Key Project Information
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United StatesICMA's Role
Project Details
In the last two decades, technological developments have dramatically reduced the cost of installing solar photovoltaic systems in the United States, and large-scale solar projects have experienced a new surge in market share. According to the American Clean Power Annual Market Report, the United States added a total of 33.8 gigawatts (GW) of new utility-scale clean energy projects in 2023, a 12.5% increase from the previous annual installation record set in 2021. Utility-scale solar saw an increase of 14.2 GW, accounting for 55% of the overall development pipeline. Because of this increase, many local governments are now experiencing the development of large-scale solar projects in their communities.
Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Solar@Scale is a partnership between ICMA and the American Planning Association (APA) that aims to help cities, towns, counties, and special districts understand and realize the potential benefits of large-scale solar development.
How Solar@Scale Helps Your Community
ICMA and APA convened a steering committee of stakeholders representing the private and public sector with expertise in public administration, planning, economic development and solar development to identify strategies for overcoming common local barriers to the development of large-scale solar in communities of all sizes across the United States. Additionally, the Solar@Scale team developed a comprehensive guidebook and has translated these strategies into easily digestible trainings, webinars, and workshops that outline scalable tools for planners and local officials. As of March 2024, the Solar@Scale team has trained over 2,600 local government officials to help improve local planning and development processes, and to align large-scale solar projects with community goals.
Solar@Scale Guidebook
The purpose of this guidebook is to help local government practitioners—including planners, economic development professionals, local government managers, and elected and appointed officials—make decisions that improve large-scale solar development outcomes.The Third Edition of the Solar@Scale guidebook was published on the ICMA website on January 30, 2024.
Solar@Scale Topic Webinars
In 2025, the Solar@Scale team developed topic webinars addressing frequent questions and requests for guidance, including best practices in planning for large-scale solar. These webinars include first-hand examples from local jurisdictions and property owners, as well as experts in the planning and solar fields.
Solar@Scale Webinar Series
This 9-part webinar series was released following the publication of the Solar@Scale Guidebook and begins with a Guidebook overview webinar. The following eight parts mirror the eight Guidebook modules, from understanding the market for large-scale solar development, to improving land-use decision-making, to zoning and community planning for large-scale solar. Each webinar includes real-world, community examples and takeaways from speakers who work in local government and the solar industry alike.
Free Hands-on Workshops
To help local officials further their understanding of large-scale solar, ICMA is conducting a series of half-day hands-on workshops based on the Solar@Scale guidebook:
- Free training customized to your interests, issues, and specific situation.
- Educators leading the workshop are experienced in both the science and how solar projects fit in with such local government concerns as permitting.
- All materials included.
- Option for remote access.
No-cost in-person workshops only require meeting space, outreach to your staff and others interested in attending, and light coordination on logistics.
Sign Up for Updates and Events
For more information about Solar@Scale, contact ICMA program director, Debra Perry, at dperry@icma.org.
ICMA offers this page of compiled model codes and ordinances from around the country. Each section aims to help local government professionals take their community’s sustainability ambitions and turn them into tangible sustainability practices through the adoption of codes and ordinances. These resources provide links to tools, research, codes, and ordinances categorized by municipal operations, utilities, transportation and land use, and environmental and natural resource management.
Credit for this series and resource goes to ICMA’s Sustainable Communities Advisory Committee, a dedicated group of local government professionals committed to integrating environmental sustainability into the practice of local government management.
For more information on sustainability visit ICMA’s Sustainable Communities Topic Page.
Sustainability Model Codes and Resources
Municipal Operations
See how local governments are finding ways to reduce negative impacts on human and environmental health through environmentally focused purchasing policies, fleet management plans, and other model policies and ordinances that support efficient and environmentally friendly municipal operations.
Utilities
The way in which water, waste, telecommunication and energy utilities are managed present major opportunities for local governments to reduce their environmental impact. Here you’ll find several codes and ordinances that support environmental sustainability among different utilities.
Transportation and Land Use
The smart growth movement is centered around designing communities for the needs of residents that results in opportunities for economic prosperity, social equity, and environmental sustainability. Here you’ll find examples of land use codes that cover a wide range of smart growth topics including street design guidelines, tiny homes, accessory dwelling units, and complete streets.
Environmental and Natural Resource Management
Local government managers are often forced to balance development with environmental impacts. Low impact development options can help communities harness environmental design to meet their development, environmental and natural resource management goals. Resources include topics on green infrastructure, energy, rain gardens, water retention, native plants, and pollution.
Cross Functional Resources
Smart and sustainable growth can take on many different forms. These resources take a broad view of sustainability and offer a compilation or resources with co-benefits that can contribute to multiple aspects of environmental sustainability.
