Pasadena Water and Power
Municipal Services Committee
March 24, 2026
Edit department name in master view
Clean Power Pasadena
2 Solar Rebate
Solar Rebate
Battery Rebate
Battery Rebate
Review/waiver
of Plan Review
and Permitting
fees
Review/waiver
of Plan Review
and Permitting
fees
Low Interest
Loan Program
Low Interest
Loan Program
Increase in solar
amount over
historical usage
Increase in solar
amount over
historical usage
RFP for
Municipal Solar
RFP for
Municipal Solar
RFP for Carbon
Free Resources
(responses due
March 28)
RFP for Carbon
Free Resources
(responses due
March 28)
Marketing
campaign
Marketing
campaign
Executive Summary
Proposes 12-month pilot to
waive permitting and plan
review fees for solar PV and
battery systems.
Supports clean energy
adoption, grid reliability, and
City’s strategic goals.
Three strategies: fee waivers,
rebate program, outreach
campaign.
Aims to increase solar/battery
adoption, reduce peak
demand, and support
sustainability.
Includes program design,
benefits, fiscal impacts, and
evaluation framework.
Background and Policy Alignment
ALIGNED WITH OPTIMIZED
STRATEGIC PLAN AND
RESOLUTION NO. 9977.
FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY,
RESILIENCE, AND
INNOVATION.
GOALS: REDUCE GHG
EMISSIONS, PROMOTE
RENEWABLES, ENSURE
RELIABLE SERVICES.
SOLAR AND BATTERIES
REDUCE FOSSIL FUEL USE
AND ENHANCE GRID
FLEXIBILITY.
PROGRAM REMOVES
FINANCIAL BARRIERS TO
CLEAN ENERGY ADOPTION.
Program
Overview
Duration: 12 months.
Scope: Residential and
commercial solar PV
and battery systems.
Includes new
installations and
qualifying expansions.
Waives PWP fees, plan
review, and
inspections.
Potential waivers for
Building and Safety
fees.
Exclusions
and
Eligibility
Excludes: structural
upgrades, non-
energy construction,
meter material costs.
Eligibility: Located in
Pasadena, code-
compliant, licensed
contractors.
Reducing
Barriers to
Adoption
UPFRONT COSTS ARE A
MAJOR BARRIER TO
ADOPTION.
SOFT COSTS LIKE
PERMITTING REMAIN
SIGNIFICANT.
FEE WAIVERS OFFER
IMMEDIATE, VISIBLE
SAVINGS.
SIGNALS STRONG
MUNICIPAL SUPPORT
FOR CLEAN ENERGY .
Supporting
Grid
Reliability
Solar reduces
daytime peak
loads.
Batteries
enable load
shifting and
enhance
stability.
Higher
adoption may
defer
infrastructure
investments.
Improves
overall
system
reliability.
Advancing
Climate and
Sustainability
Goals
Increases
renewable
energy share
in local mix.
Supports GHG
reduction
targets.
Promotes
environmental
justice and
equity.
Targets
underserved
communities
with
incentives.
Integrated
Program
Components
1 1. Fee Waiver
Program: Reduces
costs and streamlines
process.
2 2. Rebate Program:
Tiered incentives, LMI
bonuses, paired-
system rebates.
3 3. Outreach Campaign:
Digital/print,
workshops,
partnerships,
multilingual.
Expected
Outcomes
More solar and battery installations.
Growth in distributed generation
(kW/MW).
Increased battery storage capacity
(kWh/MWh).
Reduced peak load demand.
Improved public awareness and
participation.
Secondary benefits: jobs, economic
activity, resilience.
Potential
Revenue
Implications
Track waived fees.
Impact depends on
program uptake.
Offset by deferred capital
costs and increased local
generation.
Economic multiplier
effects from clean energy
investment.
Implementation Considerations
ESTABLISH INTERNAL
GUIDELINES AND STAFF
TRAINING.
IMPLEMENT TRACKING
SYSTEMS FOR PARTICIPATION
AND OUTCOMES.
COORDINATE ACROSS PWP,
PLANNING, AND FINANCE
DEPARTMENTS.
ENSURE EQUITY THROUGH
TARGETED OUTREACH AND
INCENTIVES.
Evaluation Framework
KPIs: permits issued,
installed capacity,
participation rates.
Track geographic
distribution of
installations.
Financial metrics:
waived revenue,
program costs.
Evaluate
effectiveness after
12 months.