Energy Storage Permitting Guidebook Version 1 - Flipbook - Page 16
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Energy Storage Guidebook
Electronic and Automated
Permitting Systems
A growing number of AHJs in California have set up systems to allow electronic
submittal and approval of building permit applications — a situation accelerated by
the COVID-19 pandemic. Automated plan review tools have also been growing in
popularity. They are distinct from electronic document systems (although they may
sometimes be integrated into one platform) and use computer-based approaches
to check that project plans meet code requirements. AHJs can use the results of the
automated plan review to trigger the issuance of an ESS permit.
Senate Bill 3795 requires cities and counties to “implement an online, automated permitting platform”
that can verify a plan meets code and issue a permit “in real time” for stand-alone home solar systems of
less than 38.4 kW and for residential ESS paired with such solar systems. (The California Solar & Storage
Association provides a summary document; see Appendix B). Cities with fewer than 5,000 residents and
counties with fewer than 150,000 residents are exempt. Cities located in exempted counties may still need
to comply and should check with the CEC for current interpretation of SB 379. Midsized cities and counties
have until September 30, 2024, to meet the bill requirements, while larger cities (with more than 50,000
people) or counties had until September 2023 to do so.
The bill also requires that AHJs report the number of permits issued to the CEC. The permit process plays
a critical role in protecting building occupants and property by ensuring that the design and construction
of buildings, and the installation of certain systems such as ESS, meet relevant codes and standards. SB
379 compliance can be met by adopting qualifying software such as SolarAPP+ and Symbium, or an AHJ
can develop their own software to meet the requirements. SolarAPP+, described in the next section, meets
the requirements of SB 379 for automated energy storage permitting plan review for standard residential
systems. According to the NREL website, SolarAPP+ is being piloted or has been adopted by 25 jurisdictions
in California as of May 2023 (see SolarAPP+ website for list of current participating AHJs). Symbium, another
automated permitting platform, also complies with SB 379. Symbium was not included in this guidebook as
it was not capable of permitting ESS at the time of developing the guidebook. Other AHJ custom permitting
software solutions, such as the solution adopted by Los Angeles County, or other permitting software may
also meet these requirements. This guidebook focuses on SolarAPP+ as it was the only option available at
the time. Future versions of the guidebook will include other options that comply with SB 379.
The California Automated Permit Processing Program (CalAPP), offered by the CEC, provided up to
$20 million in grants to help cities and counties adopt permitting systems that comply with SB 379;
applications were due by May 2024.6
5 SB 379 (Wiener, Chapter 356, Statutes of 2022). Residential solar energy systems: permitting. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.
xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB379
6 California Energy Commission (CEC). (2023a). “California Automated Permit Processing Program (CalAPP presentation).” https://www.counties.org/
sites/main/files/file-attachments/calapp_presentation_csac_2-2-23.pdf