An Energetic Effort for Solarize Piedmont Campaign
by Paula Combs
Solar power is a growing trend,but many homeowners still don’t know how or where to get it. This is where local solarize campaigns come in handy.
The Piedmont Environmental Council has launched its second campaign, “Solarize Piedmont,” which runs through June 15.
“Our campaign is all about demystifying the process and increasing the number of solar installations in the region,” said PEC President Chris Miller.
The grassroots effort is a joint partnership between the PEC, Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP), Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC) and Solar Solutions for All, LLC.
Ben Glenzer, a partner at Leesburg-based Solar Solutions For All – which is the installer for “Solarize Piedmont” – described some of the benefits and flexibility of Solarize Piedmont.
“It gives owners the freedom to choose their energy and equipment locally,” he said. “And solar systems can be installed almost anywhere – on roofs, on barns, on the ground, in agricultural and suburban areas, and on historic buildings as well.”
To announce the launch of the campaign, PEC reentry held an event at their headquarters office in Old Town Warrenton where they showcased their recently installed solar system.
“We decided on a photovoltaic system of 38 panels – it’s just under 10kw in size and cost around $34,000,” Miller said. “As a non-profit, we can’t take advantage of the tax credit that residential and business customers can, but it’s still a good long-term investment for us. Over a 25-year life span, we expect as high as a 7.5 per cent rate of return.”
Delegate Randy Minchew of Loudoun, a Republican from Virginia’s 10th District, attended PEC’s event and spoke about trying to make Virginia more solar-friendly.
“I’m optimistic that some of the electrical companies will smell the coffee and realize that working with renewable energy development is good for them and good for our Commonwealth as a whole,” he said.
Solarize Piedmont is available to residents in Albemarle, Clarke, Culpeper, Fauquier, Greene, Loudoun, Madison, Orange and Rappahannock Counties.
“We’ve done the research on equipment and installers so you can be confident in making the big move to clean energy,” said Andrew Grigsby, executive director at LEAP.
Here’s how the Solarize Piedmont campaign works:
If you’re interested in putting solar power on your home, farm or office building, fill out the signup form at pecva.org/solarize. After filling out the form, you will need to fill out a “Letter of Interest” and email LEAP a copy of your recent electric bills.
LEAP then will do a satellite assessment to see if your property has solar potential. If your property has solar potential, LEAP will pass your information along to the solar installer, Solar Solutions for All, who will get in touch with you and schedule a site visit.
After that, LEAP will create a proposal tailored just for you, and they’ll walk you through the financing options. If you decide to move forward, the installer obtains all the necessary permits, orders the materials and equipment and takes care of the installation.