This measure is being tracked as the sum of the installed kilowatt (kW) capacity of solar energy permits issued each month.

In fiscal year 2015-2016, we permitted enough solar capacity to power 7,502 California homes.

Between 7/1/16 and 12/31/16, we have issued permits for 25,640 kilowatts of solar capacity for residential and commercial projects.  We are on track to meet our goal of 50,000 kilowatts for fiscal year 2016-2017.

In order to ensure we continue to reach our goal, we have streamlined the permitting and inspection process; including implementing an award winning online permitting process for residential rooftop solar installations. The County currently processes 86% of solar permit applications online.

The County takes an active role in supporting renewable energy and energy independence.

Through streamlined permitting and inspections, we help families and businesses throughout the unincorporated areas of the County decrease greenhouse gas emissions save money on utility bills and reduce our carbon footprint. Continued and steady growth of our solar capacity improves energy security and reduces our dependence on limited fossil fuel resources.

Homeowners can apply for roof-mounted solar and a variety of other permits through our easy to use online Citizen Access portal. We’ve also created a simple guide to assist you in navigating the process.

We have set a goal that we will permit at least 50,000 kilowatts of solar capacity each fiscal year. This equates to powering approximately 5,300 California homes per year. Increasing the use of renewable energy is an area of significant interest to the region and we will continue to work with stakeholders to monitor growth and be ahead of innovations within the energy industry.

When the Department of Planning & Development Services issues building permits for solar energy projects, the size of each system is tracked in the permitting database. The total kilowatts of solar capacity is calculated by totaling the kilowatts of solar electric power for each installation permitted in the fiscal year. The number of homes powered is calculated by using data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.