Program Update
ASTI Newsletter | November 2013 Edition | By Tyler Espinoza
The US Department of Energy’s SunShot Initiative Rooftop Solar Challenge incentivizes regional teams to make “going solar” easier and more affordable by reducing “plug-in” costs, or non-hardware costs associated with solar installations. By streamlining permit processes, updating planning and zoning codes, improving standards for connecting solar power to the electric grid, and increasing access to financing, the overall expenditures to install solar PV will be reduced dramatically, as much as 40%*.
In early 2013, the DOE announced Round II of the Rooftop Solar Challenge, which will provide $12 million in additional funding to teams that demonstrated exceptional progress toward meeting the program’s goals in Round I. Optony and seven other teams have been awarded Round II funding to continue their successful and effective work with local governments, electric utilities, and other stakeholders in an effort to streamline processes and promote market development activities.
Optony has formed an early partnership in Round II with a team led by the California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE). In Round I, CCSE created a successful program to bring streamlined permitting and interconnection practices to jurisdictions across the Southern California region. In Round II, CCSE will be expanding their program statewide to support over 37 million residents in their efforts to make going solar easier. Through this partnership, local governments and electric utilities across California will benefit from being on the Solar Roadmap and receive technical assistance from both Optony and CCSE. For more information about the California Center for Sustainable Energy’s project, please visit the CCSE website.
*Source: DOE Rooftop Solar Challenge website