Among its most important work, the Solar Workgroup of Southwest Virginia has produced a “Solar Playbook” to help answer the question: ‘how can the region maximize investment and local benefits simultaneously from large scale solar development, especially given the large quantity of previously mined land.’ The ‘Solar Paybook’ It’s a rich technical resource, with step-by-step processes many communities across the country can look to for inspiration when assessing the solar power potential in their own region.
Solar Workgroup of Southwest Virginia’s mission states: “Solar Workgroup of Southwest Virginia is developing a locally rooted solar industry as a regional economic and social catalyst, creating jobs and energy savings, as well as attracting renewable energy investments and new business opportunities to SWVA.”
The Solar Workgroup of Southwest Virginia is itself a diverse collaboration of numerous organization and professionals diligently working towards a common goal: to grow the solar energy industry in the Commonwealth of Virginia even on its most challenging real estate. The vision of the SW Virginia Workgroup states: “Southwest Virginia is a solar leader in the Commonwealth and Central Appalachia, building on the region’s proud history as an energy leader, working to realize the economic, environmental, and resiliency benefits of solar energy markets for all SWVA community members.”
During the 2021 Virginia Solar Summit four distinguished experts engaged in this timely, vital work shared their respective perspectives on exactly how localities can make the most of this moment of energy and industrial change for the benefit of both our economies and communities, including: Adam Wells of Appalachian Voices, Elizabeth Marshall of University of Virginia’s Cooper Center for Energy Transition, Ed Gilliland of the Solar Foundation and Nicholas Kasza of the National League of Cities.
Is there enough cake to go around in coal country in the construction of these next generation, large-scale solar power projects?
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