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
Purposeful, Proactive Growth: Navigating Long-Term Challenges in the Solar and Storage Industry
America’s solar and storage industry is — by any metric — booming. While this growth has been quick, it has not been haphazard. This expansion is underpinned by the industry’s steadfast commitment to purposeful, proactive growth.
Solar Installations in 2023 Expected to Exceed 30 GW for the First Time in History
WASHINGTON D.C. — The U.S. solar industry expects to add a record 32 gigawatts (GW) of new capacity in 2023, a 52% increase from 2022, according to the U.S. Solar Market Insight Q3 2023 report released today by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie.
Back to School Means Back to Savings for Solar-Powered School Districts
As students and teachers head back to the classroom this month, thousands of school districts across the United States are relying on solar and storage technologies to keep their power on and their energy bills in check. According to Generation180, the amount of solar installed at K-12 schools in the United States has tripled since 2015. Today, over 6 million students attend a solar-powered school, and it is not hard to see why so many school administrators are turning to solar.