The International Code Council and the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have combined efforts to assess the code compliance of the permitting specifications for clean energy technologies and battery storage systems for integration into the Solar Automated Permit Processing Platform (SolarAPP+). This collaboration will continue to improve the use of SolarAPP+ with local governments that use the model codes developed by the Code Council. 

As part of this work, the Code Council will provide key technical resources ensuring permitting requirements comply with the International Codes (I-Codes). Leveraging its technical expertise, the Code Council will assess the specification within the SolarAPP+ to ensure compliance with the 2018 and 2021 International Building Code and International Residential Code for all new features and enhancements added to the application starting with energy storage. 

The Code Council will further assist in increasing SolarAPP+ awareness by jurisdictions through direct engagement with local governments that are members or customers of the Code Council. 

“We are delighted to be working with NREL on this initiative,” said Joan O’Neil, Code Council Chief Knowledge Officer. “Working together with NREL to increase the adoption of code-compliant solar energy solutions speaks directly to the Code Council’s mission to ensure safe and sustainable communities worldwide.” 

This announcement represents the finalization of a long-standing collaboration between the Code Council, NREL, and the SolarAPP+ coalition. 

The collaborative assessment of the Solar APP+ permitting requirements’ alignment with the I-Codes is ongoing. “We are thrilled to bring the Code Council more formally into the SolarAPP+ development process,” said Kristen Ardani, Solar Analysis Program Manager at NREL. “The Code Council will be critical in our efforts to expand the application to new features all the while increasing adoption among local governments.”

Learn more about SolarAPP+ here.