As the governing body for this county about 50 miles north of Washington, DC and about 50 miles west of Baltimore, the five commissioners along with the County's Planning Commission and its staff expedited the zoning amendment for solar and wind energy systems to enable County property owners to generate their own electricity.

"We commend the Board of Commissioners for taking this important step," said Standard Solar Chief Executive Officer Anthony Clifford. "As a company that is seeing local jurisdictions from Pennsylvania to North Carolina offer their constituents more zoning flexibility, we now look forward to serving the more than 200 county homeowners who have written or called us about investing in solar electric systems."

Frederick County joins a virtual parade of counties throughout Maryland recognizing the benefits of cleaner energy to constituents, the county-at-large and the Mid-Atlantic region. Montgomery, Howard, Anne Arundel and Prince Georges counties in Maryland - to name a few - expressly enable ground-based and roof-mounted solar electric systems.

Some even have local property tax credits on the books and new initiatives looming to further supplement the new Federal invesent tax credit, solar renewable energy credits and the Maryland solar grant program.

Frederick County residents Bill and Sarah Drenning, who purchased a 5 kilowatt solar electric system from Standard Solar in 2008 mounted it on a pair of poles in the field adjacent their Woodsboro home in land zoned for agricultural purposes, said they are gratified their experience may now be replicated on land zoned residential.

"Our experience is proof that even property owners without a lot of shade-free, south-facing roof space can be good candidates to generate their own electricity. Some homeowners might, as we have, save enough money by generating their own electricity, and make enough money by selling their solar renewable energy credits to get a net positive cash flow year-by-year," Drenning said.

South-facing rooflines maximize the amount of sunshine that solar arrays can capture and produce electricity from.

"I'm grateful that the Board of County Commissioners, the Planning Commission and the Planning/Zoning Administrators kept themselves so well informed on various solar and small-wind issues along the way," said Rebecca Rush, President of the Renewable Energy Stewardship, Inc. based in the county. "Their independent research and knowledge allowed this process to advance smoothly."

The new zoning rules take affect May 8, 2009 and provide homeowners and businesses assessing solar systems for their facilities enough time to apply for and receive up to $10,000 of solar grant money from Maryland during the fiscal year that begins July 1.

When combined with the new 30% Federal invesent tax credit and the solar renewable energy credits these systems earn for their owners, the Maryland grant can help recoup the invesent in a typical solar system in Frederick County within 8-10 years.

The amendment revised by the County Board of Commissioners permits ground-mounted solar arrays up to one-half the footprint of the principal home or business structure or six-hundred square feet, whichever is larger. Roof-mounted systems are permitted on "accessory" structures as well as principal residential and business buildings. The text amendment is under File Number Zt-09-09.

Standard Solar works with county permitting agencies to ensure the systems it designs comply with all local zoning ordinances.

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