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SolarAPP+ Performance Review (2023 Data)

SolarAPP+ Performance Review (2023 Data)

Full Title: SolarAPP+ Performance Review (2023 Data)
Author(s): Jeff Cook, Sertac Akar, Danny Chang, Anneliese Fensch, Katie Nissen, Eric O’Shaughnessy, and Kaifeng Xu
Publisher(s): National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Publication Date: June 10, 2024
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):

The Solar Automated Permit Processing Plus (SolarAPP+) platform is an online portal designed
to facilitate and expedite residential rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery storage
permitting processes. SolarAPP+ allows PV contractors to upload system specifications, have
that information automatically reviewed for code compliance, and receive instant approval for
code-compliant systems, reducing the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) staff time needed for
review. SolarAPP+ also provides inspection checklists to verify installation practices and
adherence to approved designs. SolarAPP+ is available to AHJs at no cost.

Consistent with previous performance reviews, in this report the authors summarize SolarAPP+ adoption trends to date and compare various metrics for PV systems permitted through SolarAPP+ to those for systems permitted through traditional AHJ permitting processes.

As of the end of 2023, 752 AHJs had expressed interest in the platform, with 167 AHJs either
fully adopting (97) or piloting (70) the platform. In 2023, 668 installers submitted 18,906 permits
through the SolarAPP+ platform, including 4,834 permits for PV+storage systems. SolarAPP+
permits accounted for around 43% of all permits issued in all participating AHJs (Figure ES-1),
and more than 80% of all permits in several participating AHJs.

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