Streamlining rooftop solar permitting could cut costs by 61%

Streamlining Rooftop Solar Permitting

Streamlining rooftop solar permitting could cut costs by 61%, according to a report by Permit Power.

The report, "As Cheap as Our Peers: How cutting red tape can lower the cost of rooftop solar and offset rising utility bills", finds that reducing bureaucratic barriers to residential solar could lead to nearly 20 million more families in the U.S. installing solar by 2040, resulting in $1.2 trillion in lifetime bill savings.

The median cost of a 7 kW solar system in the U.S. is $28,000.
In comparison, the cost is $4,000 in Australia and $10,000 in Germany.

These high costs are impediments to adoption, with just one in ten families in the U.S. having solar, compared to one in three in Australia.

Prior to the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), the U.S. had limited adoption of solar energy due to high costs.

Author's summary: Streamlining solar permitting can cut costs by 61% and increase adoption.

Conclusion

Reducing bureaucratic barriers to residential solar can lead to significant cost savings and increased adoption of solar energy in the U.S.

pv magazine USA — 2025-10-27

Streamlining Rooftop Solar Permitting

Conclusion

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