Solar PowerGoing Solar in Reno

The City of Reno is a SolSmart Silver community. SolSmart recognizes communities that make it easier and more affordable to go solar.

"I am so proud of this designation for the City of Reno, as it illustrates our commitment to creating diverse job opportunities, while also protecting our environment." - Mayor Hillary Schieve  

The City of Reno received points for efforts like streamlining permitting processes and our active C-PACE program.

Goals

Creating new renewable energy resources is an economic development opportunity that creates jobs. The renewable energy sector is projected to grow twice as fast as other occupations in the U.S. Wind and solar jobs will be the fastest growing job sectors from 2016 to 2026. Investments in renewable energy can add thousands of jobs to Nevada. When the rooftop solar industry was in full gear through 2015, 161 companies employed more than 5,900 people across the state.

Solar energy is not a new concept, but it has started to draw more attention as it has become increasingly more attainable in many places such as Reno. In fact, many of the costs associated with switching to solar energy have been going down each year. The rising demand for solar can also be attributed to a shift towards more environmentally friendly practices. The topic of renewable energy resources often takes center stage in many discussions about raising sustainability standards across the country. Considering Nevada is one of the sunniest states in the U.S., solar energy could quickly become a ‘first choice’ for many residents and members of the development community.

The City’s goal is to Increase distributed renewable energy generation 15% by 2025 and encourage energy storage. We will accomplish this by working with stakeholders to develop incentives that encourage renewable energy generation such as simplification of zoning regulations, streamlined permits, guideline development for small systems, and technical assistance. It is important that we also develop guidelines and specifications for solar, energy storage and electric vehicle charging readiness and requirements in new construction and major renovation projects.

Additional Information

Making the decision to switch to solar should be as effortless as possible. This can be achieved if everyone works as a team with similar goals in mind.