NREL's SolarAPP Streamlines Solar Permitting (Text Version)

This is the text version of a video about NREL's SolarAPP, which streamlines solar permitting to cut the process by 5–10 business days.

Shots of solar panels with a cityscape in the background and an electric vehicle charging, aerial view of a city and county building, and panning view of a city at sunset with palm trees in the foreground.

Narrator: Cities and counties across the U.S. are committed to curbing emissions and generating clean, local power through bold sustainability goals and targets.

However, bureaucratic procedures don't always work as fast as they would like, especially when it comes to adding solar. You see every jurisdiction in the U.S. has its own process and requirements.

These usually involve waiting in line, waiting for mail-in applications to be reviewed, waiting to hear if the application has been approved, and if not, starting the whole process all over.

On average, it takes a week or longer to receive approval on a new solar project in the U.S.

Until now!

NREL and SolarAPP logos appear onscreen and screenshot of scrolling through SolarAPP website.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory's SolarAPP is a free, online platform that completely automates the permitting process for residential rooftop solar.

The app standardizes requirements and checks for safety and compliance on the spot to instantly catch code issues, typos, and errors.

Overall, it cuts down the permitting process by at least 5 to 10 business days. This means less waiting and more solar!

Shot of Geoff Simmons looking into the camera. Text onscreen says, "Geoff Simmons, Chief Building Official, City of Pleasant Hill"

Geoff Simmons: Reviewing permit applications takes a lot of time for my team here at Pleasant Hill. SolarAPP ensures that each system is code compliant. By giving us this assurance, it allows my team to focus on more complex projects and deliver more solar projects faster.

Shot of Valerie Anderson looking into the camera. Text onscreen says, "Valerie Anderson, Permit and Inspections, Tesla"

Valerie Anderson: SolarAPP will help accelerate the U.S.'s transition to sustainable energy, and that's all that matters to me. It's a win-win! Customers get a faster, cheaper process to go solar, and building officials get the star power of all the great experts and code officials behind an automated tool that gives them consistent checks for free. Honestly, SolarAPP is a no-brainer; it's a game-changer!

Blurred out shot of houses with rooftop in the background and text onscreen says, "2.4 million homes" with a sun icon. Text onscreen says, "30,000 solar jobs" with a construction worker icon.

Narrator: SolarAPP is projected to help add solar to 2.4 million homes and 30,000 solar jobs across the U.S. Now that's one powerful app!

Video ends with text onscreen: solarapp.nrel.gov