Volts How to make rooftop solar power as cheap in the US as it is in Australia
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Jan 28, 2026 Andrew Birch, 25-year solar veteran and co-founder of Solar App, and Nick Josefowicz, nonprofit leader at Permit Power, tackle US rooftop solar’s “paperwork tax.” They explain how automated permitting, standardized interconnection, and flexible grid rules can slash soft costs. Short stories of permitting absurdities and real-world scaling show bureaucratic fixes could unlock much cheaper rooftop solar for households.
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Use State Laws To Scale Automation
- States should require local governments to automate permitting or offer a state-run system installers can use.
- Legislation can mandate automation while letting jurisdictions pick compliant software or the state solution.
Interconnection Is A Separate Bottleneck
- Interconnection is a distinct soft-cost barrier run by utilities and can add long delays or huge upgrade charges.
- Some utilities charge tens of thousands for grid upgrades even for simple home systems.
Australia Shows Standardization Works
- Australia solved many bottlenecks via standardization, hitting ~40–50% coverage and ~$1–$2 per watt economics.
- Standard rules for typical small systems plus grid maps let installers scale without bespoke approvals.