City of Gunnison, CO

Initial Status: Standard building permit application, but no solar specific form

Action Taken: City considering the adoption of a standard PV permit application form

Guidance: If issuing a permit for structural analysis of PV systems in the future, consider use of a standardized, solar-specific permit form.

Initial Status: No solar-specific process information online

Action Taken: The City is open to adding solar-specific PV permit process information online.

Guidance: Post information on the solar permitting and inspection process online in an easily accessible location. This should include the process steps, timelines, fees, point of contact, and any other pertinent information.

Initial Status: No fee assessed

Guidance: City currently at best practice

Initial Status: No fee assessed

Action Taken: No fee is assess for commercial solar PV projects.

Guidance: City currently at best practice

Initial Status: No solar specific ordinaces for construction

Guidance: Explore creation of municipal ordinances which require new homes and buildings to be built solar-ready

Initial Status: No solar specific mandates for new construction

Guidance: Explore implementing solar mandates for new construction for all buildings or a segment of the new building stock

Initial Status: Land use code has solar access provisions for new development, general plan has solar provisions.

Action Taken: The City General Plan from 2007 has solar planning guidelines.

Guidance: Include solar development goals in long term planning documents.

Initial Status: 2011 land use code updates address solar in land use table and design standards

Action Taken: The City land use code contains specific provisions for solar PV.

Guidance: In Table 2.3 Principle Use Table of the 2011 Land Use Code Update, consider allowing solar installations by right in all land use zones.

Initial Status: No ordinances creating a barrier to solar

Action Taken: The City has no ordinances which create a barrier to solar.

Guidance: City currently at best practice

Initial Status: No standard form, verbal request

Guidance: Adopt a standard form for interconnection applications for optional use by applicants as an alternative to in person request.

Initial Status: The interconnection process is easier than the FERC standard.

Guidance: Utility currently at best practice

Initial Status: Not online currently

Guidance: Provide information describing the permit process online in an easily accessible location. Include approval requirements, submittal requirements, inspection information, and point of contact. Suggested URL is http://www.cityofgunnison-co.gov/public_works/electric.html

Initial Status: Process time exceeds FERC standard

Action Taken: The interconnection process time exceeds the FERC standard.

Guidance: Utility currently at best practice

Initial Status: A new net meter is provided to the customer at no charge.

Action Taken: A new net meter is provided to the customer at no charge.

Guidance: A new meter, if required, is provided by the utility at no charge. Meter should be bi-directional and time-of-use.

Initial Status: Fees lower than FERC standard

Action Taken: Interconnections fees are lower than the FERC standard.

Guidance: Utility currently at best practice

Initial Status: Solar and wind only

Guidance: All customer sited generators qualify for interconnection.

Initial Status: 10kW system size limit

Guidance: Remove current system size limit of 30kW, base size limit on the on-site demand.

Initial Status: No requirement from utility

Action Taken: External disconnect switch is not a requirement.

Guidance: Utility currently at market best practice

Initial Status: Interconnection to spot and area networks allowed

Action Taken: Interconnection to spot and area networks allowed.

Guidance: Spot and area network interconnections are allowed, at flexible criteria based on customer load characteristics, provided the generating facility is inverter-based and uses non-exporting protective schemes.

Initial Status: No additional requirements

Action Taken: No additional insurance requirements beyond typical customer

Guidance: Utility currently at market best practice

Initial Status: 10kW system size limit

Guidance: Remove current system size limit of 30kW, base size limit on the on-site demand.

Initial Status: 50 customers

Guidance: Consider removing current limit of 50 net metered customers; set the cumulative capacity of net metered systems at 5% of peak demand. Peak demand is about 12MW in winter and 7MW in summer.

Initial Status: Excess generation paid out at retail rate on annual basis

Action Taken: Excess generation paid out at retail rate on annual basis.

Guidance: Utility currently at market best practice

Initial Status: RECs owned by customer

Action Taken: RECs owned by customer

Guidance: Utility currently at market best practice

Initial Status: Solar and wind only

Guidance: All customer sited generators qualify for net metering.

Initial Status: All customer types eligible

Action Taken: All customer types eligible.

Guidance: Utility currently at market best practice

Initial Status: Not specifically addressed

Guidance: Allow a customer to receive net metering credits for investing in or subscribing to a renewable energy system that may not be physically located on their property. Verify utility is allowed to purchase power from a community solar garden under power supply contract with Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska.

Initial Status: No additional requirements or fees for net metering customer

Action Taken: No additional requirements or fees for net metering customer

Guidance: Utility currently at market best practice

Initial Status: Not specifically addressed

Guidance: Verify 3rd party owned systems designed to offset on-site usage only are not restricted by power supply contract with Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska.

Initial Status: Voluntary wind attribute program currently offered. No other finance programs currently.

Guidance: Explore establishing an on-bill financing program for energy efficiency upgrades and renewable energy systems.

Initial Status: No program currently offered

Guidance: Recommend exploring a community solar program based on best practices and case studies from Colorado and nationally.

Initial Status: Some awareness of finance options now within the community

Action Taken: The City has expressed interest in exploring affordable solar loan or financing programs.

Guidance: Explore solar financing options and resources available in the region and provide information via webinars and marketing materials to increase visibility and understanding by residents, businesses, industry stakeholders and installers.

Initial Status: Minimal awareness of these tools now

Action Taken: The City has expressed interest in increasing the visibility of existing solar evaluation tools.

Guidance: Provide access to online tools for potential solar system buyers to evaluate and value solar projects for their homes and businesses.

Initial Status: No similar aggregations known to exist locally

Guidance: Support the creation of a working group of community leaders and funding providers. This group would evaluate options and determine the most viable approach for aggregating residential solar based on best practices to date.

Initial Status: No similar aggregations known to exist locally

Guidance: Establish a working group of businesses and commercial property owners to leverage their solar purchasing power by aggregating facilities for solar evaluation and procurement to reduce energy costs while demonstrating community leadership.

Initial Status: Limited outreach currently

Initial Status: Minimal level of information currently available locally

Action Taken: The City has expressed interest in participating in solar industry training for key staff members.

Guidance: Provide online access to regional and statewide solar standards and best practices as a resource to the installer community and organize an outreach and/or training event in order to generate awareness and understanding.

Initial Status: Minimal level of information currently available locally

Action Taken: The City has espressed intereest in information and educating its residents on solar PV.

Guidance: Help promote the availability of online tools and resources for the residential, commercial, and municipal solar markets through existing networks.