Legislation passed in Minnesota earlier this year to incentivize a new solar permitting tool called “SolarAPP+” that offers direct financial benefits to homeowners, local governments, and Minnesota’s growing solar industry. GPI is proud to have worked with a coalition of organizations to develop and secure funding for the new program to encourage use of the SolarAPP+ (APP stands for automated permit processing) tool in the state.
SolarAPP+ is a free online permitting software that allows cities to make solar permitting more efficient by automatically determining compliance of rooftop solar installations (and associated battery installations) with safety and code criteria. The US Department of Energy and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory created, tested, and are now deploying this tool across the nation.
The legislation provides direct incentives to local governments to adopt the SolarAPP+ tool and creates a new program to promote the opportunity and assist local governments with adoption.
Reducing barriers to solar in Minnesota
The demand for rooftop solar in Minnesota is rapidly rising as households, businesses, schools, farms, and more realize the significant cost savings they could achieve by adding rooftop solar. Solar energy is an economically viable and competitive option for homeowners in every community in the state, and most communities are now seeing an influx of rooftop installations. Solar deployment also plays a critical role in reducing Minnesota’s greenhouse gas emissions and achieving the state’s goal of carbon-free electricity by 2040.
The Great Plains Institute has documented the rooftop “solar reserves” for many communities, and viable solar rooftop opportunities could meet 30-70 percent of total community electric demand if fully built out.
While the benefits of solar are clear, the process for solar permitting can delay projects due to city staff time limitations, increased installer costs because of differing application of standards, and repeated trips to the permitting office. This is why the recent legislative initiative on the SolarAPP+ is so important to communities across the state.
SolarAPP+ will deliver benefits to Minnesota communities
GPI works with cities and counties across Minnesota to remove barriers and lower costs for property owners to benefit from the solar energy resources on their homes and businesses. As the rooftop solar market expands, cities and counties will see an increasing number of permit applications to be processed. Communities will benefit from SolarAPP+ by freeing up important staff resources, saving taxpayer funds, and improving the citizens’ experience and energy bill savings.
According to the US Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office, over 160 communities across the United States use the SolarAPP+ software, which “has helped local governments approve more than 32,800 projects, saving more than 33,000 hours of permitting staff time without sacrificing safety or code compliance.”
SolarApp+ adoption is part of becoming solar ready through national SolSmart program
The SolarAPP+ tool is also part of the national SolSmart program available for local governments to receive free technical assistance and recognition for their actions to become solar ready (GPI serves as a SolSmart technical assistance and recruitment partner). Minnesota is a national leader in communities that are enrolled in or certified by SolSmart (over 50 communities), including communities such as the cities of Austin, Hutchinson, Mountain Iron, and St. Francis, and Pine, Carlton, and Stearns counties.
SolarAPP+ would directly benefit these and other communities as the market demand for residential solar accelerates. La Crescent, Minnesota, was the first community in the state to adopt SolarAPP+, also making La Crescent the fourth community in the nation to achieve SolSmart Platinum, the highest designation level available.
Minnesota’s SolarAPP+ program and incentive launch in 2025
The new Minnesota SolarAPP+ program and incentive will be launched in 2025. Keep an eye out for this effort and connect with GPI for more information on how your community can streamline its transition into the clean energy system. Follow us on LinkedIn, sign up for our monthly newsletter, or connect directly with our Renewable Energy team: [email protected].
