The Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is seeking feedback from solar developers and commercial property owners in the County to help DEP better understand the barriers, challenges and opportunities for installing solar on commercial properties. While there has been impressive adoption of solar on residential properties, barriers remain for installing solar on commercial properties.
DEP is asking commercial property owners, tenants and solar installers to fill out the Commercial Solar Market Survey and share experiences, opinions and concerns. The survey can be found at https://forms.gle/xi3ruxHT8MtfSFZ46.
The survey will be open until June 30.
DEP hopes the survey will help to better understand the business community’s concerns about solar. Generally, there appears to be a lack of awareness of the benefits, confusion over how to find a qualified installer, questions about costs and concerns over long-term performance that may contribute to the underutilization of solar on commercial properties.
“Electricity in Montgomery County accounts for nearly 30 percent of Countywide greenhouse gas emissions,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “For us to meet the County’s goal of zero emissions by 2035, we must work together to reduce demand on electricity from our current grid. Solar is a great way for us to achieve our goals.”
DEP Director Adam Ortiz said: “Commercial-level solar installations can turn hot, barren parking lots into solar-covered sheltered areas that power buildings with clean electricity. With the business community, we can cover commercial building rooftops in solar panels, turning all that empty space into an energy provider and at the same time, helping us meet our shared climate goals.”
Questions about the survey or commercial solar can be sent to energy@montgomerycountymd.gov.