Clean Energy Question of the Week
IREC and our EMPOWERED partners are committed to providing you with up to date, reliable, and vetted information that meets your needs. Join us each week for answers to your clean energy questions provided by leading industry organizations. The answer to each question contains links to additional resources you can explore to learn more!
Check out this week’s question and answer:
SolarAPP+ is designed to provide a code-compliance check for a number of residential solar systems with energy storage. Before starting a new project in SolarAPP+, confirm that the system complies with the Eligibility Checklist. When entering project information, have ready:
- The design with exact model numbers of equipment that will be used
- Specification or certification sheets
- The payment method
Learn More
The SolarAPP+ tool is designed for quicker and more efficient issuance of permits. Join the growing number of jurisdictions across the country who have issued over 11,000 permits using the SolarApp+ platform. Visit the SolarAPP+ knowledge center to find all your SolarAPP+ answers and resources.
0
0
Browse Questions by Category
Solar
SolarAPP+ is designed to provide a code-compliance check for a number of residential solar systems with energy storage. Before starting a new project in SolarAPP+, confirm that the system complies with the Eligibility Checklist. When entering project information, have ready:
- The design with exact model numbers of equipment that will be used
- Specification or certification sheets
- The payment method
Learn More
The SolarAPP+ tool is designed for quicker and more efficient issuance of permits. Join the growing number of jurisdictions across the country who have issued over 11,000 permits using the SolarApp+ platform. Visit the SolarAPP+ knowledge center to find all your SolarAPP+ answers and resources.
0
0
Performing a plan review for solar PV systems is crucial to ensuring safety, compliance, efficiency, and quality of the installation. It is important to consistently review plans to ensure that solar systems are installed properly and meet all necessary building codes and regulations.
Consider an example from Bakersfield, California where in one year when they received over 4,000 permit applications for residential PV systems, 13% of those applications did not meet the minimum code requirements for compliance issues for either structural or electrical requirements.
Code officials are engaged in the building process from the initial plan to the finished product, and your work impacts every building in every community. Because of your commitment to building safety, our buildings stand, our communities prosper, and our homes are safe. Your thorough review of each PV system plan application matters.
Learn More:
In this Introduction course on Plan Review and Permitting for Residential PV Systems, get to know the primary tasks to confirm the code compliance of most residential roof-mounted PV systems prior to issuing a permit.
0
0
Standard permitting and inspection processes for solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and energy storage systems (ESS) can vary greatly across local jurisdictions, increasing costs and extending project timelines for building officials, contractors, and system owners. For many residential projects, including rooftop PV systems up to 15 kilowatts (kW) and in some cases for ESS up to 80 kilowatt-hours (kWh), a simplified process can ensure that projects are safe, effective, and in compliance with universally adopted construction codes.
To streamline permitting, building officials can download a six-step checklist covering the information required for permitting review, electrical requirements, structural requirements, and more. For field inspections, building officials can download checklists that address notable installation requirements for PV systems and ESS. The inspection checklists can be customized with state and local requirements. Bill Brooks, an industry expert and principal engineer at Brooks Engineering, drafted each set of checklists with support from the Sustainable Energy Action Committee, SolSmart, and IREC.
Learn More:
0
0
SolarAPP+ is a web-based platform that streamlines the permitting process for solar energy projects. Solar permitting applications can be time consuming and resource intensive for local governments to review and approve. The high volume of these applications can lead to backlogs and delays in solar deployment. SolarAPP+ is a tool that helps accelerate solar deployment by allowing developers to check code compliance before submitting their designs for permit approval. This can help to reduce the workload for local governments and improve efficiency. The platform was developed and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in 2019, and is now in use in multiple states and jurisdictions.
Learn More
In this mini course, you will learn how to use the inspection checklist from the SolarAPP+ tool to efficiently and effectively inspect a rooftop residential PV system with an energy storage system (ESS).
0
0
Solar energy systems can sometimes face more complicated and costly permitting processes in areas where permit reviewers are less familiar with the technology. A simplified process can help streamline the permitting of most residential rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems, including those with energy storage. This simplified process can help reduce informational barriers and ensure that all items in the inspection process have been adequately addressed before inspectors arrive on site.
Learn More
If you are a plan reviewer, inspector, or installer, these permitting and inspection guides from the New Buildings Institute provide an overview of code requirements for the installation of energy storage systems (stand-alone and paired with simple photovoltaic systems) in single-family, multifamily, and office buildings.
0
0
Energy storage systems (ESS) are becoming more common across the country. When inspecting a PV + ESS, there can be a lot of system components to review, from the modules, to inverters and disconnects, to the ESS itself. To ensure a safe and correct inspection, it is valuable to understand the system components you will encounter and how to refer to approved plans and installation manuals.
Learn More
In this instructional video, you will learn from Chief Electrical Inspector Pete Jackson about the ins and outs of a solar PV system with a string inverter and a Tesla PowerWall in Bakersfield, California. This video course will help you educate yourself about the components of the system and related codes and standards, as well as permitting and inspection guides.
2
0
Today, many jurisdictions have the option of saving time with automated validation for solar PV systems. Automated permitting streamlines the permitting process and ensures consistency during the validation of solar PV system designs. In 2021, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) worked with IREC and other partners to develop SolarAPP+, short for Solar Automated Permit Processing. This is an online automated design validation tool that can evaluate many new residential rooftop solar PV systems.
Learn More
- How to Inspect a PV System Using SolarAPP+ (30 minute course for AHJs)
- How to Use SolarAPP+ For Rooftop Solar Projects (30 minute course for installers)
2
0
To responsibly issue a permit for a safe residential solar PV system, the most important aspect to consider is the accurate validation of the system design. This validation need not take a lot of time, but the process should be consistently performed. The traditional approach to issuing a permit is manual system design validation. PV and energy storage systems must comply with jurisdictional building, electrical, and fire codes. One plans examiner may review and validate all aspects of the plan, or the plan may go to more than one department for review and approval.
Learn More
3
0
To verify a permit plan application for a residential rooftop solar PV system, the submitted plan must include at a minimum:
- A site plan showing the location of the array along with the relative location of major components.
- A 1-line electrical diagram that shows PV array configuration, conductors and conduit, overcurrent protection, inverter(s), disconnects, point of utility interconnection.
- Specification sheets showing equipment listing and details for the modules, inverter, racking system, and other components as needed.
- Installation manuals for system equipment and components as needed.
Learn More
This downloadable job-aid provides a basic checklist of items that should be considered when reviewing a permit plan application for a solar PV system.
2
0
Energy Storage
Standard permitting and inspection processes for solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and energy storage systems (ESS) can vary greatly across local jurisdictions, increasing costs and extending project timelines for building officials, contractors, and system owners. For many residential projects, including rooftop PV systems up to 15 kilowatts (kW) and in some cases for ESS up to 80 kilowatt-hours (kWh), a simplified process can ensure that projects are safe, effective, and in compliance with universally adopted construction codes.
To streamline permitting, building officials can download a six-step checklist covering the information required for permitting review, electrical requirements, structural requirements, and more. For field inspections, building officials can download checklists that address notable installation requirements for PV systems and ESS. The inspection checklists can be customized with state and local requirements. Bill Brooks, an industry expert and principal engineer at Brooks Engineering, drafted each set of checklists with support from the Sustainable Energy Action Committee, SolSmart, and IREC.
Learn More:
0
0
Solar energy systems can sometimes face more complicated and costly permitting processes in areas where permit reviewers are less familiar with the technology. A simplified process can help streamline the permitting of most residential rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems, including those with energy storage. This simplified process can help reduce informational barriers and ensure that all items in the inspection process have been adequately addressed before inspectors arrive on site.
Learn More
If you are a plan reviewer, inspector, or installer, these permitting and inspection guides from the New Buildings Institute provide an overview of code requirements for the installation of energy storage systems (stand-alone and paired with simple photovoltaic systems) in single-family, multifamily, and office buildings.
0
0
Energy storage systems (ESS) are becoming more common across the country. When inspecting a PV + ESS, there can be a lot of system components to review, from the modules, to inverters and disconnects, to the ESS itself. To ensure a safe and correct inspection, it is valuable to understand the system components you will encounter and how to refer to approved plans and installation manuals.
Learn More
In this instructional video, you will learn from Chief Electrical Inspector Pete Jackson about the ins and outs of a solar PV system with a string inverter and a Tesla PowerWall in Bakersfield, California. This video course will help you educate yourself about the components of the system and related codes and standards, as well as permitting and inspection guides.
2
0
Bookmark this page and check back frequently. It will be continuously updated and we hope it will become your go-to place to learn about clean energy technologies, how to ensure safe operation of equipment and systems, associated safe work practices, and applicable codes.
Looking for further information about high performance buildings, energy storage, solar, and more? Visit the Clean Energy Clearinghouse for an expanded list of expert resources and CEU’s:
Have questions, feedback, or suggestions for future resources? Contact us at [email protected].
The Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) in partnership with the International Code Council, International Association of Electrical Inspectors, National Association of State Fire Marshals, Slipstream, FSEC Energy Research Center, Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory assembled these resources to provide you with up to date, reliable, vetted information and training related to existing and emerging technologies.