SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / CA / Amador

Amador County, CA — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

44.8
Risk Grade
Good
Sierra foothills gold rush heritage county with functional CUP pathway; moderate terrain limits large-scale ground-mount but some valley parcels viable; no moratorium history; modest solar activity; limited saturation pressure; improving political environment for renewable energy
Assessment Snapshot
Population
40314
State Rank
#18
Compliance
42%
Trajectory
40

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
150 ft from occupied residences; 50 ft from property lines
Zoning Mechanism
Conditional Use Permit (CUP); CEQA review; agricultural land conversion reviewed case-by-case
Acreage Caps
None specified
Spacing Rules
None specified
Size Restrictions
Projects >500 kW require CUP

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Generally supportive — rural Sierra foothill community; limited organized opposition; board receptive to solar on non-prime land
Basis for Assessment
County planning records; public hearing minutes; board of supervisors votes on CUP applications
Political Risk Factors
Stable
Board Members
John Plasse | R | 2026; Pat Lacy | R | 2028; Brian Oneto | R | 2026; Ted Novelli | R | 2028; Lynda Herrera | D | 2026

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
CAISO — PG&E Balancing Authority
Utilities
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)
State Permitting Process
County zoning + CEQA review required; CEC siting jurisdiction for projects >50 MW on state/federal land; Coastal Commission review for coastal zone; DRECP DFAs streamline desert county permitting
State Incentives
Federal ITC eligible; California Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) for storage; CA Renewables Portfolio Standard procurement; CPUC approved procurement programs

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects
Amador Solar I (~5 MW, 2021); scattered rural distributed and farm solar; Jackson area small commercial
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
None confirmed

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Last verified: 2026-04-02 | SolarRisk Tracker | Data sources: Government records, utility filings, public meeting minutes