The Maryland Power Administration has introduced the launch of a brand new initiative to assist counties and municipalities throughout Maryland automate and speed up their residential photo voltaic power allowing.
The state company’s SolarAPP+ Implementation Grant Program is a federally funded, $3.9 million FY 2025 program that helps pay the prices related to implementing the free-to-use SolarAPP+ photo voltaic allowing software program, in keeping with Maryland legislation.
By adopting SolarAPP+, native governments can approve photo voltaic initiatives extra effectively, saving beneficial workers time whereas sustaining rigorous security and code compliance requirements — and serving to scale back the prices of photo voltaic power methods.
“SolarAPP+ transforms the allowing panorama and helps make approvals happen rather more rapidly, whereas making certain security compliance,” mentioned Maryland Power Administration Director Paul G. Pinsky. “This platform drastically cuts wait occasions for owners and installers. It additionally empowers native governments to drive the transition to wash power ahead. This can assist make ‘going photo voltaic’ simpler and extra environment friendly for all Marylanders.”
The U.S. Nationwide Renewable Power Laboratory developed SolarAPP+ by way of a collaborative effort with key code officers, authorities having jurisdiction and the photo voltaic business. This collaboration aimed to advertise rooftop photo voltaic adoption by making it simpler for native governments to rapidly and safely approve rooftop initiatives. It options standardized plan evaluation software program that may run compliance checks and course of constructing allow approvals for eligible rooftop photo voltaic methods.
The Maryland Power Administration’s program offers monetary help to native governments for implementation prices, together with workers coaching, software program integration and contractual help. It goals to make sure that each jurisdiction — no matter dimension or sources — can take part in Maryland’s clear power transition.
Information merchandise from the Maryland Power Administration