Resource Library

Browse the SolSmart resource library to find reports, webinars, and online templates, or search for a resource by category.

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Report

Guide to Developing Solar Photovoltaics on Massachusetts Landfills

| Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources
This guidebook helps municipal officials identify, evaluate, and pursue opportunities to harness the sun’s power to generate electricity and revenue from undeveloped landfill space. Topics covered include: physical requirements of PV systems; PV system economics; landfill considerations; public procurement; and PV system development, design, and installation.
Website

RE-Powering America’s Land

| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
A webpage detailing the Environmental Protection Agency’s RE-Powering America’s Land initiative and associated resources.

Solarize Resources Toolkit

| Massachusetts Clean Energy Technology Center
A toolkit designed by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center that provides communities with necessary resources to create their own grassroots clean energy adoption programs. Resources include materials to assist in community outreach, marketing, installer selection, campaign management, event planning, and campaign wrap-up and analysis.
Webinar
Criteria: GO-2 (Standard Pathway)

Utility Engagement Presentation

| SolSmart, Electric Power Research Institute, Regulatory Assistance Project
Government Operations
Report

Community Solar Program Design Models

| Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA)
This report – funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office – provides essential facts and figures regarding generating capacity, subscription rates, and other performance metrics for the community solar market.
Government Operations
Template
Criteria: PZ-22 (Standard Pathway)

Ashland Municipal Code, Chapter 18.70: Solar Access

| City of Ashland, Oregon
An example of a municipal code with solar access guidelines.
Planning and Zoning
Report
Criteria: CE-4 (Standard Pathway)

Consumer Protection Primer

| Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)
As businesses navigate the wide variety of consumer protection rules, this guide will introduce solar companies – both rooftop and community solar providers – to federal and state consumer protection laws and offer some tips for training employees, complaint procedures, and evaluating third-party service providers.
Community Engagement
Report

Understanding the CAL FIRE: Solar Photovoltaic Installation Guide

| Brooks Engineering
This guide covers fire safety best practices in solar installation related to marking, access/pathways, DC conductors, and other topics.
Planning and Zoning
Report

Solar Ready: An Overview of Implementation Practices

| National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
This report explores solar ready legislation, certification programs for solar ready design/construction, and stakeholder education as avenues to encourage solar ready design and construction.
Planning and Zoning
Website

Inspection Appointments

| Nottingham, New Hampshire
An example of a community’s inspection appointments page.
Permitting and Inspection