By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent

Solar power is expanding its reach throughout the country rapidly – so rapidly, in fact, that some communities are struggling with issues like permitting, siting and other ancillary-but-essential parts of the project process. In some states, that confusion is causing communities to reject solar out of hand as being too complicated to do.

A group of researchers out of Emory University in Atlanta, seeing the problems that were arising as its own state moved speedily to a solar future, decided to do something to mitigate the struggles by publishing a sample zoning ordinance for municipalities thinking about going solar, which includes a Georgia Model Solar Zoning Ordinance and accompanying educational guide.

Publicity for the guide kicked off today with an Op-Ed in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The authors, Caroline Reiser and Mindy Goldstein, write:

We’re started down the right path in Georgia. But to make sure we don’t get misdirected, clear land use standards and good information about solar development are necessary. The Georgia Model Solar Zoning Ordinance we just published paves the way.

These are not just issues in Georgia, of course. But the guide comes only a few days after Georgia Power announced it was soliciting 100 MW worth of distributed generation projects, which means more projects in small towns around the state. The guide is an effort to head of NIMBY-ism and help everyone understand best practices when it comes to siting solar projects in the state.

As the authors put it in their AJC piece:

We’ve already seen communities push back against solar development planned in inappropriate locations. The question is what comes next. … Georgia may be running down the right path, but it still can get tripped up. If Georgia wants it keep up the pace, it has to get smart.

More states need to come up with similar guidelines because solar is coming soon to your town – and it’s best that you be prepared rather than let it take you by surprise.