MEA recently put out an RFI regarding the statewide implementation of SolarAPP+ as required by the 2024 Brighter Tomorrow Act. 

The Maryland Energy Administration has opened a Request for Information (RFI) for the upcoming FY25 SolarAPP+ Implementation Grant Program. This federally-funded incentive program will provide grants to Maryland’s Counties and Municipalities to help pay the costs of implementing the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) SolarAPP+ streamlined solar permitting software. The Maryland Energy Administration is particularly interested in receiving feedback from County and Municipal governments, but the RFI is open to responses to all stakeholders and the general public.

The Maryland General Assembly passed the Brighter Tomorrow Act (Chapter 595, 2024 Acts of Maryland, S.B. 783) earlier this year, which includes a requirement that all authorities having jurisdiction over solar energy system permitting adopt streamlined solar permitting software. The Maryland Energy Administration has determined that the SolarAPP+ software meets the requirements of the Brighter Tomorrow Act, and will provide grants through the Program to Counties and Municipalities to help pay the costs of implementing the software.

Interested parties are encouraged to respond to the SolarAPP+ Implementation Grant Program RFI. A link to the RFI is also available on the SolarAPP+ Implementation Grant Program webpage. Responses are due to MEA no later than 3:00 P.M. ET, Friday, August 9, 2024.

Please contact SolarAPP.MEA@Maryland.gov with any questions, and a member of the MEA Clean Energy and Resilience Team will be happy to assist.

Read more about the state-mandated adoption of SolarAPP+. 

At the 2024 MACo Summer Conference general session, “The Road Ahead: Electrifying Maryland’s Future” panel gets into the weeds on what the next few years may look like and major milestones in this transition.