Montgomery County is the first local government in Maryland to be recognized with a SolSmart Platinum designation, the highest level awarded, for encouraging the growth of affordable solar energy options at the local level. In 2020, Montgomery County was awarded a SolSmart Gold designation.
SolSmart is a national organization that helps local governments and organizations become solar energy leaders.
To achieve the recent SolSmart Platinum designation, the Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services (DPS) trained staff on best practices for permitting solar energy and solar-plus storage systems, created an online permitting checklist, launched the new eSolar program for residential rooftops and unveiled a new solar dashboard to report the number of residential solar installations and average permitting and inspection turnaround times.
“We’ve worked hard to remove the barriers that slow down solar adoption, and this recognition shows that the work is paying off,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “Predictability in permitting is important, and the DPS eSolar program provides that by issuing permits the same day, making it easier for residents to go solar. I appreciate the work our Permitting Services team has done to streamline the process, and I hope this designation encourages even more people to make the switch to clean energy.”
The new solar permitting dashboard and map highlights the growth of the eSolar program over the last six months in Montgomery County. The rolling dashboard features a side-by-side comparison of eSolar permits and residential rooftop solar permits, including the average number of days to issue a permit and the total number of systems installed. The dashboard is updated daily.
Criteria highlighted by SolSmart for the Platinum designation include the following solar energy actions by Montgomery County:
- Created an online permitting checklist, increasing transparency for community members and solar installers.
- Cross-trained both inspection and permitting staff on solar photovoltaic (PV).
- Provided a streamlined permitting pathway for simple PV systems.
- Established partnerships with local community-based organizations focused on serving the community to define solar goals, develop implementation strategies, and establish a plan for tracking and reporting.
- Installed solar on government-owned facilities or lands.
- Trained permitting staff on best practices for permitting and inspections of solar PV and/or solar and storage systems.
- Demonstrated pathway for instant/automatic approval of residential rooftop solar PV systems (i.e., using SolarAPP+).
- Posted community metrics related to the number of solar PV and solar and storage permits and inspections processed annually and average annual permitting and inspection timelines.
“Over the last year, we have seen 36% of the residential rooftop solar permits issued through the eSolar program, and that number continues to go up,” said DPS Director Rabbiah Sabbakhan. “In May, 50% of the permit applications were residential. This is good news because it means homeowners are getting residential rooftop solar installed faster and that translates into saving time and money.”
SolSmart is led by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council and the International City/County Management Association and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office. More than 500 cities, towns, counties and regional organizations have achieved SolSmart designation since the program launched in 2016. SolSmart designees are now in 43 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Learn more at SolSmart.org.
For more information about the eSolar program and residential solar permits in Montgomery County, visit the DPS website and search “solar.” Check out the new solar dashboard on the front page of the DPS website.
DPS is located at 2425 Reedie Drive, 7th floor, in Wheaton. The office is open from 7:30 a.m.- 4 p.m. weekdays, and no appointment is necessary. Stay connected with DPS by subscribing to the monthly newsletter, Constructive Comments. Listen to the DPS Podcast on your favorite podcast platform. For more information about building permits and inspections, call MC311 or 240-777-0311.
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