This webinar was held on July 15, 2021, and featured Energy Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm for the launch of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Solar Automated Permit Processing (SolarAPP+) tool. SolarAPP+ makes it easy for local governments to permit residential solar project applications by reviewing projects for building code compliance and instantly approving the project. Guests discussed how the tool accelerates clean energy deployment by speeding up the permit process and reducing barriers for solar energy, as well as how other cities, towns, and counties can adopt it.

Interested in adopting SolarAPP+ in your jurisdiction? NREL encourages you to reach out to team@solar-app.org to discuss the tool and the adoption process. NREL will also walk through this process step-by-step at the upcoming SolarAPP+ webinar hosted by the National League of Cities on July 28, 2021, from 2-3 p.m. ET. 

You can get more information by visiting the SolarAPP+ help desk, watching the two-minute explainer video, or downloading the SolarAPP+ for Jurisdictions flyer. 

Webinar Topics: 

Guest Speakers:

  • Jennifer M. Granholm, Secretary of Energy
  • Regina Romero, Mayor of Tucson, Arizona
  • Sam Liccardo, Mayor of San Jose, California
  • Lynn Jurich, CEO of Sunrun
  • Will Jawando, Councilmember of Montgomery County, Maryland
  • John Alita, Deputy City Manager of Stockton, California
  • Jeff Cook, NREL SolarAPP+ Project Lead
  • Becca-Jones Albertus, Director of the Solar Energy Technologies Office

Webinar Recording

Leadership Roundtable: Empowering Cities to Accelerate Rooftop Solar Installations Across America
U.S. Department of Energy

Presentation Slides

Webinar Videos

Automated Permitting with SolarAPP+

Solar Automated Permit Processing+, known as SolarAPP+, is a web-based platform that automates solar permitting for local governments and other authorities having jurisdiction. SolarAPP+ allows developers to check code compliance of designs before submitting them for permit approval, which speeds up the process of going solar.
U.S. Department of Energy

Cities Choose SolarAPP+

SolarAPP+ provides local governments with a standard portal for receiving and processing permit information for residential solar and solar+storage systems. It can be incorporated into existing permitting systems used by jurisdictions.
U.S. Department of Energy

You can also view the recording and slides from the April 29, 2021 SolarAPP+ informational webinar for a more in-depth look at the tool and tune into the following upcoming SolarAPP+ webinar for more information and perspectives.

View a list of all upcoming solar office events and previous solar stakeholder webinars.