Renewable Energy System Determinations

Per NRS 701.180(6), if the Director of the Governor’s Office of Energy (GOE) is requested to make a determination pursuant to NRS 111.239 and 278.0208 on the placing of an unreasonable restriction on the use of a system for obtaining solar or wind energy, the Director shall make a determination within 30 days. Below is a guide on how to submit a determination to GOE.

    Required information for solar determinations

    To receive a Solar Renewable Energy System Determination from GOE, submit the following information:

    1. Letter or email explaining why the original system was denied. The example letter is from a Homeowner's Association; however denial letters or emails can come from other entities like a local government.  
    2. Graphic or map that shows in detail the proposed modified system, and includes the azimuth and tilt (in degrees) of the solar panels.
    3. Contractor schematics of the original proposed system that include the azimuth and tilt (in degrees) of the solar panels. 
    4. A completed National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) PV Watts calculation or HelioScope calculation of the original and proposed modified systems. Both sites estimate the electricity production of a grid-connected roof photovoltaic system. The NREL calculation is based on the following inputs:
      • Wattage of the individual solar panels.     
      • The azimuth (in degrees) of the solar panels.
      • The tilt (in degrees) of the solar panels.
      • House address.  
    5. GOE also uses HelioScope software to make a determination pursuant to NRS 111.239 and 278.0208 on the placing of an unreasonable restriction. Helioscope takes into account additional factors like building height and tree shading. Please submit the following information so GOE may check the system's potential loss using Helioscope:
      • Roof tilt.
      • Height of system location, from ground to rooftop.
      • The orientation of the system.
      • The manufacturer of the solar panels.
      • The inverter and solar panel characteristics, such as DC/AC ratio, system loss, panel size, etc.
      • Row spacing, which is the distance from the back of one bank of modules to the front of the next bank.
      • The height of any nearby buildings, chimneys, trees, or other objects that may cast a shadow over the system.

    If the determination request contains all the above information, GOE will review within 30 days, and mail the requester a signed determination letter and supporting solar performance summary calculation. 

      Send determination requests to:

      By mail:
      Nevada Governor's Office of Energy
      Attn: Solar Determination
      600 E. William St. Suite 200
      Carson City, NV 89701 

      By email:
      info@energy.nv.gov

        Nevada's solar easement and rights law

        NRS 278.0208 - Prohibition against prohibiting or unreasonably restricting use of system for obtaining solar energy.

        1. A governing body shall not adopt an ordinance, regulation or plan or take any other action that prohibits or unreasonably restricts or has the effect of prohibiting or unreasonably restricting the owner of real property from using a system for obtaining solar energy on his or her property.

        2. Any covenant, restriction of condition contained in a deed, contract or other legal instrument which affects the transfer or sale of, or any other interest in, real property and which prohibits or unreasonably restricts or has the effect of prohibiting or unreasonably restricting the owner of the property from using a system for obtaining solar energy on his or her property is void and unenforceable.

        3. For the purposes of this section, the following shall be deemed to be unreasonable restrictions:

        (a) The placing of a restriction or requirement on the use of a system for obtaining solar energy which decreases the efficiency or performance of the system by 10% of the amount that was originally specified for the system, as determined by the Director of the Governor’s Office of Energy, and which does not allow for the use of an alternative system at a substantially comparable cost and with substantially comparable efficiency and performance. 111.239(a).

        (b) The prohibition of a system for obtaining solar energy that uses components painted with black solar glazing (Added to NRS by 1995, 1105; A 2005, 1820; 2009, 1599).

        Per NRS 701.180(6), if the Director of the Governor’s Office of Energy (GOE) is requested to make a determination pursuant to NRS 111.239 and 278.0208 on the placing of an unreasonable restriction on the use of a system for obtaining solar or wind energy, the Director shall make a determination within 30 days of receiving the request.

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