Soaring power demand and rising energy costs are pushing some Democratic-led states to seek to streamline the permitting process and lower the costs for homeowners to install rooftop solar systems.
That push toward “automated permitting” has been used by California — as well as deep red states like Texas and Florida — and comes as many regions seek out new sources of electricity amid a supply crunch that has boosted homeowner costs and threatened the reliability of the power grid.
The effort focuses on automated permitting, which typically involves a web-based platform where solar installers can submit project information for code compliance and potentially receive permits on the same day, rather than going through a manual process involving local governments.
The push comes after Republicans in Congress curbed incentives for renewable energy that were extended under the Biden administration – and to address the systemic costs the have kept rooftop solar costs in the United States far higher than in other industrialized countries.
