A Republican measure to make it easier and more affordable to install solar panels on homes and businesses is heading to the governor's desk, likely to become law.

Senate Bill 117, authored by Broomfield Republican Sen. Shawn Mitchell, would cap exorbitant permit fees charged by some cities for solar-system installations on homes and businesses. It won unanimous, bipartisan approval in the Senate today.

The bill caps what cities and counties can charge for solar permitting fees at $500 dollars for residential and $1,000 dollars for non-residential permits. Mitchell said the high permit fees in some communities can grossly inflate the cost of installing solar power on homes and small businesses, discouraging many from exploring this renewable-energy option.

"It's a sunny day for Colorado," Mitchell said. "Not only does this bill bolster people's choice for renewable energy, but it's also good for the environment and pushes back government barriers and bureaucrats."

Solar-energy advocates, including representatives of the industry as well as environmentalists, offered their support for the bill when it first was heard in committee, and they pointed out that demand for alternative power sources is surging across Colorado.  They also noted that in some cities the fees can equal 10 percent of total costs for a new system--a sometimes deal-breaking expense when people decide to go solar.

Recently, a solar-energy advocate contended in a published commentary in the Rocky Mountain News that the exorbitant solar-permit fees charged by some cities can eat up one or two years worth of energy savings that otherwise would accrue to a solar-energy user.

The bill, passing all legislative hurdles in the House and Senate, now only needs the approval of the governor.