Sustainable States Network: Linking State-Based Recognition Programs
One of the greatest strengths of the SolSmart program is our extensive network of partnerships—with states, regional organizations, nonprofits, and...
News
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SolarAPP+ Spotlight: Removing Red Tape on Solar Projects Nationwide
Getting a permit to install residential rooftop solar panels and solar-plus-storage systems used to be a logistical burden that could...
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How Do You Track Solar in Your Community?
Local governments: Do you have a moment to answer two quick questions? To improve the SolSmart program, we’d like to...
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Cuyahoga County, Ohio Leads Regional Push to Go Solar
As one of the latest SolSmart Gold designees, Cuyahoga County, Ohio has undertaken an ambitious set of initiatives to expand...
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Four SolSmart Communities Are Eligible for SolarAPP+ Prize
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recently announced 12 candidates for the first round of its SolarAPP+ Prize, and four...
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Olympia, WA Makes Going Solar Easy for Residents
Olympia, the capital of Washington State, was designated SolSmart Gold earlier this year. To encourage solar energy growth, the city...
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SolSmart Communities, Partners Awarded DOE Funds to Enhance Resilience
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced recipients of funds from the Renewables Advancing Community Energy Resilience (RACER) program,...
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Soul Power: Equitable Solar Workforce Development in Michigan City, Indiana
Nestled on the southern shore of Lake Michigan near Indiana Dunes National Park, Michigan City, Indiana is one of the...
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New Resources on Tax Credits in the Inflation Reduction Act
The Inflation Reduction Act enacted this year includes many new tax credits and other incentives for solar energy. Below are...
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Bloomington, IN Goes SolSmart Gold
The City of Bloomington, Indiana recently joined the ranks of SolSmart Gold designees. Bloomington worked hard to increase access to...
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New Clean Energy Support Opportunity for Local Governments
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), in partnership with World Resources Institute, is opening applications for three peer-learning cohorts for...
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Cuyahoga County, OH Celebrates SolSmart Gold
Cuyahoga County, Ohio recently celebrated its SolSmart Gold designation, earned after years of diligent work to make solar power easier...
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Federal Funding Available to Accelerate Solar Permitting
Jurisdictions Could Win Up to $15,000 With SolarAPP+ Prize The U.S Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office recently launched...
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At the RE+ conference, the solar industry braces for growth
Last week, SolSmart team members were at RE+, the annual conference on solar energy, battery storage, and related industries. This...
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SolSmart at the ICMA Conference
From September 17 – 22, 4,200 local government professionals gathered in Columbus, Ohio for five days of learning, networking, and...
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Solar Solutions at the ICMA Conference
Registration is open for the ICMA Annual Conference that will be held in Columbus, Ohio from September 17 – 21,...
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A Collaborative Plan to Go Solar in Pennsylvania’s Centre Region
Located in the heart of Pennsylvania, the Centre Region Council of Governments encompasses six municipalities, the Penn State campus, and...
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DOE Expands SolSmart Program to Deploy More Solar Energy to Underserved Communities
We are thrilled to announce that the SolSmart program has been expanded to help another 500 communities in the next...
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These 5 Communities are the First SolSmart Designees in Puerto Rico
Five rural municipalities in Puerto Rico’s Cordillera Central — Barranquitas, Ciales, Morovis, Orocovis, and Villalba — have achieved SolSmart Bronze,...
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SolSmart Celebrates 19 Designees in the Carolinas!
At the State Energy Conference of North Carolina, the SolSmart team joined the NC Clean Energy Technology Center (NCCETC) to...
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Six Idaho Communities Are Ready to Go Solar
Six communities in Idaho have received SolSmart designation for their efforts to cut red tape and make it easier for...
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[email protected] Webinar Series
Join the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and the American Planning Association in their 9-part webinar series that is focused...
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Chicago-Area Communities Recognized for Solar Energy Achievements
In a virtual event on March 17 at Argonne National Laboratory, SolSmart recognized 10 new Chicago-area communities for achieving SolSmart...
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New Research: SolSmart Has Measurable Impact on Local Solar Energy Growth
A groundbreaking study offers exciting news for SolSmart: Our program is helping local governments significantly increase solar energy capacity after...
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New Best Practice Guidance for Solar and Zoning Accessory Use
Zoning or land use regulations are one of the core arenas where local governments can make a difference in solar...
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Solar Gets Local: DOE Highlights the Latest Designees
A new blog post from the U.S. Department of Energy is celebrating the latest SolSmart designees as we encourage more...
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New SolSmart Advisor to Help Southeastern Communities Go Solar!
We’re excited to welcome the North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center (NCCETC) as the latest SolSmart Advisor, focused on helping...
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Spotlight: SolSmart’s Regional Organization Pathway
The SolSmart program helps communities become “open for solar business.” Our Regional Organization pathway is bringing the benefits of SolSmart to...
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New Simplified Permit Guidelines for Solar and Storage
SolSmart is excited to release an updated version of the national Simplified Permit Guidelines for residential solar, including new guidance...
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New Department of Energy Challenge: 60 More SolSmart Designees in 6 Months!
Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm is challenging 60 new communities to achieve SolSmart designation in the next six months, which...
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Oklahoma City Prepares for a Bright Solar Future
In 2017, Oklahoma City only issued one permit for residential solar. Yet local officials saw untapped potential for solar energy...
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In Central Ohio, This Group is Helping Underserved Communities Go Solar
From the city of Columbus to surrounding rural areas, Central Ohio faces many challenges when it comes to accelerating solar...
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How Automated Permitting Can Help Achieve SolSmart Designation
SolSmart has prepared a short flyer on how local governments can receive points toward designation by using an automated permitting...
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New Report: Building Local Resilience Through Solar
How can local governments integrate solar energy plans with their goals for community resilience? And how can they locate the...
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SolSmart Announces New Advisors and Partners!
SolSmart has continued to grow rapidly since its public launch in April 2016. Over 400 municipalities, counties, and regional organizations...
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SolSmart Reaches New Milestone With 400 Designees!
The SolSmart program has reached an exciting new milestone: Over 400 municipalities, counties, and regional organizations have achieved designation! SolSmart...
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Solar TRACE: A New Tool for Tracking Permit and Inspection Times
We’re excited to share a new online tool from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) known as Solar TRACE. With...
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Take the Solstice Level-Up Challenge!
For communities that have already achieved SolSmart Bronze or Silver, we invite you to take the Solstice Level-Up Challenge by...
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Regional Council in Cincinnati Area Achieves SolSmart Designation
OKI Regional Council of Governments (OKI) has received a Silver designation from the national SolSmart program for helping local governments...
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How Streamlined Permits Can Help Your Community Go Solar
The updated SolSmart Program Guide provides an overview of the 75 actions in five categories that communities can undertake to...
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Updated SolSmart Criteria and Program Guide Released
The SolSmart program updated the standard pathway criteria by improving language and ensuring the criteria reflects the most up-to-date national...
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New Report: Large-Scale Solar Development, A Playbook for Southwest Virginia
A new playbook for local governments will help Southwest Virginia communities develop large-scale solar energy projects, taking advantage of the...
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New Issue Brief: Land Use Considerations for Large-Scale Solar
SolSmart has released a new issue brief highlighting strategies that can help communities and local governments develop policies and guidelines...
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Sarasota County, Florida: Expanding Clean Energy So the Whole Community Can Benefit
In Sarasota County, Florida, local authorities know that sustainability goes hand in hand with improving people’s lives. That’s why the...
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Santa Fe, New Mexico: Advancing Renewable Energy Goals Through SolSmart
Santa Fe, New Mexico recently became a SolSmart Bronze designee as the third community in New Mexico to achieve SolSmart...
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Interested in Large-Scale Solar? SolSmart Can Help.
Depending on local circumstances, communities will follow many paths toward increasing solar energy use. While some put most of their...
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New Report: Combining the Benefits of Solar and Electric Vehicles
SolSmart has released a new report showing how local governments can accelerate and enhance clean energy outcomes by promoting both...
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Upcoming Webinar, August 5: Automated Permitting Through SolarAPP
The Solar Automated Permitting Processing (SolarAPP) initiative is a collaborative effort to develop an instant online permitting program for code-compliant...
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Upcoming Webinar, August 6: How Local Governments Can Buy Renewable Energy and Support Market Development
Many local governments are interested in renewable energy procurement as a way to directly expand clean energy use. To learn...
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North Central Texas Council Of Governments Receives Regional SolSmart Designation!
The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) has received a Bronze designation from the national SolSmart program for helping...
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SolSmart Arrives in the Florida Panhandle as Leon County Gets Gold!
Solar energy is booming in Florida, which now ranks fifth in the nation for solar installations and second for the...
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Postponed: Webinar, Solar Remote Permitting and Inspection Practices
Update: This webinar has been postponed. We will follow up soon with a new date and time for the webinar....
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Upcoming Webinar, July 15: Using Community Choice Aggregation to Achieve Clean Energy Goals
A community choice aggregation (CCA) is a local program, enabled by state legislation, that provides municipalities greater control over their...
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Upcoming Webinar, June 23: Local Government Strategies for 100% Clean Energy
For both large and small communities, there is growing interest in achieving 100 percent clean or renewable energy. A free...
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3 SolSmart Success Stories, from Rural Virginia to Metro Chicago
As a national program, SolSmart is ready to help all types of local governments go solar, from major cities to...
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Newest SolSmart Advisors Will Help Virginia Communities Go Solar
Announcing the newest SolSmart Advisors! SolSmart is partnering with experts at the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy (DMME)...
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A One-Stop Solar Toolkit for Local Governments
A One-Stop Solar Toolkit for Local Governments What are the first steps for developing a solar project on a brownfield?...
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SolSmart Mentorship Program Announced
SolSmart is excited to announce a new opportunity, The SolSmart Mentorship program. Under this new program, local governments facing local...
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SolSmart 101: Learn More About the Program
Is your community considering getting involved in SolSmart? If you’ve perused our website and are looking for more information, check...
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Upcoming Webinar: Solar + Storage, A Guide for Local Governments
Join SolSmart on Monday, April 20 at 2 p.m. Eastern Time for our webinar titled, Solar + Storage: A Guide...
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Solar Permitting and Inspection Solutions During COVID-19
Go To COVID-19 Solar Resources & Solutions At SolSmart, we are getting increased interest from our communities in methods and...
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How Your Community Can Lay the Groundwork for Large-Scale Solar
As solar energy booms across the country thanks to plummeting costs, more and more communities will have the opportunity to...
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Regional Roadmap for Solar in Virginia’s Coalfields
It’s a juxtaposition between the old and new: an effort to expand solar energy use in the coalfields of Southwest...
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How Indiana Borough is Building a Sustainable Future
Western Pennsylvania, home to coal mines and natural gas wells, might not be the first place you think of when...
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Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, Regional Collaboration Earns Innovation Award
Using their status as SolSmart Advisor, the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus took a collaborative approach to earn the most SolSmart designated...
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City of Melrose, MA, & Go Solar Melrose Earn Innovation Award
Settled in the mid-eighteenth century just seven miles from Boston, the city of Melrose has offered its residents a compromise...
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Upcoming Webinar: Developing Solar on Brownfields
Join us on Wednesday, January 22 at 2 pm ET for our webinar titled, Developing Solar on Brownfields. Formerly contaminated...
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Transforming Brownfields to “Brightfields” with Solar
Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the International City/County Management Association hosted the 2019 National Brownfields Training Conference...
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Florida communities unite to support a solar-powered future
On December 3-5, 2019, SolSmart attended the 11th Annual Southeast Florida Regional Climate Leadership Summit in Key West, Florida. This...
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Winners of the 2019 SolSmart Innovation Award Announced!
SolSmart has announced the winners of the 2019 SolSmart Innovation Award. The 2019 SolSmart Innovation Award saw applications from a...
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Solar Potential Just Got Brighter in the Upper Midwest
This blogpost was originally published by the Great Plains Institute More communities than ever are using solar energy thanks in...
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Going Solar in California’s South Bay
Nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the City of Los Angeles, the South Bay region is home to pristine beaches...
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SolSmart in Music City, U.S.A.
The city of Nashville, Tennessee, is typically known as an attraction for its live music, but last week, it was...
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Celebrating Solar in Sullivan County
The Catskills region in New York State is not just home to beautiful mountains, but also a county setting aggressive...
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Now Over 300 SolSmart Communities Nationwide!
From Anchorage, Alaska, to Sarasota, Florida, more than 300 local governments have now received SolSmart designation for encouraging the growth...
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Upcoming Webinar: Planning & Zoning Best Practices for Large-Scale Solar
Join us on Tuesday, October 15 at 2pm ET for our webinar titled, Planning and Zoning Best Practices for Large-scale...
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Upcoming Webinar: How to Develop a Solarize Campaign
Join us on Monday, August 26 at 2pm ET for our webinar titled, How to Develop a Solarize Campaign. In...
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Central Appalachia Celebrates Eight SolSmart Designees
Southwest Virginia is open for solar business! Eight communities in this region have achieved SolSmart designation for encouraging the growth...
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SolSmart Counties Honored at the 2019 NACo Annual Conference in Las Vegas!
Last week, SolSmart attended the National Association of Counties’ (NACo) 84th Annual Conference and Exposition in Las Vegas, Nevada. The...
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Tools to Help Local Governments with Solar Planning & Deployment
SolSmart recently hosted a webinar titled Decision Support Tools for Local Solar Planning & Deployment, where several of our experts...
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Win SolSmart’s New Innovation Award – Applications Now Open!
Has your community or county implemented an innovative solar action or program? If so, we encourage you to apply for...
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Resources to Support Local Solar & Energy Efficiency Initiatives in Low-to-Moderate-Income Households
As of September 2018, 43 percent of U.S. households were low to moderate income (LMI) – income levels lower than...
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Over 250 Communities Nationwide Designated SolSmart!
SolSmart has surpassed a historic milestone! Over 250 municipalities, counties, and regional organizations have received a SolSmart designation for making...
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Illinois Takes National Lead in SolSmart Designations!
Last week, Illinois took an important step forward in solar power growth – with resulting new job creation, economic development...
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Celebrating Minnesota Solar Growth
In partnership with the Ramsey County, Minnesota Government, the Metropolitan Council, and the Great Plains Institute, SolSmart co-hosted the 2019...
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Case Studies in Expanding Solar Participation through Community Solar
SolSmart’s Expanding Solar Participation through Community Solar: A Win-Win-Win for Municipalities, Utilities, and their Customers webinar was held on April...
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Updated SolSmart Program Guide!
Are you interested in turning your city, town, or county into a SolSmart community? Check out SolSmart’s updated Program Guide...
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Announcing the 2019 Regional Organization Challenge Campaign!
Regional organizations can play a significant role in fostering or developing thriving solar markets. They are uniquely positioned to advance...
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The 2019 Cities & Counties Challenge Campaign is Underway!
As solar energy grows nationwide, local governments continue to play a significant role in its expansion. Through the adoption of...
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New Regional Organization Pathway Designates Organizations for Solar Leadership
Good news for Regional Organizations interested in advancing regional solar efforts! Through SolSmart’s new Regional Organization Pathway, the Metropolitan Council...
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Upcoming Webinars: Electrification and Solar at the Regional Level – March 5 & 13
SolSmart is hosting two exciting webinars in March: Join us on Tuesday, March 5th at 2pm ET for our webinar...
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Best Practices in Solar Planning & Zoning
In January, SolSmart hosted a webinar titled Best Practices in Solar Planning and Zoning, where we discussed best practices for...
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Chattanooga Collaboration Delivers SolSmart Gold
Once known for its smokestacks and steel mills, Chattanooga, Tennessee, has worked hard to reinvent itself as a renaissance city...
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20 Colorado Communities Now “Open for Solar Business” As State Ties Nationwide Record
Exciting news!! Twenty cities, towns, and counties in Colorado have now received designation from the national SolSmart program for making...
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Technical Assistance Spotlight: Permitting
Permitting is one of the biggest roadblocks when it comes to the growth of solar at the local level. Across...
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SolSmart Advisors Head Into 2019, Ready to Assist Communities!
Late last month, we held our SolSmart Advisor training seminar in Washington, D.C. to help prepare our new Advisors to...
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Explainer: New and Updated SolSmart Application
We recently released the newest version of the SolSmart application. In addition to determining if a community receives a designation,...
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Sharing Successes at NLC’s 2018 City Summit
The National League of Cities (NLC) held its annual City Summit conference last week in Los Angeles. This conference was...
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Orlando, Florida: Vaulting from Great to Gold
The city of Orlando, Florida is a SolSmart Gold designee that stands out for surpassing ‘solar-ready’ and aiming to make...
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Resources and Success Stories for Cities Going Solar
Last week, we co-hosted a webinar with Environment America and National League of Cities titled Resources and Success Stories for...
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SolSmart Takes on the 2018 ICMA Annual Conference
Last week, SolSmart attended and exhibited at the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Annual Conference in Baltimore, Maryland. ICMA leads...
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New Resources for Communities to Open Up Solar Markets
As solar energy continues to grow and mature, changes occur: Best practices improve, standards and requirements are updated, and newer,...
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SolSmart is hiring two Advisors to assist Virginia communities
SolSmart has grown at a rapid pace since its public launch in April 2016. Over 214 cities, towns, and counties...
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Celebrating Solar in Philadelphia
When we think of solar-friendly cities, traditionally the first ones that come to mind might be in California or the...
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SolSmart Introduces the 2018 City and County Challenge for Solar Energy
Local governments play a fundamental role in shaping energy choices in their communities. To help them make informed decisions, SolSmart...
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SolSmart Mentor of the Week: Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, Helping 15 Illinois Communities Shine
A SolSmart designation recognizes the hard work a community undertakes to make solar energy accessible to more homes and businesses....
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SolSmart Designee of the Week: Charleston County, SC
There are over 200 cities, counties, and small towns across the nation that have achieved SolSmart designation. Today, we’ll highlight...
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200 Cities and Counties Now “Open for Solar Business”
Washington, D.C., May 1, 2018 – Lee’s Summit, Missouri was designated today as SolSmart Gold, marking the 200th local government...
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Applications Open for Third Round of SolSmart Advisors
We are pleased to announce the opening of the application process for the third round of SolSmart Advisors. SolSmart Advisors...
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Celebrating 125 Communities Open for Solar Business
Local governments have a lot to celebrate when it comes to their communities going solar. As of now, 125 cities,...
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SolSmart Celebrates 100 City and County Designees!
Big news: More than 100 cities, counties, and small towns across America are designated SolSmart Gold, Silver, or Bronze! Since...
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Are You solar Ready? Review our Program Guide.
If you are ready to receive high-profile, national recognition as a SolSmart designee, download the full program guide to learn...
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Join Us In San Antonio For The ICMA Annual Meeting
SolSmart will be at the 103rd International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Annual Conference in San Antonio, Texas from October 22-25. As...
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SolSmart Designees Up to 78 Nationwide!
The SolSmart team was at the National Association of Counties Annual Conference in Franklin County, Ohio, this weekend to announce a host...
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Winners of the 2017 SolSmart County Challenge Announced!
The National Association of Counties (NACo) has announced the winners of their 2017 SolSmart County Challenge. As a component of the...
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New Communities to Host SolSmart Advisors
SolSmart is happy to announce new communities ready to host the second round of SolSmart Advisors, experienced professionals who will...
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58 Communities in 25 States are Now “Open for Solar Business”
Just over a year after the SolSmart program launched, 58 communities in 25 states have achieved designation as “open for...
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Congratulations New SolSmart Designess!
This week, SolSmart officially designated seven new cities and counties for making solar energy more affordable and accessible — and...
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New County Governments Become SolSmart!
This week, at the National Association of Counties Legislative Conference in Washington, DC, SolSmart was proud to recognize new county governments achieving...
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Important New Information for Counties
We have some important information to share for county governments pursuing a SolSmart designation. First, we have established a Modified Designation...
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Register Now! Two Free SolSmart Minnesota Solar Permitting Workshops
The SolSmart program and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory present two FREE in-person workshops in Minnesota for current and prospective SolSmart communities....
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Announcing the First Round of SolSmart Advisors
SolSmart is excited to announce that 11 communities will be hosting SolSmart Advisors, experienced professionals who will help these communities...
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Host a SolSmart Advisor in Your Community
SolSmart is happy to announce the next opportunity to host a SolSmart Advisor. SolSmart Advisors are program-funded, temporary staff members that...
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SolSmart Designates 7 New Solar-Friendly Communities
Today, SolSmart is recognizing seven new cities and counties for making it faster, easier, and cheaper to go solar. These...
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Seeking Qualified Candidates for SolSmart Advisors
Cities and counties across the nation should be aware of a great opportunity to expand solar energy development and lower...
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First SolSmart Designees Announced Today
We’re proud of the work communities around the country are doing to make it faster, easier, and cheaper to go...
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Welcoming the SolSmart Early Adopters!
SolSmart is a national program with local impacts. Since it was announced in April, SolSmart has been helping communities across...
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Apply Now to Host a Solsmart Advisor
City and county staff time can often be stretched thin. Public servants must ensure that all of their community’s needs...
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SolSmart – A New National Solar Designation Program
The Solar Foundation and the International City/County Management Association are pleased to announce the launch of the SolSmart (www.solsmart.org) program....
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Sparc Announces “SolSmart” as Designation Program Name
The Solar Foundation (TSF) and the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) are pleased to announce that next week the Solar...
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Brush Up On Your Solar Knowledge to Prepare Your Community for Designation
**UPDATE: Advisors fact sheet posted in the Thursday, March 31 section below** Since its announcement last fall, the Solar Powering America by...
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The Sparc Program Introduces Its Criteria Advisory Committee
Solar Powering America by Recognizing Communities (SPARC) will establish a national recognition and technical assistance program for local governments. In...
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Stand Up and Stand Out!
START WORKING TOWARD NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR YOUR COMMUNITY TODAY! In September 2015, the U.S. Department of Energy announced a new initiative –...