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Predictors for adoption of local solar approval processes and impact on residential solar installations in California cities

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  • Hsu, Jenneille Hwai-Yuan

Abstract

Local governments and policies hold an important role in stimulating the growth of solar photovoltaic (PV) installations. By improving local solar permitting processes, city governments can potentially reduce the “soft” costs of solar PV installations and facilitate the deployment of solar PV systems at the local level. Drawing data from California's annual statewide planning surveys, this paper examines the determinants for the adoption of solar approval processes and the policy impact on residential solar PV installations in California cities. The results demonstrate that cities with large population size, municipal utilities, and high proportions of pro-environment, educated constituents are more likely to adopt solar approval processes. Additionally, the presence of local solar approval processes is found to increase both total capacity and the number of small-scale residential solar PV installations in a city, holding all else equal. The empirical evidence presented in this research confirms the important role of local governments in the deployment of solar PV systems.

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  • Hsu, Jenneille Hwai-Yuan, 2018. "Predictors for adoption of local solar approval processes and impact on residential solar installations in California cities," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 463-472.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:117:y:2018:i:c:p:463-472
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2018.03.008
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    Cited by:

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    4. O'Shaughnessy, Eric & Barbose, Galen & Wiser, Ryan, 2020. "Patience is a virtue: A data-driven analysis of rooftop solar PV permitting timelines in the United States," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    5. Cook, Jeffrey J. & Cruce, Jesse & O'Shaughnessy, Eric & Ardani, Kristen & Margolis, Robert, 2021. "Exploring the link between project delays and cancelation rates in the U.S. rooftop solar industry," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    6. Müller, Jonas & Trutnevyte, Evelina, 2020. "Spatial projections of solar PV installations at subnational level: Accuracy testing of regression models," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 265(C).
    7. Hojnik, Jana & Ruzzier, Mitja & Fabri, Stephanie & Klopčič, Alenka Lena, 2021. "What you give is what you get: Willingness to pay for green energy," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 174(C), pages 733-746.
    8. Neij, Lena & Nemet, Gregory, 2022. "Accelerating the low-carbon transition will require policy to enhance local learning," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    9. Alipour, Mohammad & Taghikhah, Firouzeh & Irannezhad, Elnaz & Stewart, Rodney A. & Sahin, Oz, 2022. "How the decision to accept or reject PV affects the behaviour of residential battery system adopters," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 318(C).

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