SolarApp+ Permitting Incentive

In 2024, the Minnesota legislature established the SolarAPP+ Solar Permitting Software Incentive (Minn. Stat. § 216C.48). The purpose of this incentive is to help streamline the residential solar permitting process by providing financial incentives and technical support for local governments adopting the SolarApp+ online solar permitting platform developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

SolarAPP+ FAQs & info

As of February 28, 2025, the Department of Commerce is accepting applications for the SolarAPP+ Solar Permitting Software Incentive for jurisdictions. Applications are first-come, first-serve and will be reviewed on a monthly basis. The Department will administer $2M in incentives to local units of government across Minnesota, with $1.5M available to political subdivisions within Xcel Energy’s electric service territory and $500,000 for those outside this territory. Full incentive details and application requirements can be found in the RFP, available for download on the Department’s RFP website.

Download RFP Submit Application

Eligibility
Eligible applicants include local units of government in Minnesota with authority to issue permits for residential solar projects and solar plus energy storage system projects. The following requirements must be met for the application to be considered eligible for an incentive:
1. Applicants must be a local unit of government in Minnesota that is responsible for issuing permits for residential solar photovoltaic (PV) energy generating systems.
2. Applications must be submitted under an account linked to the eligible applicant. Applications may be submitted by the local unit of government or by a contractor, developer, vendor, or other third-party organization.
3. Within the last 12 months, applicants must have deployed SolarAPP+ with it being fully operational within the permitting jurisdiction and made SolarAPP+ available on the permitting authority’s website.
4. To be considered eligible, applicants must submit a complete application with all required application documents and information.
Incentives

Incentive amounts will be between $5,000 and $20,000 per local unit of government. (even if when combined with bonus incentive(s), it would otherwise exceed $20,000). The base incentive amount is capped at $10,000, with the value determined by the local unit of government’s population. Applicants may also qualify for up to four additional bonus incentives, each with a maximum value up to $5,000.

Population Base/Minimum Incentive

< 50,000 $5,000

50,000 - 99,000 $7,500

100,000+ $10,000

Bonus 1 - History of Issuing Residential Solar or Solar Plus Energy Storage Permits: Local units of government who issued permits for a residential solar or solar plus energy storage system between 2023 - 2024 are eligible for this incentive adder. Applicants demonstrating strong support for residential solar may also be considered (e.g., website resources, incentive programs, partnerships, solar permit trends, etc.).

Bonus 2 - Current Participant in a Sustainability Program: Local units of government who are members of a sustainability program are eligible for this incentive adder. Eligible programs include GreenStep Cities, the United States Department of Energy's SolSmart, and Charging Smart programs. Additional programs may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Bonus 3 - Integration with Other (Newly Added) Permit Management Software: Local units of government who, within the last 12 months, purchased and adopted online permit management software for the first time and who also integrated that new software with SolarAPP+ are eligible for this incentive adder.
Getting Started with SolarAPP+
SolarAPP+ is a FREE automated online solar permitting software designed by the U.S. Department of Energy that uses a web-based portal to automate the solar project plan review and permit issuance processes for residential solar projects that are compliant with applicable building and electrical codes.

SolarAPP+ Basics & FAQs

SolarAPP+ Platform-Related Inquiries: General questions about the SolarAPP+ permitting platform and technical assistance inquiries should be directed to [email protected]. Please note that questions specific to the RFP and application process must be submitted to [email protected].

Navigating the SolarAPP+ Platform Adoption Process: Local units of government interested in adopting SolarAPP+ are encouraged to:
1. Review 5 Easy Steps to SolarAPP+ Adoption and Benefits of the SolarAPP+ Online Permitting Software
2. Explore the SolarAPP+ FAQs and SolarAPP+ Adoption Guide
3. Register to attend one of the Standing Onboarding Office Hours with SolarAPP+ staff
4. Reach out to the SolarAPP+ team at [email protected].
5. Review the additional resources made available by SolarAPP+ for jurisdictions and installers

Population	Base/Minimum Incentive
< 50,000	$5,000
50,000 - 99,000	$7,500
100,000+	$10,000