State of Solar Rights Across the United States

Abstract:     
Solar energy is cheap, abundant, and readily available. Solar energy could help the United States to decrease (and, potentially, eliminate) its dependency on oil imports. However, the rate of solar technology adoption has been slow, to say the least. This paper is an attempt to summarize different ways in which state and local governments, courts, and private citizens address challenges arising from solar power adoption.

Keywords: Easement, prescriptive easement, negative easement, prior appropriation, takings clause, public nuisance, private nuisance, nuisance, land use, zoning

Working Paper Series