(task) US Cities Can Lead a Rooftop Solar Revolution - Energy Manager Today

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> http://www.energymanagertoday.com/us-cities-can-lead-rooftop-solar-revolution-0112447/ <http://www.energymanagertoday.com/us-cities-can-lead-rooftop-solar-revolution-0112447/>
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> US Cities Can Lead a Rooftop Solar Revolution
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> June 2, 2015 By Karen Henry <http://www.energymanagertoday.com/author/karenhenry/>
> The advent of affordable solar energy provides cities a remarkable opportunity to reduce their operating costs, among other benefits. Over 5,000 MW of solar — more than a quarter of the nationwide total capacity through September 2014 — could be installed on the rooftops <http://www.energymanagertoday.com/?s=rooftop+solar> of municipal buildings in more than 200 mid-sized cities, according to Public Rooftop Revolution <http://www.ilsr.org/public-rooftop-revolution/#exec>, a new report published by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR).
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> However, cities cite a number of barriers that are preventing them from reaching their full solar potential:
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> City structures may lack sunshine or suitable roof space.
> Some city buildings are historic and may have state or federal limitations on adding solar.
> Some cities are reluctant to negotiate solar contracts without greater in-house expertise.
> Cities may require multiple levels of approval for a single solar array.
> Other barriers include ineligibility for federal tax incentives and competition for scarce operating and capital budgets.
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> Several cities have proven that such barriers are surmountable. Lancaster, California, for example, generates enough solar energy — 9 MW — to power over half of its municipal operations and save about $450,000 per year. New Bedford, Massachusetts, is saving $6 to $7 million per year on electricity through its 16 MW of solar installations on municipal properties.
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> Other cities are spearheading efforts to overcome policy-driven obstacles. Kansas City, Missouri, has shortened permit waiting times to eight hours or less, provided online permitting and lowered inspection times to eight hours or less.
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> Denver cut its solar permitting fee to just $50, helping to more than double citywide solar deployment from January 1 to December 31, 2014.
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> Cities can save even more on solar with bulk purchasing. A joint procurement effort in the San Francisco area has 19 agencies issuing a joint request for proposals for 31 MW of solar to power 186 facilities. The total cost could be reduced by as much as 45 percent.
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> Photo via Shutterstock <http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-157304594/stock-photo-mixed-use-aerial-view-of-north-scottsdale-arizona.html?src=b3dvz5G4Y9LEM1fVAsiJgQ-1-80>.
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