Online Photovoltaics Regulation and Permitting Requirements Website Developed for One of the Largest Municipal Utilities in the U.S.

Goals and Objectives for the Project:
The Project objective is to:

• Aid existing and potential customers, who may be interested in installing Photovoltaic (PV) systems in the Utility’s service territory, by providing them with comprehensive data on local requirements
• Compile regulatory and building code data from each of the towns and villages within the Utility’s service territory as they apply to PV system siting and installation
• Use this data to populate a searchable, dynamic database
• Create a Utility-branded, internet browser-enabled user interface that will enable all of the Utility’s customers (and potential customers) to search through the database and acquire information, application forms (permitting, etc.) and data relevant to their locale or the locale in which they are considering installing PV equipment
• Ensure the system is simple to use for all customers, promotes the Utility’s brand, facilitates cross-navigation within the Utility web site (to other relevant PV program information), and is highly reliable
• Keep the data updated and secure

Solution
Applied Energy Group, Inc. (AEG) compiled all of the relevant PV siting, permitting and installation data, by zip code, town, village and county, reflective of Utility’s entire service territory.  Presently, there are 259 towns, 87 villages and 14 townships and 3 counties within the Utility’s service territory. This data populated a web-enabled database application that was private labeled and linked to the existing Utilty web site.  This application was accessible via browser, and platform independent (users of different computer operating systems can all access the site, including Windows, Macintosh, Unix, Linux, etc.)  This application allowed for a customer to visit the site, type in search criteria on the area in which they are considering the installation of PV equipment, and be returned either a complete list of requirements and issues for the area specified, or a list of villages and towns associated with their search criteria which they would then be able to drill down on to get to the data they require (this would occur in the case of a zip code that may reflect both a town and an incorporated village within the town).  The customer was also able to browse the full list of areas by town, county, or village.

 Upon selection of an area, the customer was presented with the requirements data “near real-time”, in a “view online” format, a “printable” format, and in a “downloadable” format (this  allowed customers to save the data to their local computer and manipulate it as they felt necessary).

The site offered a customer the opportunity to leave their email address and to be automatically notified whenever the data on the area they have searched has changed, ensuring they have the most up-to-date information to make informed decisions on their PV-related initiatives.  The web site application automatically mass-emailed anyone who left their email address as soon as changes are made within the database on data associated with the area they inquired about.