The City of Stockton Has Launched SolarAPP+

New Permitting Tool for Residential Solar Rooftop Systems 

Increasing Speed and Lowering Cost of Solar Installations 

 STOCKTON, Calif. – The City of Stockton Community Development Department has launched SolarAPP+, an automated application for licensed contractors and self-service permitting of new residential rooftop solar systems. SolarAPP+ lowers the cost and expedites solar installations for the hundreds of Stockton property owners investing in generating renewable and sustainable energy each month. 

“This technology makes sense for residential solar installations, which are standard from project to project” said City Manager Harry Black. “Solar providers that have worked with us on thousands of installations participated with the City and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory on a pilot program, which has been a tremendous success for everyone involved. We look forward to making this process part of our daily operations, saving time and money for property owners, contractors and the City.” 

SolarAPP+ integrates with the City of Stockton’s existing permitting system and software, automating the plan review and permit approval process and significantly reducing over-the-counter workload and permitting time from three or four days to a one-day, online process. Stockton has been the highest volume user to pilot with SolarAPP+. Contractor reviews report ease of use and seamless integration with the City’s permitting system. City of Stockton News Release SolarAPP+ Thursday, January 27, 2022 Page 2 of 2 

“A dedicated webpage and online instructions walk the applicant through the entire process and can be used for the majority of residential, roof-mounted, retrofit photovoltaic systems,” shared Community Development Deputy Director John Schweigerdt. “Once the application is completed, applicants can make payments online, print documents, check status, or even make changes using SolarAPP+, keeping projects moving and contractors working, not waiting around for approvals and paper permits. Nearly 25 percent of the permits we issue are for solar, so this level of automation improves customer service for all of our customers – a huge win for everyone.” 

Solar systems reduce greenhouse gas emissions and are resilient to fluctuations in power availability for those that remain on the grid. The number of systems is projected to dramatically increase as more customers choose to invest in savings and renewable energy sources that help address issues related to climate change. 

To review the step-by-step process and requirements, visit www.stocktonca.gov/solarapp or contact the City of Stockton Permit Center, Building and Life Safety Division, at (209) 937-8561. 

LA TIMES Op-Ed: Slashing California’s solar incentives would hurt low-income communities

BY NANETTE DIAZ BARRAGÁN AND KENNETH WELLS

California has long been a national leader on clean energy and climate change. That’s why it’s such a disappointment to see the California Public Utilities Commission considering a proposal it claims will promote equity, when in fact the changes would make it harder for residents, businesses, houses of worship and other establishments to afford rooftop solar.

The proposal, set for a decision in the coming weeks, would dramatically weaken the state’s popular net energy metering program, cutting the credits on electric bills for the excess power generated by rooftop solar systems by up to 80%. It would also require solar owners in many communities to pay utilities a monthly “grid participation charge” averaging $48, which would be the highest such fees in the nation.

NY TIMES: A Fight Over Rooftop Solar Threatens California’s Climate Goals

Utility regulators have proposed slashing the incentives homeowners receive to install solar panels, a long-sought goal of utilities and labor unions.

By Ivan Penn

California has led the nation in setting ambitious climate change goals and policies. But the state’s progress is threatened by a nasty fight between rival camps in the energy industry that both consider themselves proponents of renewable energy.

The dispute is about who will get to build the green energy economy — utilities or smaller companies that install solar panels and batteries at homes — and reap billions of dollars in profits from those investments. At stake is whether the state can reach its goal of 100 percent clean energy by 2045.

SAC BEE: Cutting rooftop solar subsidies would be a huge mistake. California needs to reassess .

BY THE SACRAMENTO BEE EDITORIAL BOARD

The last thing California needs is a new barrier to clean energy production. Yet the state Public Utilities Commission is poised to add one at the behest of private companies that see rooftop solar as a threat to future revenue.

California’s utility regulator could vote as soon as Thursday on a proposal to undercut the net energy metering program, which has led to rooftop solar installations on more than 1.3 million California households — the most in any state. Under the program, utility companies credit solar customers for the surplus energy they export to the grid, driving down their monthly bills and paying off the installation costs faster.

According to private utilities, customers who don’t use solar pay an estimated $3.4 billion a year more as a result, subsidizing the program through higher monthly bills. Utilities such as Pacific Gas and Electric Co., Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas and Electric Co. have weaponized this so-called cost shift to compel the PUC to act, claiming vulnerable, lower-income customers are harmed the most.