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1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: October 17, 2017 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 4-b <br /> SUBJECT: Receipt of SolSmart Silver Level Designation <br /> DEPARTMENT: Asset Management Services <br /> Planning and Inspections <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> Orange County Final SolSmart Credit Brennan Bouma, 919-245-2626 <br /> Tally <br /> Award Letter From The Solar Foundation <br /> and ICMA <br /> PURPOSE: To receive an award given to Orange County from the SolSmart program in <br /> recognition of attaining Silver level designation for the County's efforts related to solar energy, <br /> and to recognize staff in Planning and Inspections and Asset Management Services for their <br /> efforts to reduce barriers to responsible solar energy growth. <br /> BACKGROUND: SolSmart is a national recognition and technical support program to help <br /> governments lower the costs for businesses and residents to invest in solar energy. SolSmart is <br /> supported by a broad collaboration that includes International City/County Management <br /> Association (ICMA) and the National Association of Counties (NACo) with funding from the US <br /> Department of Energy's SunShot Initiative. <br /> Orange County began working towards SolSmart designation in February of this year and, in <br /> March, applied jointly with the Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro for a SolSmart Advisor to <br /> provide six (6) months of free, full-time technical assistance. The application was successful and <br /> the three jurisdictions shared a team of solar experts from the NC Clean Energy Technology <br /> Center at NC State. Working with this SolSmart technical advisory team, the three jurisdictions <br /> worked independently on distinct issues and jointly on topics of shared interest. For example, <br /> the Advisor was able to rank order the best Orange County facility rooftops for potential <br /> investments in solar power as well as to organize joint trainings on solar for building inspectors. <br /> Though continued work of the Planning and Inspections Department and the Sustainability <br /> Coordinator, by July the County had attained the Silver level designation (see attached award <br /> letter and final credit tally for details). <br /> For more information on SolSmart and the more than 17 megawatts of solar developments <br /> across Orange County, please go to the Orange County Sustainability Program's <br /> website: http://www.orangecountync.govidepartments/asset management services (ams)/solar <br /> project.php <br />