SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / CA / Solano

Solano County, CA — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

43.4
Risk Grade
Good
Flat Sacramento/San Francisco Bay Delta corridor with established wind and solar development history; Travis AFB proximity requires FAA notification and height/glare analysis but is manageable; development-friendly Board of Supervisors; PG&E interconnection with capacity available; proximity to Bay Area load center favorable for PPAs; economically receptive county makes this a solid secondary California solar market
Assessment Snapshot
Population
455000
State Rank
#13
Compliance
38%
Trajectory
32

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
50 ft from property lines; additional setbacks from residences; Travis AFB notification zone may impose additional requirements
Zoning Mechanism
CUP via Solano County Planning Commission; Board of Supervisors final; CEQA standard review; FAA/Travis AFB notification for height restrictions
Acreage Caps
None formal
Spacing Rules
Not specified; case-by-case; Travis AFB aviation corridors
Size Restrictions
No formal size restrictions; Travis AFB aviation corridors require project design accommodation

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Favorable; Fairfield and Vacaville area communities accept wind and solar as economic development; Travis AFB community supportive of compatible development; Delta communities more cautious of land use change
Basis for Assessment
Solano County Planning Commission records; CA Energy Commission project database; FAA/Travis AFB records; PG&E interconnection queue
Political Risk Factors
Favorable; economically development-oriented BOS; Fairfield/Vacaville corridor sees solar and wind as economic development tools
Board Members
Erin Hannigan | D | 2026; Mitch Mashburn | R | 2028; Jim Spering | D | 2026; Skip Thomson | R | 2028; John Vasquez | 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
14
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
2

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