Engineering topics

Cook, Jeff

Publications and source records attributed to Cook, Jeff.

13 records

DOE OSTI2024

SolarAPP+ Performance Review: Final Technical Report

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and its project partners have developed the novel Solar Automated Permit Processing plus (SolarAPP+) software platform that provides a flexible, web-based PV-permitting tool for residential systems that can be integrated with existing and complementary software platforms. The main objective of this research is to analyze the implementation of SolarAPP+. Analysis was conducted by identifying the benefits, tradeoffs, and overall performance of SolarAPP+, including achieving its goals of delivering automated, code compliant systems, influencing permitting cycle times, and improving application submittals and/or inspection performance. The NREL team published the results of this analysis in annual SolarAPP+ Performance Review technical reports.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

DOE OSTI2024

SolarAPP+ Performance Review (2023 Data)

The Solar Automated Permit Processing Plus (SolarAPP+) platform is an online portal to facilitate and expedite rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery storage permitting processes. SolarAPP+ allows PV contractors to upload system specifications, have that information automatically reviewed for code compliance, and receive instant approval for code-compliant systems, reducing authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) staff time needed for review. SolarAPP+ also provides inspection checklists to verify installation practices and adherence to approved designs. SolarAPP+ is available to AHJs at no cost. This report is part of an ongoing series of reviews of SolarAPP+ performance. Consistent with previous performance reviews, we summarize SolarAPP+ adoption trends to date and compare various metrics for PV systems permitted through SolarAPP+ versus systems permitted through traditional AHJ permitting processes. As of the end of 2023, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) had contacted over 1,700 AHJs with significant solar permitting volume regarding SolarAPP+. Of those, 793 AHJs had expressed interest in the platform as of the end of 2023. 161 AHJs had begun piloting the platform and 97 of these had publicly launched the platform by the end of 2023. In 2023, 668 installers submitted 18,906 permits through the SolarAPP+ platform, including 4,834 permits submitted as part of a solar plus storage program. SolarAPP+ permits accounted for around 43% of all permits issued in participating AHJs. We compare permitting timelines through SolarAPP+ to traditional AHJ permitting processes to assess the platform's performance. Consistent with previous SolarAPP+ performance reviews, we find that permitting timelines are significantly shorter for SolarAPP+ projects. Based on median timelines, a typical SolarAPP+ project is permitted and inspected 14.5 business days sooner than traditional projects. We estimate that automatic SolarAPP+ permitting saved around 7,200 hours of AHJ staff time in 2023. Finally, we estimate that SolarAPP+ eliminated over 150,000 business days in permitting-related delays in 2023.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2024

Weatherization Assistance Program and Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program for Solar Survey Responses and Plan

This data contains the results of surveys given to Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)/Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) administrators in 2022, 2023, and 2024, as well as spreadsheets coding states' annual LIHEAP and WAP plans from 2021, 2022, and 2023 for mentions of solar energy. This data is the second version of the original dataset which has been updated to include the most recent years of LIHEAP and WAP plans. The original version of the dataset is also part of this record but has been deprecated.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2024

Solar Pathways in Federal Energy Assistance Programs: Expanding the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP)

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and U.S. Department of Energy Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) are federal programs to help low-income households reduce their energy costs. LIHEAP provides direct assistance to help households cover energy costs and stay connected to utility services, as well as weatherization and minor energy-related repairs, and WAP provides no-cost energy efficiency measures to reduce energy use and energy bills while also improving home comfort for income-qualified households. Across the U.S., states are implementing or considering solar energy as an eligible measure for LIHEAP and/or WAP funding, but the successful implementation pathways remain largely undocumented. This report fills that gap by analyzing states' LIHEAP and WAP annual plans, surveying administrators from LIHEAP grant recipients and WAP grantees about their challenges implementing solar or barriers to doing so, and conducting interviews and workshops with program administrators.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2023

Next Generation Integrated PV Products Cost and Workflow Analysis (Final Report)

Residential photovoltaic (PV) costs have fallen consistently for over a decade (Ardani et al. 2018). DOE has subsequently developed a new residential PV cost target for 2030 of $0.05/kilowatt hour (SETO 2023). Ardani et al. (2018) conclude that integrated roofing and PV (RIPV) products may be key to achieving the residential target for both new construction and retrofit residential PV. In RIPV, the PV product is incorporated into or replaces the roofing material. RIPV systems can use conventional crystalline or thin-film technologies, may be aesthetically attractive alternatives to traditional racked and mounted PV systems, and may increase building property values (Cook et al. 2023). These products also have the potential to provide customer acquisition, labor, and equipment cost savings over traditional, racked and mounted residential rooftop PV and several companies have recently introduced integrated roofing and PV (RIPV) products (Cook et al. 2023). In 2022, Tesla was the market leader, representing 94% of RIPV capacity installed in 2022 through its Solar Roof offering, while GAF Energy and its Timberline Solar product was second capturing 3% (Feldman et al. 2023). In this project, NREL analyzed three research questions: (1) How do current RIPV products compare to racked and mounted PV in terms of costs, install times and processes? (2) How are RIPV products installed and are there opportunities for cost savings? (3) What are the key barriers to expanding market opportunities for integrating solar and roofing products? In this project, we explored residential RIPV cost reduction opportunities by analyzing installation processes. Our study documented residential RIPV installations at two reroofing sites (20.52 kilowatts) and the equivalent of nine new construction sites (71.75 kW) in California through a methodology known as time and motion study. We also conducted 15 interviews with subject-matter experts to identify barriers and solutions to maximize these products' market penetration.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2023

SolarAPP+ Performance Review (2022 Data)

The Solar Automated Permit Processing Plus (SolarAPP+) platform is an online portal to facilitate and expedite rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) permitting processes. SolarAPP+ allows PV contractors to upload system specifications, have those specifications automatically reviewed for code compliance, and receive instant approval for code-compliant systems. SolarAPP+ also provides inspection checklists to verify installation practices and adherence to approved designs. SolarAPP+ is available to authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) at no cost. This report is part of an ongoing series of reviews of SolarAPP+ performance. Consistent with previous performance reviews, we summarize SolarAPP+ adoption trends to date and compare various metrics for PV systems permitted through SolarAPP+ versus systems permitted through conventional AHJ permitting processes. As of the end of 2022, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) had contacted over 1,500 AHJs with significant solar permitting volume regarding SolarAPP+. Of those, 607 AHJs had at least expressed interest in the platform. 16 AHJs had begun piloting the platform and 15 of these had publicly launched the platform by the end of 2022. In 2022, 206 installers submitted 11,092 permits through the SolarAPP+ platform, including 708 permits for solar+storage systems. SolarAPP+ permits accounted for around 37% of all permits issued in participating AHJs. We compare permitting timelines through SolarAPP+ to traditional AHJ permitting processes to assess the platform's performance. Consistent with previous SolarAPP+ performance reviews, we find that permitting timelines are significantly shorter for SolarAPP+ projects. Based on median timelines, a typical SolarAPP+ project is permitted and inspected 8 business days sooner than traditional projects. We estimate that automatic SolarAPP+ permitting saved between 3,500 and 13,900 hours of AHJ staff time in 2022. Finally, we find evidence that SolarAPP+ may improve inspection outcomes, with SolarAPP+ projects failing inspections about 28% less frequently than traditional projects.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2022

Community Solar Resources for Multifamily Affordable Housing Providers [Slides]

As part of an initiative to support Multifamily Affordable Housing (MFAH) providers in their efforts to accelerate deployment of community solar, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s National Community Solar Partnership (NCSP) convened a group of MFAH providers from across the United States to understand and address barriers. DOE and project partners the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Urban Ingenuity, and Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future facilitated peer exchange, provided technical assistance, and developed resources to support the sector more broadly. During this one-hour webinar NREL, Urban Ingenuity, and SAHF introduced these resources. The webinar was attended by MFAH providers, state and local agencies, and others working to advance equitable access to solar for residents of affordable housing.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2022

Solar Automated Permit Processing Software for Distributed PV (Cooperative Research and Development Final Report, CRADA Number CRD-19-00825)

NREL and its project partners built and commercialized the novel Solar Automated Permitting Processing Plus (SolarAPP+) software platform that delivers instant residential rooftop solar permits. The tool provides installers with a standard portal for entering permit information for residential solar systems across all Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) using SolarAPP+, thereby providing a streamlined plan review form, transparency into permitting timelines, and required specifications. The project has proven to reduce permitting timelines from as many as 20 business days to zero, delivering solar projects faster in the four participating AHJs using the platform. Streamlining permitting timelines, all else equal, results in consumers installing their systems and reducing their electricity bills faster. The continued expansion of SolarAPP+ features and adoption nationwide will expand the benefits of the SolarAPP+ beyond the current user base.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2019

Solar and Energy Efficiency: Resources to Support Local Initiatives for Low-to-Moderate Income Communities

This SolSmart webinar serves as an educational resource for local governments interested in better understanding market barriers and expanding solar and energy efficiency deployment in low to moderate income (LMI) communities. Viewers will be able to explore and visualize data developed by the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) focused on how rooftop solar on LMI housing represents an opportunity to help modernize the U.S electric grid and advance energy affordability in LMI communities. NREL and the American Council on an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) also discuss financing options and incentives for solar development and energy efficiency in LMI communities.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2017

Status and Trends in the U.S. Voluntary Green Power Market (2016 Data)

The "voluntary" or "green power" market is that in which consumers and institutions voluntarily purchase renewable energy to match all or part of their electricity needs. Voluntary action provides a revenue stream for renewable energy projects and raises consumer awareness of the benefits of renewable energy. There are numerous ways consumers and institutions can purchase renewable energy. Historically, the voluntary market has consisted of three market sectors: (1) utility green pricing programs (in states with regulated electricity markets), (2) competitive suppliers (in states with restructured electricity markets), and (3) unbundled renewable electricity certificate (REC) markets, where RECs are purchased by consumers separately from electricity ("unbundled").

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

DOE OSTI2016

Navajo Generating Station and Federal Resource Planning; Volume 1: Sectoral, Technical, and Economic Trends

This study for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation examines conditions in the electricity sector that are likely to affect federal decisions with respect to Navajo Generating Station (NGS), the largest coal-fired power plant operating in the western United States. The federal government owns 24.3% of the 2.25-gigawatt plant, which amounts to 547 megawatts (MW) of capacity. By focusing on the unique public interests that depend on the federal share of NGS, this baseline study can help the federal government develop a road map for meeting all of its goals with respect to water delivery, clean energy, emission reduction, and economic development. There is no recommendation for action in this report. Rather, its aim is to provide a credible, thorough description of baseline conditions that might affect federal decisions regarding NGS. It describes facts and trends embedded in current data, but there are no conclusions about how Reclamation or DOI should respond to the trends. The interdependencies among the many sectoral trends and federal goals are complex, and the aim of this study is to provide a foundation from which options can be tested in a deliberate manner.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

DOE OSTI2016

Transportation of Large Wind Components: A Permitting and Regulatory Review

This report summarizes permitting and regulatory issues associated with transporting wind turbine blades, towers, and nacelles as well as large transformers (wind components). These wind components are commonly categorized as oversized and overweight (OSOW) and require specific permit approvals from state and local jurisdictions. The report was developed based on a Quadrennial Energy Review (QER) recommendation on logistical requirements for the transportation of 'oversized or high-consequence energy materials, equipment, and components.'

17 WIND ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2016

Mexico's Regulatory Engagement in Bulk Electric Power System Planning: An Overview of U.S. Practices and Tools

Mexico's transition to a modern wholesale power market will place new demands on how regulators evaluate and approve transmission expansion projects. Transmission projects in a modern wholesale market fulfill one of several needs, and utilities, regional transmission organizations, and regulatory authorities in the United States have encountered comparable challenges in their market transitions to ensure projects meeting each type of need can be built. The purpose of this report is to open a window to view that experience. The report examines key practices of different U.S. jurisdictions that have moved from transmission planning to transmission approval, and it focuses on the role of the regulator in supporting a planning process that equitably meets identified needs.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗