Solar projects take time, money, and a bit of research, but knowing the questions to ask and where to find answers can help you make smart decisions for your system.

A good place to start is Project Sunroof, which has a simple calculator that can estimate the size of solar array, potential output, and payback period based on the size of your roof and current energy usage.

Other good resources include Solar United Neighbors (SUN) and the U.S. Energy Department, which offer helpful guides and fact sheets. SUN’s Go Solar Guide and the Energy Department’s Homeowner’s Guide to Going Solar offer an intro to what people should know as they start researching. The Solar Owner’s Manual offers in-depth information for prospective and current solar owners.

For a deeper dive, read about solar panel basics and how solar works. SUN’s Battery Storage Guide is a comprehensive review of battery technology and economics.

It is always a good idea for any major home improvement project to ask for a bid from several different local companies in order to compare services and pricing. The list below "Questions to Ask Contractors" can help you think through things you would like to ask about to make comparisons.

The permit application process for most residential and commercial projects will usually be handled by your solar installer or electrical contractor on your behalf. Like other building permits, all Solar Photovoltaic (PV) projects in Iowa City use an online portal to submit an application. This ensures a prompt response and transparent process.

To help gather the necessary information, installers can use this checklist as guidance. If the answer is "yes" to all six questions, your application will be eligible for a streamlined permit review with no additional documentation required verifying the roof construction will support the arrays. Installers can upload the checklist into the submission portal and do not need to mail a physical copy to city staff.

The entire PV installation, whether rooftop or ground mounted, must comply with Article 690, 691, and 705 of the 2020 National Electric Code (NEC). To ensure your installer has the necessary information to verify that prior to submitting an application, they can use this worksheet as guidance. It does not need to be submitted to city staff. The information will be collected through the online application portal as part of the application process.

Installers will also usually be the ones to file the interconnection request to the utility to connect your array with the grid. More information about that process for MidAmerican customers can be found on the utility's webpage.

Further guidance, including a video tutorial on submitting an application, is available on the Customer Self-Service Portal webpage. 

For more information, contact:
Neighborhood and Development Services
319-356-5120

Did you know the Grow Solar Linn + Johnson Counties program was the most successful solar group buy program offered by the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA)? Iowa City partnered with Johnson and Linn Counties to offer this bulk buy program to residents, with more kilowatt capacity sold here than in other areas served by the Grow Solar program.

Although that program has concluded, you can learn more about bulk buy programs and how residential solar systems work in this Solar Power Hour video created as part of that initiative.

Check back here for information about future Grow Solar opportunities.

For more information, contact ClimateAction@Iowa-City.org.

Many residents believe solar may not be allowed on historic homes or buildings. In fact, solar is allowable in all zones and districts in Iowa City, including Historic Districts and Conservation Districts. Building owners in this area simply need to apply for historic review. This is typically conducted by the Historic Preservation Commission, but a streamlined process is approved when the following criteria are met:

• The solar array is installed on an outbuilding roof or the rear facing roof of a primary building (if these locations are not possible, it may also be on a non-street facing elevation not impacting the street view of the house)
• The solar array is installed close to the roof surface and at an angle that is like the roof surface
• The frame and brackets are a color that blends with the building roof materials
• Any equipment is away from a street-facing elevation, preferably at the structure’s back

If a project meets these standards, the streamlined process allows staff to review and approve the solar energy system the same as any other solar application without referring it for review by the Historic Preservation Commission.

Projects that do not meet this criteria still have a path forward. Following consultation with the Historic Preservation Commission, some project modifications may be recommended but approval can still be granted upon review.

More information on Historic and Conservation Districts can be found on the Historic Preservation page of the Iowa City website, or by contacting Jessica Bristow at jbristow@iowa-city.org.

Did you know the City of Iowa City has provided funding for several solar projects in partnership with local nonprofits and businesses? These include:

• Shelter House
• The Free Medical Clinic
• Domestic Violence Intervention Program (DVIP)
• Habitat for Humanity
• Adamantine Spine
• Earl May Garden Center
• Iowa City Storage
• Reunion Brewery
• First Avenue Mini-Mall
• Fin and Feather

Grant assistance for organizations and businesses interested in solar projects is available through the Climate Action Grant Program. To learn more, visit icgov.org/ClimateActionGrants.

Solar on Public Works buildings

The City also commissioned a feasibility study to help prioritize future solar projects at municipal facilities. In October 2023, a 40 kWp rooftop solar array on the Public Works building was brought online.

Combined with the energy efficiency design elements of the Public Works building, this array will produce 100% of the facility's energy needs in normal operating conditions. You can learn more about the array and see real-time data on its energy production on the system dashboard.

Solar array at the Iowa City Airport

Completed in November 2024, the Iowa City Municipal Airport’s solar array is helping the airport run on clean, renewable energy while cutting costs. The system features 312 panels and 4 inverters, producing about 400 kWh of electricity per day in the winter and up to 700 kWh per day in the summer. This helps power the terminal building, runway lights, and ambulatory hangar.

The total project cost was $751,178, funded through a combination of an FAA grant of $676,178 and $75,000 in local funds from the City's Climate Action and Outreach division. Installed by local contractors, the system also includes a weather station to track performance, and the public can view real-time production data online.

Future plans include a zero-carbon transit facility that will include solar arrays as part of its design. It's all part of the City's Climate Action Plan to support a clean energy future. 

Residential installations are no longer eligible for Solar Energy System Tax Credits under the Iowa tax code. However, if your solar array was installed prior to 2022 and you have not received a tax credit, it may still be possible to apply. More information is available on the Iowa Department of Revenue website.

Solar arrays in Iowa, though, do still qualify for the property tax incentive that exempts them from being included in your property tax assessment for the first five years after they are installed. Solar arrays can add three percent or more to your overall property value. Although you can add that value to the sale price of your home at any time, your property taxes will not be increased to account for that value until the sixth year after the array is installed.

State regulations also allow cities to limit the ability of Homeowners Associations (HOAs) to pass regulations that are more restrictive of solar installations than those established by the city itself. This includes prohibition of solar arrays by HOAs. In January 2023, Iowa City Council passed an ordinance that prevents HOAs from adopting more restrictive solar regulations. Any HOAs established after this date, and any solar regulations passed by HOAs after this date, cannot exceed those set by the city. HOAs that existed prior to this date are encouraged to review their current solar regulations and bring them into alignment with current city standards.

The most comprehensive list of policies at the state level that support renewable energy can be found on DSIRE – just click on Iowa. Some topics to get you started include net metering, which is currently not allowed under Iowa state law, and solar easement and access laws, which establish the right to access sunlight for solar systems.

The Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) maintains a webpage of consumer protection resources, including a consumer solar checklist and a clean energy consumer bill of rights.

The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) provides potential solar customers and current customers with solar consumer protection resources in both English and Spanish, as well as additional information to help a resident considering solar installation.

Iowa's solar easement and access laws establish the right to access sunlight for solar systems. More information can be found at DSIRE.

Solar customers who wish to file a complaint can find pathways at the following sites:

• Iowa Solar Energy Trade Association Consumer Protection Page
• Better Business Bureau – Search Installer Reviews and File a Complaint
• Iowa Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division online or call 888-777-4590.

ISETA Professional Directory

Gazette article on solar energy projects 

Washington Post article on solar energy projects

Guide to federal tax credits