Simplify Solar volunteer campaign launches across the U.S.

A volunteer-based initiative is collecting data on how towns handle residential solar permits with the hope of pushing local officials to cut red tape, reduce costs and speed clean energy installations.

October 23, 2025 Anne Fischer

Image: U.S. Department of Energy

The Simplify Solar campaign launched by Third Act is calling on volunteers throughout the U.S. to crowdsource information about solar policies in hundreds of towns across the country. These will include those that have implemented automated permitting or are using tools like the Department of Energy’s SolarApp+, a web-based platform developed for the purpose of lowering the costs and timeframe associated with solar permitting that is said to cut about 12 days off the permitting process.

Third Act is a non-profit solar advocacy group founded by environmentalist Bill McKibben that brings older Americans together to work toward building a more sustainable future through efforts like the Simplify Solar campaign.

Outdated or non-existent permitting rules slow adoption of residential solar, and the Simplify Solar campaign aims to change that with a grassroots effort that explores what towns have done to date including those that have enacted or are considering enacting balcony solar rules. Balcony solar (and other appliance-style solar) does not need permitting, but the Simplify Solar project aims to avoid having towns create unnecessary permits and regulations.

The Simplify Solar team hopes to engage over 1,000 volunteers across the country, contributing information that will result in a database intended to help communities support solar by cutting red tape, reducing fees and simplifying the process. The volunteer participants will receive a toolkit that includes talking points for communicating with local council members as well as sample ordinances.

[Also read “Industry creates model legislation to streamline rooftop solar permitting, grid connection”]

pv magazine USA spoke with Jeremy Friedman, Third Act campaign strategist and Nancy LaPlaca, Third Act energy expert, who said that while five states have passed solar permitting legislation and approximately 400 jurisdictions are using “good” instant solar permitting software, the campaign will aim at making sure cities and towns are actually streamlining solar permitting. “Because implementation is different than passing the law,” said Friedman.

Most of the 40,000 jurisdictions having authority have some kind of solar permitting, according to Friedman. “The problem is, the rules they do have are inconsistent, arduous, confusing, or just unknowable. So, it’s less about creating solar permitting rules, and more about streamlining them and making them smart.”

Another challenge to residential rooftop solar is that 99% of communities that have solar permitting make it much harder and more expensive than it has to be, Friedman noted, adding that this is why it costs on average two to three times more in the United States than in Australia, for example. “Tariffs and high labor costs are partially to blame, but study after study confirms that a major factor in this ballooned cost is the tangle of obsolete and arduous permitting and inspection rules that vary from town to town and county to county,” Friedman said.

The campaign kicked off on October 16 with 200 people taking part in an online session to learn the first steps in the process, which begins by the participant going to their town’s website to research requirements for a rooftop permit, then completing a questionnaire. They’ll also enter information on the local electric utility, and they’re asked for any personal stories about obtaining a solar permit from the town. Results are then reported using a provided form.

For help throughout the process, participants can join a Weekly Work Party Zoom call. The final deadline for information gathering is December 1, 2025, after which results are entered into a database and the campaign moves into the 2026 advocacy phase that will include meeting with and educating local officials as well as supporting state legislation.

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