Rooftop Solar
Electricity produced at or near the point where it is used is called Distributed Generation (DG). Distributed solar energy can be located on rooftops or ground-mounted, and is typically connected to the local utility distribution grid. There are a wide variety of policies at the federal, state and local level that impact distributed solar and its customers.
Spotlight: Net Metering
Net metering allows residential and commercial customers who generate their own electricity from solar power to sell the electricity they aren't using back into the grid. Many states have passed net metering laws. In other states, utilities may offer net metering programs voluntarily or as a result of regulatory decisions. Differences between state legislation, regulatory decisions and implementation policies mean that the mechanism for compensating solar customers varies widely across the country.
Featured Rooftop Solar Resources
Principles for the Evolution of Net Metering & Rate Design
Solar Automated Permit Processing
Solar Cost-Benefit Studies
Rooftop Solar Initiatives & Policies
Local Permitting
Learn MoreGrid Modernization
Learn MoreUtility Rate Design
Learn MoreRebates & Incentives
Learn MoreSolar Access Rights
Learn MoreProperty-Assessed Clean Energy
Learn MoreRelated News
Advocates Celebrate Wins for Clean Energy in Georgia, Urge Action on Rooftop Solar
ATLANTA – In a victory for Georgia consumers and the clean energy economy, the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) voted to approve a solar resource plan that should result in an increase in Georgia Power’s solar energy procurement by 6 to 9 gigawatts through 2035 and add 500 megawatts of battery storage to the energy grid.
Safer, Faster, Cheaper: How SolarAPP+ Is Cutting Through Bureaucracy to Boost Solar Deployment
A residential solar home in Denver, Colorado.
Mississippi Adopts New Net Metering Rules, Takes Step Toward Equitable Growth of Residential Solar Market
JACKSON, MS and WASHINGTON, D.C. — Yesterday, the Mississippi Public Service Commission (PSC) voted to adopt its updated Net Metering and Interconnection Rules. The new rules expand the state’s net metering program by raising the participation cap for rooftop solar and prioritizing solar adoption for low-to-moderate income (LMI) customers, among other steps.