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Solar Powering Your Community: A Guide for Local Governments, U.S. Department of Energy | July 2009

List of Examples

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1.0 Organizing and Strategizing a Local Solar Effort
Example 1.
Houston, Texas: Creating an Advisory Council and Correspondence Group
Example 2.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Initiating the Milwaukee Shines Advisory Committee
Example 3.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Establishing a Solar Partnership Advisory Board
Example 4.
New York City, New York: Using a Solar Coordinator To Implement the City’s Solar Partnership
Example 5.
Salt Lake City, Utah: Choosing a Local Nonprofit To Manage the Solar Salt Lake Partnership
Example 6.
San José, California: Hiring a Solar Coordinator to Help Meet the City’s Green Vision Renewable Energy Goal
Example 7.
Berkeley, California: Surveying Businesses and Residents To Identify Barriers
Example 8.
Knoxville, Tennessee: Engaging Existing Industry
Example 9.
New York City, New York: Conducting an Installer Survey
Example 10.
Orlando, Florida: Identifying Barriers Through Targeted Solar Roundtables
Example 11.
San Antonio, Texas: Holding Solar San Antonio Quarterly Solar Roundtables
Example 12.
San Diego, California: Identifying Barriers and Solutions Through Solar Survey and Focus Groups
Example 13.
Boston, Massachusetts: Quantifying the City’s Installation Baseline
Example 14.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Using the Installation Baseline as an Outreach and Management Tool
Example 15.
Boston, Massachusetts: Determining Boston’s Solar Installation Targets
Example 16.
Orlando, Florida: Setting a Solar Installation Target of 15 Megawatts by 2015
Example 17.
Portland, Oregon: Setting Citywide Installation Targets
Example 18.
Berkeley, California: Including Solar Provisions in a Climate Action Plan
Example 19.
Boston, Massachusetts: Incorporating Solar into Transportation and Emergency Planning
Example 20.
New Orleans, Louisiana: Integrating Solar Goals into GreeNOLA
Example 21.
Seattle, Washington: Conducting a Comprehensive Review of City Codes and Practices
Example 22.
Tucson, Arizona: Collaborating Regionally on the Greater Tucson Solar Development Plan


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2.0 Making Solar Affordable for Residents and Businesses
Example 23.
Austin, Texas: Including a Solar Set-Aside in Austin Energy’s Renewable Portfolio Standards
Example 24.
New Jersey: Establishing a Solar Carve-Out with a Defined Alternative Compliance Payment Schedule
Example 25.
Austin, Texas: Offering Performance-Based Incentives for Commercial, Multifamily, and Nonprofit Customers and Up-Front Rebates for Residential Customers
Example 26.
Boulder, Colorado: Supporting the ClimateSmart Solar Grant Fund
Example 27.
San Francisco, California: Creating a Multifaceted Direct Incentive Program
Example 28.
Gainesville, Florida: Implementing a Solar Feed-In Tariff
Example 29.
San Antonio, Texas: Launching CPS Energy’s SolarTricity™ Producer Program
Example 30.
Connecticut: Establishing Connecticut Clean Energy Fund Solar Lease Program
Example 31.
Phoenix, Arizona: Forming a Partnership between the City of Phoenix and SolarCity
Example 32.
Babylon, New York: Instituting the Long Island Green Homes Retrofit Program
Example 33.
Berkeley, California: Developing the BerkeleyFIRST Financing Initiative for Renewable and Solar Technology
Example 34.
Boulder County, Colorado: Establishing Boulder’s ClimateSmart Loan Program
Example 35.
Sonoma County, California: Implementing the Sonoma County Energy Independence Program
Example 36.
Palm Desert, California: Putting an Energy Independence Program in Place
Example 37.
Maui County, Hawaii: Establishing 0% Interest Loans for Solar Water Heating Systems
Example 38.
Orlando, Florida: Offering Loan Buy-Downs and On-Bill Financing Program
Example 39.
San José, California: Targeting City Employees for Solar Group Buy Program
Example 40.
Orlando, Florida: Offering a Commercial Solar Aggregation Program
Example 41.
Portland, Oregon: Coordinating Community-Based Volume Purchasing Campaigns
Example 42.
San Francisco, California: Assisting Neighborhood Group Purchases
Example 43.
Ellensburg, Washington: Leading the Way with Community Solar
Example 44.
Orlando, Florida: Developing a Pilot Community Solar Program
Example 45.
Sacramento, California: Subscribing to “Shares” in a Utility-Scale Photovoltaic System
Example 46.
St. George, Utah: Setting the SunSmart Community Solar Program in Place
Example 47.
Tucson, Arizona: : Launching the Bright Tucson Community Solar Program
Example 48.
Boulder, Colorado: Providing City Sales Tax Rebates for Solar Energy Equipment
Example 49.
Harford County, Maryland: Offering Residential and Commercial Property Tax Credits for Solar Energy Systems
Example 50.
Montgomery County, Maryland: Offering Residential Property Tax Credit for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Projects
Example 51.
New York City, New York: Offering Property Tax Abatement for Photovoltaic Systems
Example 52.
New York State: Offering State Sales Tax Exemption for Solar Energy Equipment


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3.0 Updating and Enforcing Local Rules and Regulations
Example 53.
Ashland, Oregon: Protecting Solar Access Through Setbacks and Permits
Example 54.
Boulder, Colorado: Establishing “Solar Fences” to Protect Access to Sunlight
Example 55.
Sacramento, California: Establishing Zoning and Subdivision Regulations to Protect Solar Access
Example 56.
Madison, Wisconsin: : Allowing Solar Energy Systems in Historic Districts
Example 57.
Boston, Massachusetts: Requiring all New City-Subsidized Low-Income Housing To Be Solar Ready
Example 58.
Tucson, Arizona: Requiring All New Residences To Be Solar Ready
Example 59.
Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Minnesota: Addressing Zoning Barriers to Solar Installations
Example 60.
New Orleans, Louisiana: Establishing a Formal Communications Protocol Between the City and Utility
Example 61.
Portland, Oregon: Processing Permit Applications Electronically
Example 62.
San José, California: Streamlining the Permitting and Inspection Process
Example 63.
Tucson, Arizona: Providing a Solar Permit Fee Credit Incentive of up to $1,000
Example 64.
Salt Lake City, Utah: Organizing a Photovoltaic/National Electric Code Training Workshop
Example 65.
San José, California: Conducting PV and Fire Safety Training for Public Safety Officials
Example 66.
Seattle, Washington: Training City Staff on the National Electric Code
Example 67.
Austin, Texas: Requiring Installers to Demonstrate Qualifications
Example 68.
Louisiana: Establishing a Solar Classification and Certificate of Training


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4.0 Improving Utility Policies and Processes
Example 69.
New York City, New York: Interconnecting Photovoltaics on the City’s Network
Example 70.
Santa Clara, California: Establishing Collaboration between City and Municipal Utility
Example 71.
New Orleans, Louisiana: Enacting Citywide Net-Metering Rules
Example 72.
Orlando, Florida: Allowing Net Meter Aggregation
Example 73.
Salt Lake City, Utah: Influencing Statewide Net-Metering Rules
Example 74.
Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Minnesota: Developing a Photovoltaic Valuation Tool
Example 75.
San Diego, California: Studying Rate-Design Impacts on the Value of Solar Electricity


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5.0 Creating Jobs and Supporting Economic Development
Example 76.
Austin, Texas: Supporting Local Industry Through Renewable Portfolio Standards and Rebate Programs
Example 77.
Miami-Dade County, Florida: Creating New Jobs Through the Targeted Jobs Incentive Fund
Example 78.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Establishing a Solar Hot Water Business Council
Example 79.
Sacramento, California: Attracting Solar Businesses to Clean Tech Enterprise Zone
Example 80.
Los Angeles, California: Creating Partnerships To Train a Solar Workforce
Example 81.
Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Minnesota: Offering Training with the Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee
Example 82.
New Orleans, Louisiana: Facilitating the Louisiana CleanTech Network–Louisiana Technical College Partnership
Example 83.
San Francisco, California: Developing Community Workforce Development Training Programs


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6.0 Educating and Empowering Potential Customers
Example 84.
Knoxville, Tennessee: Educating the Community Through Consumer Workshops
Example 85.
Portland, Oregon: Reaching the Community Through the Solar Now! Campaign
Example 86.
Seattle, Washington: Educating Consumers Through Solar Works in Seattle Workshops
Example 87.
Sonoma County, California: Organizing a Solar Fair
Example 88.
Houston, Texas: Showcasing Solar Energy Technologies
Example 89.
Knoxville, Tennessee: Demonstrating Photovoltaic Technologies
Example 90.
Pima County, Arizona: Publishing Solar Case Studies Online
Example 91.
San José, California: Developing the Green Vision Clean Energy Showcase
Example 92.
Austin, Texas: Ensuring High-Quality Installations
Example 93.
Berkeley, California: Assisting Homeowners and Businesses in Going Solar Through the SmartSolar Program
Example 94.
Madison, Wisconsin: Helping Prospective Solar Owners Make Decisions
Example 95.
Houston, Texas: Mapping Houston’s Solar Installations Online
Example 96.
Sacramento, California: Showcasing Installations Through Solar Mapping Software
Example 97.
San Francisco, California: Assessing Solar Potential with the San Francisco Solar Map
Example 98.
Austin, Texas: Promoting Solar in Schools
Example 99.
New Orleans, Louisiana: Launching the Solar Schools Initiative
Example 100.
San José, California: Hosting Teacher Training and Supporting Solar Curriculum in K-12 Schools


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7.0 Leading by Example with Installations on Government Properties
Example 101.
Ann Arbor, Michigan: Using a Solar Feasibility Study as a Training Opportunity
Example 102.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Assessing Solar Potential Through the Solar Roadmapping and Simulation Tool (RooSTer)
Example 103.
Salt Lake County, Utah: Evaluating the Solar Potential of County Facilities and Prioritizing Installation Locations
Example 104.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Redesigning a Solar Request for Proposals Based on Lessons Learned
Example 105.
San Antonio, Texas: Attracting International Respondents to Solar Request for Proposal
Example 106.
Santa Clara County, California: Enabling Collaborative Procurement for Solar Power Purchase Agreements
Example 107.
Boston, Massachusetts: Issuing Revenue Bonds to Install Solar at Boston Water and Sewer Commission Headquarters
Example 108.
Boulder County, Colorado: Bundling Multiple Smaller Projects into Single Power Purchase Agreements
Example 109.
Denver, Colorado: Combining a Loan with a Third-Party Power Purchase Agreement for Denver International Airport
Example 110.
San Diego, California: Financing a Photovoltaic System Using a Power Purchase Agreement
Example 111.
San Francisco, California: Using a Power Purchase Agreement for a 5-Megawatt Sunset Reservoir Solar Project
Example 112.
Tucson, Arizona: Issuing Clean Renewable Energy Bonds
Example 113.
Contra Costa County, California: Commissioning Independent Reviews for High School PV Systems
Example 114.
Orange County, Florida: Commissioning the Orange County Convention Center Photovoltaic System
Example 115.
Suffolk County, New York: Using County Parking Lots as Host to 17 Megawatts of Solar
Example 116.
Tucson, Arizona: Leasing Land for a 25-Megawatt PV Plant
Example 117.
New York State: Soliciting Municipal and School Host Sites for 100-Megawatt Solar Photovoltaics Initiative


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