A practical toolkit designed to help local governments drive distributed solar projects within the community and on muncipally-owned property.  The guide outlines actionable policies, tools, and financial mechanisms that local leaders can use to overcome the high upfront costs and remove common barriers. By advising cities how to create the enabling conditions to get capital flowing along with key steps local governments can take, the guide’s goal is to provide the resources to make energy improvements easier and more affordable for everyone. 

This document is intended for staff in any of the following departments:

  • Sustainability
  • Finance
  • Housing Services
  • Planning
  • Code Enforcement

The Starter Guide includes the following key sections with step by step actions within each:

  1. Regulations & Financial Tools to Set Clear Signals to Private Investors
  2. Demonstrating Project Readiness through Pre-Development, Procurement and Aggregation
  3. Key Actions for Local Governments to Build Robust Distributed Solar Programs