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In Illinois, solar installers often face “complex and cumbersome” permitting requirements that can add months — and hundreds of dollars in cost — to the simplest residential roof project, according to a new report from environmentalists and consumer advocates.
In some places, installers reported having to submit applications in person, rather than via email or an online portal.
One installer complained about having to place six calls just to obtain a permit that had already been approved; others said they navigate needlessly complex and drawn-out review processes or face “wacky” formatting requirements.
Among the results: The state is viewed as “a very good market because of all the incentives, but an absolute nightmare to operate in,” an Illinois solar installer was quoted as saying. Aurora, Elmhurst and Joliet were among the places where installers reported problems.
More here.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Apr 21, 25 @ 10:33 am
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I don’t think that the permitting problems are unique to the solar industry. Lots of red tape out there
Comment by DuPage Saint Monday, Apr 21, 25 @ 10:41 am
I think you have to take their stories with a bit of a grain of salt. Industry will always complain about regulation, and some of those complaints are valid of course. As I drive around in my part of rural Illinois I see an awful lot of solar. Not a hard data point, but the amount is increasing so it cannot be that tough. I am sure metro Chicago is a bit more challenging.
Comment by JS Mill Monday, Apr 21, 25 @ 11:01 am
You want Red tape - have some look at the levels of inspectors, witnesses, and fees that are required to have a commercial elevator tested in Illinois. Lots of tests too - not just a single annual one - na ew one called FAID test needs to be done every five years.
Comment by Donnie Elgin Monday, Apr 21, 25 @ 11:02 am
sounds like Bill Maher’s complaints about the permitting process for a solar installation in his yard. in another state.
Comment by Amalia Monday, Apr 21, 25 @ 11:12 am
This highlights a legit problem facing blue state progressive policies. We provide incentives for things we want to expand, like clean energy or housing, then we bog it down in red tape. As a result, it costs more and we get less of it.
Comment by Senator Clay Davis Monday, Apr 21, 25 @ 11:20 am
“can’t be that tough, metro chicago is more challenging”
That’s a funny case of WhatAboutism right there. Lol.
Comment by (rolls eyes, tosses hair, shakes it off) Monday, Apr 21, 25 @ 11:42 am
This is only going to get tougher for the next four years, because the attitude of the new administration in DC is decidedly anti-solar in every way, and the tariffs are definitely going to have an effect on that industry as well. The third part of that soup sandwich is that the legacy electric utilities are fighting solar every way they can.
Comment by Give Us Barabbas Monday, Apr 21, 25 @ 12:07 pm
“I don’t think that the permitting problems are unique to the solar industry.”
Absolutely correct.
However, this is probably the best lightning rod to use, to drive some change around that.
On average every week, I’m using the online portals in about a half dozen counties in North Central IL. Most of them are fairly consistent - until Will County. Every department is its own silo with little to no integration between them, At the Joliet municipal level, given as one of the locations with problems, the only way to get many things done is in writing, in person. It’s atrocious, and is mostly an outcome from a time when the ‘local thought-leaders’ thought it would be a good idea to eschew any technology for the public in order to keep foot traffic flowing into the downtown area.
The time for change here is long overdue. It will help much more than just solar installs. It will help overall total investment in any area.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Monday, Apr 21, 25 @ 12:13 pm
The dominant mode of liberal governance in recent decades has elevated rules and compliance over substance and results. Green energy is massive in Texas of all places. Why? Because the government gets out of the way. Want affordable housing? Not in progressive states and localities because their rules and laws are so onerous that projects are lucky to get off the drawing board, and if they do become prohibitively expensive to build and operate. Want new transportation options? Forget about it for the foreseeable future due to unbridled litigation, onerous permitting, NIMBYism, and local/state/federal roadblocks in the way. Read Abundance, by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson.
Comment by phocion Monday, Apr 21, 25 @ 12:41 pm
Lots of discussion about Dems over regulating themselves in the blue states now that the NTY guys are on their book tour about this. I agree there needs to be a re-evaluation of what the goals are and if the regulations help accomplish that. Whether it’s energy or housing, Dems need to be the party of yes, not no.
Comment by Truthiness Monday, Apr 21, 25 @ 12:44 pm
NYT** We need an edit button (banned punctuation)
Comment by Truthiness Monday, Apr 21, 25 @ 12:45 pm
I have been told by more than one inspector that their main purpose is to document what was done so it could be added to the assessment for property tax purposes. In so far as was the job a good quality job, done properly, you are on your own. Passing inspection means very little when things go wrong. The standard answer from inspection departments is “that’s between you and your contractor”.
Comment by Dupage Monday, Apr 21, 25 @ 12:57 pm
===sounds like Bill Maher’s complaints about the permitting process for a solar installation in his yard.===
Maher needs to be taken with several lumps of salt. Maher was “chatting” with Newsom & while bellyachin’ said if installation wasn’t done correctly, only he was at risk. WRONG! First responders, plumbers, electricians, etc. Maher needs to get out of his “travel by private jet” cocoon and live amongst the non-privileged.
Comment by Anyone Remember Monday, Apr 21, 25 @ 2:03 pm
I work for a city government, so I might be biased, but the residential solar market chock full of shady characters. You can probably guess this from all the YouTube adds promising that Illinois will pay you to install solar panels. There are law firms that do nothing but solar-fraud cases. A certain level of scrutiny does not seem unreasonable. I can guarantee that the person whose house burns down from faulty wiring installations (and their insurance company) will be screaming about the lack of red tape for solar.
Comment by Duck Duck Goose Monday, Apr 21, 25 @ 2:17 pm
===I work for a city government, so I might be biased, but the residential solar market chock full of shady characters.
This is true in many regions and it hits at the other side of the Klein book. Many of the regs exist because of bad actors in the industry which in some areas they discussed, like broadband, is most of the industry. In broadband they don’t want to compete with each other in their current coverage area. Break up concentrated industries and some of these issues will be improved though we do need to make permitting more consistent. In the case of solar, the amount of subsidy has really driven some bad companies and state AGs need to make a few examples of them.
Comment by ArchPundit Monday, Apr 21, 25 @ 3:38 pm