Pico Rivera, California earns SolSmart Gold designation for solar permitting initiatives
The national SolSmart program, a free technical assistance and solar readiness initiative, has recognized the City of Pico Rivera, California’s solar energy permitting initiatives with a Gold designation. Pico Rivera is the first local government in California’s Gateway Cities region to achieve SolSmart designation.
To achieve the Gold designation, Pico Rivera city staff updated the website, attended trainings, and worked to adopt automated solar permitting, to name a few.
“These changes—some small, some large, all impactful—make a real difference in lowering costs and making it easier to deploy solar in Pico Rivera,” said Leslie Graham, IREC’s Vice President of Development, at a designation ceremony on Earth Day. Graham awarded city staff their SolSmart Gold plaque in person to celebrate their achievement.
SolSmart program
The SolSmart program, led by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) and the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), recognizes local governments that improve access, reduce costs, and streamline permitting for residential and commercial solar installations.
Local governments across the U.S. are taking advantage of SolSmart’s free technical assistance. To date, 550 communities in 44 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands have earned SolSmart designation.
“This designation truly reflects our City’s strong commitment to environmental leadership, sustainability, and equity for our community,” said Pico Rivera City Manager Steve Carmona. “We’re honored to be a model for cities across California and the nation that are striving to make clean energy more accessible for everyone.”
Pico Rivera Power Choice
The City’s Power Choice program, offered through Pico Rivera Innovative Municipal Energy (PRIME), played a significant role in the achievement of its Gold status.
Launched in 2023, Power Choice offers Pico Rivera residents and businesses access to solar energy and battery storage systems with no upfront cost and no credit check required. Participants enjoy long-term bill savings and benefit from emergency backup power during outages via battery storage systems installed at their homes. This program is opening up access for people who would otherwise be unable to install solar energy.
“Power Choice is a game-changer for our community,” said Carmona. “It is helping residents take control of their energy use, cut costs, and gain peace of mind without the barriers that have kept so many from going solar in the past.”
