide-200kW-or-Less-Residential-Non-Residentia/njm5-8gee
• Croton Energy Group (Technical assistance on solar permitting practices)
http://www.crotonenergy.com/ (Leo Wiegman, [email protected])
• New York Sun Initiative http://ny-sun.ny.gov/
• Sustainable CUNY http://www.cuny.edu/about/resources/sustainability/nyssolar.html
Solar Installation Process Steps:
Applications/Approvals
• Apply for NYSERDA incentive
• Apply for Con Edison Interconnection Agreement
• Apply for Building Permit/Electrical Permit
• Receive all of the above
Installation
• ConEd net meter installation
• Order Meter
• System Installed per Approved Design
• Submit 75% payment of NYSERDA incentive (on delivery of materials)
Inspection/Signs Offs
• ConEd self-certification
• Receive Con Edison final approval letter
• Electrical inspection
• Building Dept. inspection
• Submit 25% Payment of NYSERDA incentive
• Receive Cert of Occupancy
NYSERDA, Con Edison, Local Building Dept
Solar PV process timeline
4-6 weeks
• Contract signed
• NYSERDA review
1 -6 weeks
• Municipal permit
• Utility review
2 - 4 weeks
• Installation
• Utility, Elec & local Inspections + C of O
Town of Queensbury- my favorite permit reply!!
“Queensbury Code…does not require a building permit for the
installation of solar panels, provided the installation does not involve
any structural changes.”
Building permit (traditional approach)
Building permit (traditional approach)
Building permit (traditional approach)
Solar Financing data
Solar Finance
Methods*
# of
systems
installed
Average system
investment ($)
Average
system size
(kWdc)
Commerci
al Residential
1. Lease 693 $33,641 7.1 5 688
2. Purchase 406 $55,924 13.3 54 352
3. Power
Purchase
Agreement 365 $35,178 7.7 6 372
4. Unspecified 377 $83,146 11.8 74 288
Totals
*(since July 2012)
Source: NYSERDA Photovoltaic program data as of 9/30/2015, See open.ny.gov.
Solar as jobs producer
$0
$5,000,000
$10,000,000
$15,000,000
$20,000,000
$25,000,000
$30,000,000
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Annual investment in solar PV installations in Westchester County
Private sector investment in solar ($/yr) Public sector (incentive) invested in solar ($/yr
Source: NYSERDA Photovoltaic program data as of 9/30/2015, See open.ny.gov.
Building permit (traditional approach)
Challenges: (1) Most building permits do not anticipate solar PV systems.
� They may not collect key solar PV information.
(2) Permit fees based on construction $ value are hard to verify:
� Most PV today is sold on lease or power purchase agreement basis
and does not have contractual construction costs
Opportunities (Alternate approach)
Adopting a solar-specific permit can:
(1) Make sure you get the information you should
have.
�Roof load, mounting/attachment system, stamped
drawings
(2) Eliminate unneeded documentation (e.g. certified
surveys/site plans).
�Reduce paperwork and staff review time.
(3)Shift to a system-size fee structure
�Use a knowable number (kilowatts installed).
Solar-specific (Mechanical) Permit
Dobbs Ferry (e-property
portal)Croton (solar-specific permit)
e.g. $400 flat fee for systems 4-10 kW
Online Permit Applications: http://www.gistrend.com/dobbsferry
http://www.crotononhudson-
ny.gov/Public_Documents/CrotonHudsonNY_Engr/Application-
UnifiedSolarPermitfinal.pdf
Solar-specific permits…
C/T/V MUNICIPALITY Adopted streamlined permit #of PV systems
Town BEDFORD Yes (Solarize Round 1) 25
Village CROTON-ON-HUDSON Yes (Solarize Round 1) 42
Town SOMERS Yes (Solarize Round 2) 31
Town CORTLANDT Yes (Solarize Round 1) 137
City WHITE PLAINS Yes 114
City YONKERS Yes 256
Village DOBBS FERRY Yes (via online portal) (Solarize Round 2) 20
Source: http://www.solarizewestchester.com/
Other solar-friendly changes…C/T/V MUNICIPALITY Permit/streamlining under review
Village OSSINING Yes (Solarize Round 1) 82
Town OSSINING Yes (Solarize Round 1) 27
Village HASTINGS-ON-HUDSON Yes (Solarize Round 2) 11
Village LARCHMONT Yes 11
City NEW ROCHELLE Yes 73
Village SLEEPY HOLLOW Yes 8
Village RYE BROOK Yes (Solarize Round 2) 28
Town GREENBURGH Yes 123
Town NEW CASTLE Yes (Solarize Round 2) 40
Source: http://www.solarizewestchester.com/
Other solar-friendly changes
Town MAMARONECK Solar permit fees reduced (Solarize Round 1) 35
Village MOUNT KISCO ARB streamlined for Solarize (Solarize Round 1) 24
Village TARRYTOWN ARB eliminated for most homes (Solarize Round 2) 16
Town YORKTOWN Solar permit fees reduced 50% 110
Town POUND RIDGE Published solar permit checklist. 16
Town LEWISBORO Published solar permit checklist 18
Village IRVINGTON Published solar permit checklist 23
Source: http://www.solarizewestchester.com/
Which ZIP has most solar? 10562!
10562: 136
systems
Source: NYSERDA Photovoltaic program data as of 9/30/2015, See open.ny.gov.
What’s your solar density (kWh/yr/cap)Source: https://infogr.am/solar_power_in_westchester_county