CARPC has begun working with the Dane County Office of Energy & Climate Change to pursue a regional SolSmart designation. SolSmart is a national program funded by the US Department of Energy that recognizes communities, counties, and regional organizations for their efforts to support local solar development.
Pursuing this designation will build on CARPC’s ongoing efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and foster climate resilience by convening interagency collaborations, complementing our tree canopy and green infrastructure initiatives.
Our goals for engaging in the SolSmart process are to:
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and foster community resilience to climate change, as established in CARPC’s 2050 Regional Development Framework.
- Work with communities to identify regional priorities, preferences, and best practices for solar development, emphasizing equitable access to solar benefits.
- Support Dane County communities in attaining local SolSmart designation.
- Identify barriers to PV installation in local zoning codes and, where present, recommend revisions to remove them.
- Support Dane County’s goal to meet one-third of electricity use (1200 MW) with solar by 2030.
As we work toward a countywide designation, we also aim to support local municipalities that want to pursue their own designations. Given the increased incentives for solar under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), now is a great time for municipalities to ensure their local processes make it easy and affordable for residents and businesses to go solar.
Contact Caitlin Shanahan, Community Planner, at caitlins@capitalarearpc.org if you would like to participate in the SolSmart process. Stay tuned for more information and resources coming throughout the year!
