addressing balance of system soft costs: new york state

Credits: SolarCity, Monolith Solar, Hudson Solar, Solar Liberty

Addressing Balance of System Soft

Costs: New York State

Clean Renewable Local Power

____

Economic Development

___________

Local Jobs

Survey, Benchmark and Analyze

Develop & Implement

New Permitting

Process

Support Broad Implementation

of New Permitting,

Policy & Financing Solutions

IT Tools:Solar Map

Data Platforms

Outreach

Clean Renewable Local Power

____

Economic Development

___________

Local Jobs

Survey, Benchmark and Analyze

Develop & Implement

New Permitting

Process

Support Broad Implementation

of New Permitting,

Policy & Financing Solutions

IT Tools:Solar Map

Data Platforms

Outreach

* 2013 figures based on NY-Sun Initiative goals

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013*

MW

-DC

Year

Solar PV in New York State

Installed

Capacity

Cumulative

Installed

Capacity

Cost of Solar is Declining

$0.00

$1.00

$2.00

$3.00

$4.00

$5.00

$6.00

$7.00

$8.00

$9.00

$10.00

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013*

Weighted Average Installed Cost

Avg. Installed Cost

Economic Development Opportunity

Solar installed since

2007 represents

$1.74 billion for

New York economy

$0

$100,000,000

$200,000,000

$300,000,000

$400,000,000

$500,000,000

$600,000,000

$700,000,000

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013*

Value of Installed Solar by Year

Value of installed

solar

The Cost of Solar in the US

$-

$1.00

$2.00

$3.00

$4.00

$5.00

$6.00

$7.00

US Solar Cost

$ p

er

Wa

tt

Breakdown of US Solar Costs

Other Non-Hardware Cost

Non-Hardware Cost

Hardware Cost

Source: NREL (http://ases.conference-services.net/resources/252/2859/pdf/SOLAR2012_0599_full%20paper.pdf) (http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy12osti/53347.pdf)

(http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy12osti/54689.pdf)

Profits, Taxes, & Overhead

$0.00

$0.20

$0.40

$0.60

$0.80

$1.00

$1.20

$1.40

$1.60

$ p

er

Wa

tt

Other Paperwork

Permitting

Installation Labor

Customer Acquisition

Develop & Implement

New Permitting

Process

• Standardized permit for simple systems that are 12 kW or smaller

• Based on Long Island’s form and Solar ABCs

• Solar-specific permit form that uses plans and diagrams required

by NYSERDA and/or utility

• Asks for property information, as well as information on equipment

and mounting system

• Checklist to ensure that systems fall within certain parameters and

comply with local and state codes

• Working with municipalities interested in adopting expedited

permit form and process

Enhancing consistency and transparency in processes statewide

• Show your community is open for solar business

• Receive incentive under NYSERDA’s Cleaner, Greener Communities

• Removes barriers to local economic development, and add solar jobs

Municipalities

• Utilizing a standardized form will increase the quality and accuracy of applications received from installers

• As the number of solar installation s increases, this enables building departments to gather all necessary information to ensure safety of installation.

Building Departments

• Simplify and streamline permitting

• Increases consistency and transparency in permitting

• Ensure that fair, flat fees are set for small-scale installations

• Use same plans for municipality, utility, and NYSERDA

Solar Industry

Benefits of Implementing

NYS Unified Solar Permit

http://ny-sun.ny.gov/Local-Community-

Tools

Develop & Implement

New Permitting

Process

• Adopt permit form

• Increase accessibility of permitting info

• Post form and permitting info online

• Establish timelines for review and issuance

• Fair permit fees

• Single comprehensive inspection with established

timeline

Permitting Best Practices

Clear, consistent info, transparent timelines and fees

Early Adopters – Huntington (LI)

• Town board approved resolutions on 12/13/11

• 358 residential solar permits issued

• Feedback from Buildings Department

– “I believe that it is the most perfect application

that I have seen, and it contains just the right

amount of information needed, not too much nor

too little.”

Early Adopters – Huntington (LI)

Majority of code changes developed by Terese

Kinsley and Deputy Town Attorney Thelma Neira

Sample

resolution

from Town

of Chatham

Questions?

Amy Heinemann

New York State Solar Ombudsman

amy.heinemann@cuny.edu

212.346.8577