MORPC Receives Regional SolSmart Designation
The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission has been designated as a regional SolSmart community, having received the Silver designation. The agency is one of only a handful of regional organizations across the country to receive the designation.
SolSmart is a national program designed to recognize local governments for encouraging solar energy growth. Communities that pursue SolSmart designation receive no-cost technical assistance from a team of national solar experts.
In MORPC’s case, the agency can leverage the resources it has already made available to its member communities, such as the Central Ohio Solar Energy Toolkit for Local Governments, to encourage them to install solar energy systems.
Benefits of having a SolSmart designation include:
- National recognition of MORPC’s expertise in renewable energy, elevating the services it provides to members
- Establishing MORPC as the go-to resource in Central Ohio for preparing communities to be solar-ready
- Free technical assistance to strengthen MORPC’s solar toolkit and promote its value to members
- Additional, free technical assistance for future solar-related MORPC projects and analyses
- Free technical assistance for MORPC members to receive their designation
Within Central Ohio, Franklin County and the Village of Somerset have already been designated as Solsmart Bronze communities.
In contrast to municipalities and counties, MORPC received its designation through the SolSmart Regional Designation Pathway. MORPC will be eligible for Gold status when at least 16 communities within the region have been designated by SolSmart.
SolSmart is led by the International City/County Management Association and The Solar Foundation. It is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office. More information on SolSmart is available at solsmart.org.