State regulators have made it easier for solar companies to do business in the Ocean State with a new statewide permit application for solar projects.
The application, which went into effect Monday, replaces a process that varied from city to city.
Chris Kearns, chief of program development at the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources, said a statewide application should help streamline the process for installing solar panels.
“Solar projects will potentially get built at a quicker pace because the permitting process has been clarified, so there is no longer any discrepancies or disputes from one local municipality to another,” Kearns said.
Kearns added a statewide permit could benefit Rhode Island’s economy.
“Having a consistent application form where you’re not having to learn a new process with each local municipality is a big selling point for companies in terms of entering the Rhode Island market,” Kearns said.
The statewide solar permit application is a requirement for all residential and commercial projects, regardless of scale.
To date, 3,405 solar projects representing 50.03 megawatts of capacity have come online in Rhode Island.
