Solar Workgroup of Southwest Virginia

04/09/2026

More shared solar for Southwest Virginia! This year's VA General Assembly passed improvements to Appalachian Power's Shared Solar program. The bills tripled the size of the program through 2028, making it possible for more customers to participate, and simplified shared solar energy billing for customers.

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04/07/2026

Visit the birthplace of the Solar Workgroup by joining this year’s SWVA Economic Forum! The annual Southwest Virginia Economic Forum is where the region comes together to think boldly, build connections, and shape what comes next for Southwest Virginia and Central Appalachia.

This year's theme, Rooted & Rising, explores how Southwest Virginia can honor its deep community foundations while advancing bold, forward-looking economic growth.

04/04/2026

Congratulations to the participating students from Russell County for their participation in the 2026 Southwest Virginia Region Renewable Energy Challenge, hosted at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center! Learn more about the competition at our April 30th community meeting!

Students from Russell County won First Place, Energy Expert, and the Judge’s Award prizes in the Middle School WIND competition. Students from Washington County and the City of Bristol won Second and Third place in the Middle School SOLAR competition and Third place in the Elementary School SOLAR competition.

CASE: Renewable Energy Challenges ~ Events

04/03/2026

Say hello to our newest SWVA Solar Neighbor! The Walker family installed this beautiful 11 kW system in 2022, in scenic Wise County, VA. The family pays the minimum $22 energy bill most months, with larger bills in only the harshest of winter. They are considering adding more panels this summer and recommends households to install as many panels as they can to cover the the entire household usage.

You can see the Walker family’s system and more at https://swvasolar.org/solar-ambassadors/

03/20/2026

Solar energy may soon be one outlet away, and Virginia is protecting its residents’ rights to use plug-in solar technology!

Residents of the state will soon be able to use the tech to lower their electricity bills. Gov. Spanberger has made affordability a top legislative…

03/18/2026

Do you have or know someone who has solar panels on their roof? If so, reach out to us at [email protected] to sign up as a solar neighbor on our webpage, receive a personal social media shout-out, and receive a free Southwest Virginia Solar T-shirt!

https://swvasolar.org/solar-ambassadors/

03/13/2026

WE WANT YOU TO ASK MORE FROM US! The Solar Workgroup is seeking feedback from community members and those serving communities in Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Tazewell and Wise counties, as well as the City of Norton, to inform our community engagement efforts on solar energy.

We're currently planning community events for 2026 and 2027, and input from residents and professionals of Southwest Virginia is invaluable.

We are seeking feedback from community members and those serving communities in Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Tazewell, and Wise counties, as well as the City of Norton, to inform our community engagement efforts on solar energy. We're currently planning community events for 2026 and 202...