Volts How to make rooftop solar power as cheap in the US as it is in Australia
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Jan 28, 2026 Andrew Birch, 25-year solar veteran and co-founder of Solar App, and Nick Josefowicz, nonprofit leader at Permit Power, tackle US rooftop solar’s “paperwork tax.” They explain how automated permitting, standardized interconnection, and flexible grid rules can slash soft costs. Short stories of permitting absurdities and real-world scaling show bureaucratic fixes could unlock much cheaper rooftop solar for households.
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Paperwork Tax Explains U.S. Price Gap
- U.S. rooftop solar costs about three times more than in Australia primarily due to soft costs and red tape.
- The fragmented local permitting system (≈20,000 AHJs) is the major driver of this paperwork tax.
Parcel Map Dispute Cost $5,000
- An installer in Daly City was told online parcel maps were invalid and had to pay $5,000 for a site survey after an inspector disputed lot-line placement.
- Weeks of delay and thousands in extra cost resulted from inconsistent local rules and inspector demands.
Adopt Instant Automated Permitting
- Use a standardized, national automated permitting system so installers can get instant permits when systems meet agreed codes.
- Deploying SolarAPP-style digital permitting removes pre-install approvals and speeds installs to days.