The ability to comply with varying sets of regulations could inhibit some companies from offering their services throughout the state. Some companies may not produce systems compatible with all regulations. Requirements for special land use approvals, such as conditional uses and special exceptions, or special studies, such as glare analyses from solar installations, can be costly and time consuming, rendering marginally economic projects infeasible.
To encourage growth in the industry and widespread deployment of green energy systems, along with financial incentives, the Legislature may need to step in, enacting a single set of statewide regulations or even pre-empting local zoning regulations similar to those provisions already found in Section 603 (b) of the Municipalities Planning Code where zoning ordinances are pre-empted or superseded in favor of other statutory schemes such as those applicable to the mining and oil and gas industries.
