Market Development and Finance

Market Development and Finance is one of the special focus categories for the SolSmart designation program. To achieve a Bronze designation, a city must earn at least 20 points across the six Special Focus categories. A city must earn at least 100 points overall for a Silver designation or at least 200 points overall for a Gold designation. Below is a list of regional guidance and best practice documents. When regional examples are not available, national examples are available through SolSmart resources.

MDF-1

Provide resources on active solar installers and/or local incentives for solar PV and/or thermal (5 points).

MDF-2

Make solar PV metrics publicly available (5 points).

MDF-3

Provide information to consumers about different solar PV financing options, including commercial options, such as Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing (5 points).

MDF-4

Conduct feasibility analysis for solar PV installations on public facilities (10 points).

Best Practices & Resources

Cost-Benefit Analysis Report and Fact Sheets

MDF-5

Install solar PV and/or thermal on local facilities (20 points).

MDF-6

If applicable, provide PACE financing in your community (10 points).

MDF-7

Provide local incentives (i.e. permit fee waivers or rebates) or locally-enabled finance (e.g. a revolving loan fund) for solar (20 points).

MDF-8

Engage local banks, credit unions, foundations and/or community funds about lending for solar PV projects through in-person meetings, discussions, and/or workshops (20 points).

MDF-9

Demonstrate that the community's installed per capita capacity is above top 20% of states (>99 watts per person) (20 points).

MDF-10

Integrate solar PV with other distributed or emerging technologies such as storage, combined heat and power systems or electric vehicles in at least one installed or proposed project (20 points).

Samples

City of Plano Environmental Education Center

City of Cedar Hill Government Center

MDF-11

Develop feasibility analysis or planning for resilient solar PV technologies for critical facilities and emergency planning such as solar and storage (20 points).

MDF-12

Local Innovation: Please describe your local innovation regarding Market Development and Finance. Be sure to explain how this helps reduce the soft cost of solar PV in your community (up to 20 points).

Source

Icon courtesy of Symbolon from Noun Project.