Streamlining rooftop solar permitting could cut costs by 61%

Streamlining Rooftop Solar Permitting Could Cut Costs by 61%

A report by Permit Power finds that reducing bureaucratic barriers to residential solar could lead to nearly 20 million more families in the U.S. installing solar by 2040, resulting in $1.2 trillion in lifetime bill savings.

The report, "As Cheap as Our Peers: How cutting red tape can lower the cost of rooftop solar and offset rising utility bills," notes that the cost of installing rooftop solar in the U.S. is up to seven times more than in Australia and Germany. The median cost for a 7 kW system in the U.S. is $28,000, compared to $4,000 in Australia and $10,000 in Germany.

These high costs are impediments to adoption, with just one in ten families in the U.S. having solar, compared to one in three in Australia.

Prior to the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), people in the U.S. faced significant barriers to adopting rooftop solar. However, by streamlining the permitting process, costs could be cut by 61%, making solar more accessible to millions of families.

Author's summary: Streamlining rooftop solar permitting can cut costs and increase adoption.

pv magazine USA — 2025-10-27

Streamlining Rooftop Solar Permitting Could Cut Costs by 61%

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