Please contact Jack Morgan at [email protected] with any questions about SolSmart and how the NADO Research Foundation is supporting this nationwide effort.
The SolSmart program is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and offers expert technical assistance at no cost to help regional organizations, counties, and local governments implement nationally recognized best practices to advance solar energy adoption. Learn more about SolSmart and the Regional Organization Designation here. The webpage features links to SolSmart’s new website, webinar recordings and insights from other Regional Organizations that have been designated.
Recent changes have been made to the program, including:
Regional organizations and cities and counties are all eligible to be designated. If you have a regional newsletter, blog or social media this is a great place to share about the program.
Click here to download the above flyer which explains the Regional Organization Designation Pathway.
In case you missed it, review the variety of recent solar energy planning resources from SolSmart available for regional and local leaders.
During the October NADO Annual Training Conference, Brian Ross of Great Plains Institute presented on solar energy planning and development during the interactive session: Empowering Regions. Please see the slide presentation here.
Webinar- Planning and Zoning Best Practices for Solar Energy (and Storage)
Recorded in September 2025, this webinar is for planning and zoning professionals and summarizes best practices for incorporating solar and energy storage into plans, ordinances, and development regulations
Toolkit- Planning, Zoning and Development
This toolkit provides information on how local governments can incorporate solar energy goals into local planning documents and identifies best practices for addressing solar development in zoning codes, including updated examples and model ordinances.
Updated Solar Landing Page Template
SolSmart encourages participating organizations to post solar resources on their website. To reflect changes in federal tax credits and other programs, SolSmart has released an updated landing page template. Find it here.
Toolkit- The Federal and State Context
This updated toolkit provides an overview of federal and state policies and programs with an impact on solar energy development.
The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC, pronounced “morp-see”), looking to become the go-to resource in Central Ohio for preparing communities to be solar-ready, received a SolSmart Silver designation in 2021.
SolSmart advisors have provided MORPC with Technical Assistance to help the organization spin up a regional community energy strategy. The strategy brings together plans for energy efficiency upgrades, solar deployment, electric vehicle charging, and community engagement and education. SolSmart advisors also assisted with feasibility assessments for one particular component, the development of cooperative solar purchasing agreements at the community level. MORCP hopes to execute the first of these structures in the coming years.
SolSmart resources have also helped MORPC to engage member localities around the designation process. In 2021 just two had achieved SolSmart designation; today, the number stands at nine and several more are moving forward with designation. MORPC is now rolling out a ‘planner pool’ technical assistance model to provide zoning and permitting review for member communities looking to engage in SolSmart or smooth solar deployment. In addition, they’ve folded solar energy readiness review into their own local sustainability designation program, Sustainable 2050.
“It’s been helpful because it provides another tool in the toolbelt to allow our diverse set of local governments to jump onboard based on where they are already and their specific needs, which differs widely by community,” comments Brian Filiatraut, Energy and Sustainability Program Manager at MORPC. “We’re pushing ahead on a number of climate and clean energy initiatives, and [SolSmart] fits very well with them.”
As part of a larger programmatic commitment to prepare its region for the transition to renewable energy, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission has been a SolSmart Advisor and Bronze Member since 2020.
In its SolSmart application, DVRPC committed to use the program’s resources to help staff explore ways to implement quantifiable metrics for solar PV in its long-range plan. That plan, still in the development process, builds on DVRPC’s pre-existing commitment to reduce the region’s overall greenhouse gas emissions to 60% of 2005 levels by 2040. SolSmart’s program guides and technical assistance served as a framework to guide the Commission’s outreach to utility providers and localities and sponsor discussions on solar development issues like interconnections, shared solar, and net metering.
As a SolSmart Advisor, DVRPC has led two technical assistance cohorts to help localities in its region achieve SolSmart designations. A major goal of these efforts was to reduce the soft costs of solar installation, which DVRPC estimates account for as much as 64% of the total installed cost of a rooftop PV system and represent an increasingly large share of overall installation costs. DVRPC staff provided each member community with a comprehensive review of its zoning and permitting process, clarifying potential pitfalls and opportunities for process streamlining or revision. They also helped local staff develop public-facing checklists and guides to walk individuals and businesses through the process of permitting and installing on-site solar, and advised on other issues. These included sensitive regulations for solar panels on historically protected structures, integrating solar development into local comprehensive and sustainability plans, and raising public awareness about the localities’ newly updated solar regulations. Through the two cohorts, in 2018 and 2018, seventeen communities either achieved SolSmart designations or are pending designations. DVRPC’s website hosts a map of SolSmart communities at the bronze, gold, and pending designation levels.
Additionally, DVRPC merged its SolSmart material with existing solar deployment resources onto a common page on its website. Here interested citizens, local officials, and planners can find links to training materials, sample ordinances and checklists from designated communities, and links to public resources like solar potential maps, rollout metrics, and statewide solar siting analyses. Materials are organized by theme, including metrics tracking, zoning, permitting, inspection, fire safety, media campaigns, and utility connection resources.
Building on the success of their two SolSmart Advisor cohorts, DVRPC is now assisting two large counties with achieving designations. They recently offered a regional training on best practices for permitting & inspection and supported Chester County in hosting a planning and zoning training for localities in its jurisdiction.
Region 9 Development Commission, located in Mankato, MN, was awarded the SolSmart Silver designation in March 2022 and is actively working towards obtaining Gold designation. Read on to learn more about their experiences, and how they are using the program to support communities in their region.
“Region Nine pursued SolSmart designation so we could be a better resource to the communities we serve. Through the designation process, our staff reached out to solar stakeholders including installers, utilities, and banks. These interviews allowed our staff to learn about the solar landscape of south-central Minnesota and gave our team a stronger ability to provide technical assistance on solar development as the energy transition hastens. The SolSmart process also resulted in Region Nine developing a solar resource page that our communities can utilize to guide their decisions. As we pursue higher SolSmart designations, our staff will work to get member communities designated so that the knowledge and awareness of solar increases throughout our region. Additionally, SolSmart staff have continued to be a resource for Region Nine and our communities to make sense of emerging topics like utility scale battery storage.
Region Nine is working closely with our SolSmart TA provider who has been critical in helping us form a pathway for advancement. We have connected with multiple communities and focused on ordinance review, providing resources and recommendations for rooftop solar implementation, battery storage, and creating a cohort model for invested communities to approach solar development collaboratively. Through these conversations, Region Nine is confident that these efforts create a more robust understanding of solar energy and allow communities the resources they need to pursue state and federal funding opportunities in this space.”
New River Valley Regional Commission, based in Radford, VA received Solsmart Bronze Designation in 2020. They began the process in 2019 with a consultation call with Solsmart staff to learn more about the program. The program was presented to NRVRC’s Board in May 2019, where it was approved and staff soon began preparing a solar statement and letter of commitment. NRVRC was interested in pursuing designation for a variety of reasons. There was and is a growing demand for solar in the region, and demand for solar ready homes. NRVRC wanted to play a role advancing solar in the region, provide solar best practice resources for member local governments, and develop a repository of information and educational resources for member local governments, solar consumers and installers. NRVRC staff felt that there were “a lot of benefits to the program and flexibility that truly help regional organizations figure out the value add for their region.”
To obtain Bronze designation NRVRC created a webpage to host solar info, and during a quarterly call for planners in the New River Valley, brought on Solsmart trainers to speak about how to incorporate solar in land use plans and in zoning, set solar goals, and minimize risk for local governments. NRVRC also hosted a training for permitting staff in the region, and addressed applicable building codes and standards, the permitting process, and ‘what to look for when you go out for solar inspections.’
Speaking about the designation, Executive Director Kevin Byrd said, “the Regional Commission is excited to receive the SolSmart Bronze designation as an acknowledgement of the agency’s efforts to provide technical assistance to our members on energy alternatives. As solar energy becomes more affordable, we are helping position the region to welcome the technology.” Aphi Fancon, a senior planner with the Regional Commission, led the agency through the designation process and shared, “we have seen high-level of engagement on the topic with our members and hope to see more pursuing their own designations in the future because it ultimately helps provide citizens and businesses with energy options.” Staff time to get designated was a few hours a week, and they built off existing work including a regional energy plan. While NRVRC decides if they will pursue further designation, they know that the resources they have developed will help the Commission’s member communities navigate solar development locally.
Florida
The state of Florida has long been a leader in solar energy. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) shows Florida as ranking 3rd of all US states for total installed solar capacity1. The Florida solar market is valued at over $32B and provides more than 14,300 industry jobs (2nd highest in the US), solar plays an important role in Florida’s economy and energy resources.
Florida House Bill 683, which went into effect in July 2025, mandates a five-day turnaround period for permits for projects such as rooftop solar installations. If these permits are not processed within five days, they will automatically be considered approved. Homeowners now have the option to hire third party inspectors or opt for virtual inspections, which will speed up project timelines. The legislation also limits the paperwork requirements for permit applications and strengthens support for automatic permitting software such as SolarApp+.
While the state takes steps to streamline permitting, many local governments are also doing what they can to continue supporting successful solar markets. Through the SolSmart Program numerous local governments in Florida have been working to update their zoning requirements, train local staff, and streamline local permitting.
Most recently, Miami, FL achieved Silver SolSmart designation and Coral Springs, FL achieved Bronze SolSmart designation. Throughout September to December 2025, SolSmart ran a cohort that engaged a group of local governments and regional organizations from across Florida to collectively work towards SolSmart designation, share lessons learned, and identify specific opportunities and best practices for communities in Florida. By the end of 2025, more than 40 Florida communities are expected to achieve SolSmart designation.
Resources to help your community streamline solar development and align processes with state policies can be found at Energy-Ready.org/SolSmart
1 https://seia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Florida.pdf
To support SolSmart efforts around the Regional Organization Pathway and to bring this important information to the over 500 national members of both organizations, the National Association of Development Organizations Research Foundation and NARC spoke with staff at designated organizations in the fall of 2021 to learn more about their involvement in the program and gather recommendations for other regional organizations considering pursuing designation.
The resulting publication, SolSmart: A Regional Approach to Solar Energy Adoption, includes insights into why organizations chose to participate in the program, tips on how to successfully prepare and conduct outreach, and how it can benefit communities. The document includes specific examples and links to SolSmart resources. Click here to download the report (PDF).
Please contact Jack Morgan at [email protected] with any questions about SolSmart and how the NADO Research Foundation is supporting this nationwide effort.
This webinar introduces regional councils to the SolSmart program, covering how SolSmart can help regional councils implement best practices and unlock the benefits of solar energy. Panelists share examples of regional organizations that have participated in SolSmart and the benefits they have seen as a result.
The Solar Power in Your Community guidebook serves as a resource to assist government officials and stakeholders in increasing deployment and local access to solar photovoltaics.
Through diverse case studies, information about new technologies, and more, you will gain invaluable insight and strategies for improving the equity of solar deployment at the local level. The guidebook is produced by The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and The National Renewable Energy Lab.
