Irvine, CA

In order to earn SolSmart Bronze designation, the City of Irvine, California, improved public access to information about solar energy (including financial incentives, consumer protection, and local installers), provided residents with energy options that include solar PV, streamlined permitting processes, required that new construction (including affordable housing developments) be solar ready, and more!

• Post online resources about residential and commercial solar PV financing options and incentives
• Post an online summary of state policies related to Homeowner Associations (HOAs) ability to regulate and/or restrict solar PV, including links to state-level policy
• Post online resources about consumer protection and solar PV.
• Post online resources about solar installers and/or solar quote platforms for solar PV.
• Post a solar landing page on local government’s website with information that may include the community’s solar goals, educational materials and tools that promote solar
• Require new local government facilities and/or facility retrofits meeting a specific threshold to be solar ready.
• Support a community-wide group purchase program (e.g., Solarize). Program must have occurred within the last 2 years
• Provide residents with Community Choice Aggregation/Energy that includes solar PV as a power generation source.
• Post an online checklist detailing the required permit(s), submittals, and steps of your communitys permiƫng process for residential rooftop solar PV
• Post an online statement confirming a three-business day turnaround time for residential rooftop solar PV
• Distinguish between solar PV systems qualifying for streamlined and standard permit review.
• Require no more than one permit application form for a small rooftop solar PV system.
• Provide an online process for solar PV permit submission and approval.
• Demonstrate that residential permit fees for solar PV are $500 or less.
• Post an online checklist detailing the required permit(s), submittals, and steps of your community’s solar plus (e.g., battery storage, and/or electric vehicle charging) permitting process
• Require no more than one inspection for small rooftop solar PV
• Demonstrate that current model code (IRC, IBC, and NEC ) cycle is implemented in the community for solar and solar plus storage (codes must be the most recent editions (or penultimate edition))
• Demonstrate that commercial permit fees for solar PV are based on cost-recovery and capped at a reasonable level so fees do not become a net revenue source
• Demonstrate pathway for instant/automatic approval of residential rooftop solar PV systems (e.g., using SolarAPP+)
• Require new construction to be solar ready in at least one zoning district by adopting Appendix U (International Code Council), Appendix RB (International Energy Conservation Code), or another mechanism.
• Codify a solar requirement for new construction and/or retrofits meeting a specific threshold, in at least one zoning district.
• Require new construction affordable housing and multifamily housing to be solar ready
• Review zoning requirements and identify restrictions that intentionally or unintentionally prohibit solar PV development