Santa Clara Offers One-Stop Permit
Process for Solar Home Projects

April 21, 2010

Santa Clara residents applying for permits to install rooftop solar panels can now get final approval to start construction and interconnect in a day instead of the weeks or months it can take in neighboring communities. The innovative permitting method means residents can more quickly get their systems operating and receive cash rebates from Silicon Valley Power (SVP).

“We've simplified the entire process,” said Sheila Lee, Building Official for Santa Clara. “The building permit and utility interconnection reviews and approvals happen over-the-counter at City Hall. The interconnection review process by SVP has been eliminated and is being handled by the Building Department. What used to take weeks can now be done in a single visit.”

Residents in other cities must go through their city's building permit process and then separately apply for the utility interconnection approval from their electric utility. SolarTech, a solar power initiative of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, calls Santa Clara's new process a “model municipal utility solar solution that should be copied at the regional, state and national levels,” said Doug Payne, Executive Director of SolarTech.

“This is an exciting development for Silicon Valley Power and the entire solar industry,” Payne added. “SVP's approach to integrating the building permit, inspection, and interconnection steps to deploy solar energy solutions achieves one of the fundamental goals of our vision for ‘Solar 2.0’.”

“SVP customers can now get their solar systems operating and receive their rebates much more quickly than before,” said Larry Owens, SVP Customer Service Manager. “We believe this is the only expedited process in the state utilizing a one-stop combined building permit and utility interconnection approval for simple residential systems.”

Solar installations usually provide payback for a homeowner's investment in six to eight years, utilizing SVP rebates and savings in electricity costs. Dramatic cuts in electric utility bills continue long after payback.

“Contractors and customers certainly appreciate the convenience this streamlined permit process offers,“ said Peter Rive, Chief Operating Officer of SolarCity, a solar power provider in the Santa Clara area. “By simplifying the solar permitting process, the City of Santa Clara allows us to more quickly install solar for customers as the peak summer solar season approaches.”

As before, customers or their contractors must present completed plans with their applications. More information on the new solar installation permit process is available by calling the City of Santa Clara's Permit Center at 408-615-2420.

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