Solar Panels
California Leads in Solar Rooftops
A combination of state and local incentives and building code mandates has helped California far outpace other states in residential rooftop solar permits.
Arizona Native Community Launches First Solar-Over-Canal Project
Covering an irrigation canal with solar panels doubles its utility, producing renewable energy while protecting canal infrastructure and reducing water evaporation.
Rooftop Solar on Mexico City Market to Power 300 Transit Buses
A solar project atop a massive food market will provide electricity to Mexico City's public transit buses.
Commercial Buildings, Parking Lots Offer Significant Potential for Solar Energy
Massive swaths of flat rooftops, garages, and surface parking lots go underutilized. They could be producing renewable energy.
New Solar Capacity Outpaces New Fossil Fuels in the US
Solar energy still makes up just 5 percent of the nation’s energy mix, but could grow faster in coming years.
Editorial: California’s Solar Potential Lies in Roadways, Parking Lots
Environmentalists are raising the alarm about massive solar farms in the unspoiled desert. Why not install more solar panels along state-owned highways and in parking lots instead?
The Slow Growth of Solar Carports
Placing solar panels over parking lots has multiple benefits, but higher costs have prevented their widespread adoption in U.S. cities.
Tampa Pilots Solar Sidewalks
The city is testing solar panels embedded in sidewalks as a backup power supply for traffic lights.
France Mandates Solar Panels Over Parking Lots Nationwide
By 2028, all French parking lots with more than 80 spots will have to be covered with solar panels, providing both shade and renewable energy.
Rooftop Solar Hampered by New York City Fire Code
Requirements in the NYFD fire code make it costly and difficult to achieve the city’s solar installation goals.
Grid Operator Calls for Two-Year Pause on Solar Projects, Citing Massive Backlog
The largest grid operator in the U.S. is asking for a new approvals process and two-year delay on current applications to ease the logjam of primarily solar projects in its queue.
Solar Farm Moratorium to End, Despite Local Concerns
Delaware County plans to amend its solar zoning ordinance and lift a moratorium on the construction of new solar farms that was implemented after local opposition stalled the project.
Delaware County Pauses Solar Applications In Response to Local Opposition
Large-scale solar developments face rising hostility from neighboring property owners who cite concerns about environmental degradation, reduced property values, and loss of farmland.
California Could Drastically Cut Solar Incentives
Rooftop solar customers in California could face higher costs and reduced incentives if a proposed overhaul of the state's solar program is approved by the Public Utilities Commission.
The Benefits of Covering Canals With Solar Panels
Research claims that installing solar panels over California's extensive canals could greatly expand the state's renewable energy production and reduce evaporation.
Controversial Decision Limits Solar Panels on Historic Homes in D.C.
"I realize that we are in crisis politically as well as sustainably. But…"
Tesla’s Renewable Energy Vision—Big Benefits Without Major Lifestyle Changes
Tesla’s fancy cars generate much of the company’s revenue, while its solar energy products are decidedly less flashy.
Details of the Golden State's Residential Solar Requirement
San Francisco Chronicle energy reporter David R. Baker sheds some light on the nation's first state building code requiring that solar panels be included in new home construction, adopted by the California Energy Commission on May 9.
This Low-Cost, Organic Material Could Bring Solar Energy to All Electronics
Solar energy has been a game changer in energy production in recent years, but the game could be about the change again. Add graphene to the list of disruptive technologies that could transform energy infrastructure as we know it.
Coal Country Warms-up to Solar Power
President Trump may be stuck in a past era of thriving coal mines, but at least one forward-thinking coal company sees lucrative opportunities in using reclaimed mountaintop strip mines as sites for solar farms.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
