The urgent global transition to sustainable energy solutions has highlighted the importance of solar energy as an essential component of high-performance building and neighborhood design.
In many ways, countries like Canada are at the forefront of this movement, developing codes to promote renewable energy through rigorous efficiency standards, similar to those found in Europe. Despite this progress, a significant gap remains in the regulatory and policy frameworks that protect access to solar energy and establish concrete rights in this area.
Research carried out in Canada, Italy, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland has indeed highlighted a pressing need for regulatory approaches at several scales, namely at the local, state and national levels. It is essential to take regional constraints into account to effectively integrate renewable energy production into existing infrastructure.
Managing shading, the key to access to solar energy
Ensuring access to solar energy requires regulations to govern shading caused by adjacent structures and vegetation. These regulations must limit the height of buildings and ensure that they are spaced sufficiently apart to prevent them from shading each other. Additionally, zoning and land development codes must protect access to solar energy from future obstructions, while promoting legal rights that guarantee sunlight to homeowners and limit obstructions caused by by neighboring properties.
Solar rights involve regulations granting property owners the legal ability to harness solar radiation on their property. These rights must provide protection against unreasonable restrictions on the installation of solar technologies, excessive shading or other interference, while limiting legal and zoning barriers that could restrict solar installations, to the extent that they are conform to reasonable aesthetic and safety standards.
Neighborhoods of the future, mixed use and solar optimization
Solar exposure must be taken into account in urban planning, which involves optimizing the orientation of buildings and streets and regulating the density of buildings in order to maximize the potential of active and passive solar energy. .
Land use planning should favor mixed-use neighborhoods to improve solar energy consumption through complementary demand profiles, taking into account building density, spacing and height so that this energy is captured. Such an approach not only makes it possible to avoid shading problems, but also to enhance the aesthetic integration of solar solutions.
Grid modernization, technical standards for solar integration
Modernizing the electricity grid for efficient integration of solar energy requires the establishment of technical standards governing the interconnection of solar systems to ensure their safety and reliability while minimizing administrative obstacles. Regulation and standards for the incorporation of energy storage systems, such as batteries, into solar installations are also required to optimize energy storage and use.
There is no need to start from scratch, as many authorities around the world already have regulations and standards in place for network modernization. In addition, regulations for solar microgrids must meet certain performance criteria and align with energy policies at local, regional and national levels.
Promoting innovation through regulatory and financial tools
Technological innovation is advancing at an unprecedented pace, often outpacing the capacity of our regulatory frameworks to adapt. This mismatch can inadvertently penalize innovators instead of fostering an environment that is conducive to them. To truly support and accelerate technological advances, we must reform our regulatory processes. Mechanisms must be introduced to accelerate crucial technological updates and adaptations.
Take the battery industry as an example: current regulations often address rare fire risks without considering advances in battery chemistry that mitigate these risks. These outdated regulations apply blanket restrictions to all battery types, stifling innovation in safer battery technologies. By refining regulations to reflect current scientific knowledge, we can better support innovation while maintaining safety standards.
Incorporating economic incentives — including tax credits, rebates and subsidies, which must be regularly reviewed to remain effective — into government regulations is essential to supporting the solar industry. The development of innovative business models and changes to utility rate structures, such as net metering and hourly pricing, are necessary to support the use of solar energy. Additionally, it is important to expand access to solar energy through community programs and energy storage solutions, especially for low-income households.
As we refine building and setback rules, it is critical to improve access to solar energy and codify these changes into enforceable laws that define and protect rights to use this energy and the performance of solar technologies. Establishing standards for connecting solar systems and designing microgrids will support necessary grid updates and improvements. Given the rapid evolution of technologies and the market, the integration and regular updating of financial incentives is essential.
As Canada and the world face the twin challenges of climate change and energy security, these policy recommendations provide a roadmap for legislating for a sustainable future powered by solar energy. The commitment we make today to these changes will define our energy landscape for decades to come.