After the coming together at the People’s Climate March on Saturday, I know everyone will be pumped and ready to take action. Luckily, there’s a great opportunity to do that the very next day! Come join me in Vienna and learn about the Solarize Vienna program at the Vienna Green Expo. It’s part of the Vienna Walk on the Hill, a tour of the homes and gardens in the Historic Windover Heights District. It’s a great way to spend a beautiful spring day, and you can put your momentum from the March into some concrete action.
Now in its third year, the Solarize program is a collaboration between the Northern Virginia Regional Commission and the nonprofit Local Energy Alliance Program. It’s an incredible opportunity to get a free assessment of your house’s energy efficiency and solar potential. Solarize Vienna has vetted the best installers in the area and has negotiated group pricing on solar installations in town (and in other locations in Northern VA), so in addition to the 30% federal tax credit and the current trend of low solar pricing, participating in the Solarize Vienna program brings your cost even lower.
“It’s an exciting year for the Solarize program,” says Susan Stillman, chair of the Vienna Community Enhancement Commission. “The cost of solar is down because of increased adoption and improved technology. Add that to the negotiated rates through the program, and solar is becoming more and more affordable for a wider range of people. Plus, Dominion is offering net metering, which means that on days that you generate more electricity through solar than you use, you get credit. Personally, there were eight months out of last year that I didn’t have to buy electricity from Dominion, which was great!”
Come find out more while touring a Solarize Vienna project in Windover Heights during the Vienna Walk on the Hill, Sunday, March 30 from 2 to 5pm. Town Council member Carey Sienicki is the homeowner and will be on hand to share her solar experience, and the data from her ten-year plan to pay off the project. (Spoiler alert: she’s on track!)
One fun aspect of the program is the friendly competition that has grown up between Solarize Vienna, Solarize Falls Church and Solarize Fairfax. Town Council members have bet dinner on which town can install the most solar projects this year. Let’s go Vienna!
If you can’t make it to the Walk on the Hill Sunday but are still interested in Solarize Vienna, come to the info meeting about the program on May 23 from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Vienna Town Hall. The program closes June 30th, so there’s still plenty of time to sign up for a free assessment and to participate. Meantime, you can get a good idea if solar would work well for you by checking out this supercool map at novasolarmap.com, and get more info at solarizevienna.org. For programs in other NOVA locations, go to SolarizeNOVA.com.
Come be a part of Vienna’s solar revolution and the renewable energy future – see you at the Vienna Walk on the Hill and Green Expo this Sunday!
