Solar Policy

Here are some of the key bills of interest to the solar community:

Fair Permit Act - HB11-1199
Renewable Energy Standard 30% by 2020 - HB10-1001
Renewable Energy Standard for Co-op Utilities – HB07-1281
Community Solar Gardens – HB10-1342
Net Metering & 3rd Party Financing – SB09-51

‘Fair Permit Act’ Signed by Governor –
Solar permit costs are coming down in Colorado

In 2011 Governor Hickenlooper signed the ‘Fair Permit Act’ HB-1199 into law. The ‘Act’ had overwhelming support from the Senate (33-2 vote) and House (64-1 vote).

The Fair Permit Act helps lower local and state permit fees for solar PV and thermal installations across Colorado. Not only does this legislation extend existing caps on solar permit fees through 2018 – which is important since these caps were set to expire at the end of this month – but it also closes loopholes to further reduce costs.

This is significant because the solar permit process adds about $2,516 per U.S. residential installation on average, according to a recent national study by SunRun, and can exceed tens of thousands of dollars for large-scale installations.and now heads to Governor Hickenlooper’s desk to be signed into law.

Looking for a particular piece of legislation? Visit the Colorado General Assembly web page for a comprehensive listing of current and past legislation.