Abstract:
Summary The legal framework has a major impact on the viability of solar enegy generation facilities of all sizes. Among the critical legal questions related to solar energy deployment are the value feed-in tariffs and the ability of states in the United States to pass such tariffs, the role that renewable energy portfolios play in supporting solar energy capacity, whether third-party solar energy providers should be regulated as public utilities, the nature of the steps that can be taken to expedite transmission line siting, the affect land use and zoning regulations may have on solar facility deployment and the value of government procurement provisions in increasing solar energy production.