SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / AL / Montgomery

Montgomery County, AL — Solar Development Risk Assessment

Local solar ordinance barriers, board sentiment, and utility policies that affect development timelines and risk.

48.2
Risk Grade
Fair
State capital metro with functional permitting; no formal solar ordinance; Alabama Power territory strongly constrains net metering; moderate compliance burden; PSC proximity means regulatory decisions affect this market first
Assessment Snapshot
Population
229363
State Rank
#19
Compliance
50%
Trajectory
45

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
50 ft property line setback (estimated); city of Montgomery has additional standards
Zoning Mechanism
County commission approval for utility-scale in unincorporated areas; Montgomery city planning review for city projects; building permit for residential/commercial
Acreage Caps
None established
Density Caps
None established
Spacing Rules
None established
Size Restrictions
None established

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Mixed-neutral
Basis for Assessment
State capital; mixed government and private economy; moderate solar interest; Alabama Power dominance limits net metering
Political Risk Factors
Stable
Board Members
5-member county commission; Montgomery Mayor and City Council also relevant

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
SERC — Southern Company / Alabama Power
Utilities
Alabama Power
State Permitting Process
County-level only; no statewide solar permitting statute
State Incentives
Limited — no RPS; net metering capped at 2 MW residential

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects
Black Bear Solar / Lightsource bp (130 MW, 2022)
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
1

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Last verified: April 2026 (web research) | SolarRisk Tracker | Data sources: Government records, utility filings, public meeting minutes